The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, the agency that owns and operates Caltrain, has approved a regional agreement to fully fund the electrification of the railroad.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the California High-Speed Rail Authority and more than a half-dozen Bay Area public agencies leverages local, regional and federal funding to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in high-speed rail funds for the project.
Riders could see an electrified Caltrain system as soon as 2019, the operator said.
Electrification will bring a ‘faster, cleaner, quieter, more efficient train service, with more frequent service to more stations. The result would be an increase in riders and an increase in revenue’.
“The recent action taken by the several transit agencies will produce an historic accomplishment—the modernisation of Caltrain,” Rep. Eshoo said.
“A 21st century system will serve Silicon Valley commuters well, while stimulating local economies and alleviating traffic congestion. This is a huge win for the people of the Peninsula.”
A blended system would allow Caltrain and high speed rail to operate on the Caltrain tracks using the current infrastructure with a combination of electrification and positive train control. A larger project would be developed in phases over the next 25 years.
