| CalMod | |
|---|---|
 | |
 A Caltrain KISS electric trainset in revenue service in August 2024 | |
| Location | San Francisco Peninsula, California, U.S. |
| Owner | Caltrain |
| Established | July 21, 2017 (groundbreaking) |
| Status | Operational |
| Website | calmod |
The Caltrain Modernization Program (CalMod), sometimes referred to as the Caltrain Electrification Project, was a $2.44 billion project which added a positive train control (PTC) system and electrified the main line of the U.S. commuter railroad Caltrain, which serves cities in the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley. The electrification included installation of a 25 kV catenary system over the double-tracked line from San Francisco to San Jose, and acquisition of new rolling stock, consisting of Stadler KISS double-decker electric multiple units (EMU). Caltrain has transitioned from its legacy push-pull trains hauled by diesel-electric locomotives, most of which have been in service since 1985.
CalMod electrified 51 miles (82 km) of tracks between 4th and King station and Tamien station and installed a PTC management system along the tracks. PTC is designed to fulfill federal safety mandates for passenger rail and is part of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) waiver to use EMUs on tracks shared with freight traffic. Funding for the project came from various federal, state, and local sources, including from the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).
Proposals for electrifying the line began as early as 1992 when the California Department of Transportation conducted an early feasibility study. For two decades, the project lay dormant due to lack of funding until Caltrain agreed to share its tracks with the CHSRA, which was looking for a route for the legally mandated San Jose–San Francisco segment. The Authority agreed to partially fund the electrification project in exchange for rights to share the track. Construction contracts for electrification were awarded in July 2016 and groundbreaking was expected to occur in March 2017, but was delayed when the new United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao indefinitely deferred federal funding just before construction was about to begin. That same month, Caltrain removed the contractor responsible for implementing PTC for failure to perform on budget and schedule. In May 2017, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced its intention to sign the grant and reversed Secretary Chao's deferment.
Construction for CalMod began with a groundbreaking ceremony at Millbrae station on July 21, 2017, and completed in April 2024.[1] Stadler KISS units began delivery in March 2022, and system testing started in June 2023. Caltrain began public revenue service using the Stadler EMUs on August 11, 2024, with two trainsets, adding more gradually until fully transitioning to all-electric trainsets on September 21.[2][3] Some of the newer diesel locomotives and conventional passenger coaches will be retained for service south of Tamien. Switching to EMUs is intended to improve service times via faster acceleration and shorter headways, and reduce air and noise pollution. CalMod also enabled planning and implementation to proceed for The Portal, a planned tunnel to extend Caltrain and future California High-Speed Rail service approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) to downtown San Francisco's Salesforce Transit Center.
- ^ "Caltrain fully energizes electrified corridor". Trains. Kalmbach Media. April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Caltrain Welcomes First Passengers on New Electric Trains" (Press release). San Carlos, California: Caltrain. August 10, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ "The Future of Caltrain is Here" (Press release). San Carlos, California: Caltrain. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.