Caltrain is a
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
commuter rail line on the
San Francisco PeninsulaThe San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
and in the
Santa Clara ValleyThe Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
(
Silicon ValleySilicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
) in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The northern
terminusTerminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
of the rail line is in
San FranciscoSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in
GilroyGilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 48,821 at the 2010 census. Gilroy is well-known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces...
. Trains operate out of San Francisco and San Jose on an approximately hourly basis every weekday, with more frequent service provided during commute hours and for special events (such as sporting events). Service between San Jose and Gilroy is limited to three daily commute-hour round trips. Average weekday ridership in February 2011 was 41,442 persons per day, up 12.7% from February, 2010.
Caltrain is governed by the
Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (
PCJPB), which consists of three member agencies from the three counties in which Caltrain line serves. Each member agency sends three representatives to constitute a nine member Board of Directors. The member agencies are the City and County of San Francisco,
SamTransSamTrans is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto...
and the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation AuthorityThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
Caltrain has 29 regular stops, one
footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
-only stop (
Stanford StadiumStanford Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the Stanford University campus, the home of Stanford Cardinal college football team. It originally opened in 1921 as a football and track stadium, an earthen horseshoe with wooden bleacher seating and flooring upon a steel frame...
), and two weekend-only stops (Broadway and Atherton). As of January 2011, Caltrain runs 86 weekday trains (22 Baby Bullet and Limited), 36 Saturday (4 Baby Bullet), and 32 Sunday (4 Baby Bullet).
Caltrain route
History
- See Peninsula Commute
The Peninsula Commute, also known as the Southern Pacific Peninsula or just Peninsula, was the common name for historical commuter rail service between San Jose, California and San Francisco, California on the San Francisco Peninsula. This service ran as a private, for-profit enterprise beginning...
for more information on commuter rail service before Caltrain.
Southern Pacific service
The original railroad built in 1863 was the
San Francisco and San Jose Rail RoadThe San Francisco and San Jose Railroad was a railroad incorporated on August 18, 1860 and consists of 49.5 miles of track running the San Francisco Peninsula from San Francisco, California to San Jose, California...
, purchased by
Southern PacificThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
in 1870.
Southern Pacific double-tracked the line in 1904 and rerouted it via Bayshore. After 1945 ridership declined with the rise of automobile use; in 1977 SP petitioned the state Public Utilities Commission to discontinue the commuter operation due to the ongoing losses.
To preserve the commuter service, Caltrans in 1980 contracted SP and began to subsidize the operation. Caltrans purchased new locomotives and rolling stock replacing SP equipment in 1985, upgraded stations, added shuttle buses to nearby employers, and dubbed the operation
CalTrain.
Joint Powers Board
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board was formed in 1987 to manage the line. Subsequently San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties commissioned Earth Metrics, Inc., to prepare an Environmental Impact Report on right-of-way acquisition and expansion of operations. With state and local funding, the PCJPB bought the railroad right of way between San Francisco and San Jose from SP in 1991. The following year, PCJPB took responsibility for CalTrain operations and selected
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
as the contract operator. PCJPB extended the CalTrain service from
San JoseSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to
GilroyGilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 48,821 at the 2010 census. Gilroy is well-known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces...
, connecting to the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
Light Rail at
Tamien StationTamien Station is an intermodal passenger transportation station served by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail system, two bus routes, and the Caltrain commuter rail line. The station has two distinct elevated rail platforms – one for Caltrain, the other for light rail. ...
in San Jose.
In July 1995 CalTrain became accessible to passengers in wheelchairs. Five months later, CalTrain increased the
bicycleA bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
limit to 24 per train, making the service attractive to commuters in bicycle-friendly cities such as
San FranciscoSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and
Palo AltoPalo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
.
In July 1997 the current logo was adopted, and the official name became
Caltrain.
In 1998 the
San Francisco Municipal RailwayThe San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
extended the
N JudahThe N Judah is a Muni Metro line in San Francisco, California, so called as it runs along Judah Street for much of its length, named after railroad engineer Theodore Judah. It links downtown San Francisco to the Cole Valley and Sunset neighborhoods. It is the busiest line in the Muni Metro system...
Muni MetroMuni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
line from Market Street to the San Francisco Caltrain Station at 4th and King streets, providing a direct Caltrain-Muni Metro connection for the first time. A year later,
VTAThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
extended its Light Rail from north Santa Clara to the Caltrain station in Mountain View.
In June 2003 a passenger connection for the
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
and Caltrain systems opened at
MillbraeMillbrae is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, just west of San Francisco Bay, with San Bruno on the north and Burlingame on the south. The population was 21,532 at the 2010 census.-History:...
station just south of the
San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
.
In 2008 Caltrain reached an all-time high of 98 trains each weekday.
Baby Bullet Express Service
In June 2004 Caltrain finished its two-year
CTX (Caltrain Express) project for a new express service called the
Baby Bullet. The project entailed new bypass tracks in Brisbane and Sunnyvale as well as a new
centralized traffic controlCentralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
system. The Baby Bullet trains reduced travel time by stopping at only four or five stations between San Francisco and San Jose
Diridon StationDiridon Station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a transit hub for Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley...
; the express trains could overtake local trains at the two locations (near Lawrence and Bayshore stations) where bypass tracks were added. Express schedule between San Francisco and San Jose is 57 minutes (four stops) or 59 minutes (five stops), compared to 1 hour 30 minutes for local trains. Top speed of the Baby Bullets is the same 79 mph (35.3 m/s) as other trains, but fewer stops allow the expresses to cut travel time. The CTX project included the purchase of new
Bombardier BiLevel CoachBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
es along with
MPI MP36PH-3CMPXpress is a series of diesel-electric passenger train locomotives designed for commuter rail service. The manufacturer, Motive Power , offers the locomotives with a number of customizable options such as different prime movers and traction motors, head end power generated by a separate engine or...
locomotives for the express service. The Baby Bullets have proved popular, but they skip most stations so many riders have longer commutes on non-bullet trains, some of which wait for Baby Bullet trains to pass.
In May 2005 Caltrain started a series of fare increases and schedule changes in response to a projected budget shortfall. The frequency of the popular Baby Bullet express trains was increased in order to bring in additional revenues; two express trains were added in May and another ten were added in August. New Baby Bullet stops, known as
Pattern B stops, were introduced. Another increase of US$0.25 in basic fare came in January 2006. Daily ridership increased from fewer than 27,000 to over 34,000.
Budget crisis
On April 2, 2010, Caltrain announced the need to cut its services by around 50%, as it is required to cut $30 million from its $97 million budget because all three authorities that fund the line are facing financial problems themselves and $10 million a year in previous state funding has been cut. Revenues for both local and state agencies have been steadily declining, as well as ticket revenues at Caltrain itself, and have left all "beyond broke."
On January 1, 2011, Caltrain cut 4 midday trains but upgraded 4 weekend trains to Baby Bullet service as a pilot program. This reduced its schedule from 90 to 86 trains each weekday. At the same time, it raised fares $0.25 and continued to contemplate cutting weekday service to 48 trains during commute hours only. By April 2011, Caltrain's board had approved a budget with fare increases to take effect on July 1, 2011, and no service cuts. The budget gap would be closed with another $0.25 fare increase, a $1 parking fee increase to $4, and additional money from other transit agencies and the MTC.
Maintenance and operations facility
The Centralized Equipment Maintenance and Operations Facility is a new train maintenance yard and facility north of
San Jose DiridonDiridon Station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a transit hub for Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley...
stationA train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in
San JoseSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The maintenance station began construction in 2004 and opened on September 29, 2007. The facility consolidates much of Caltrain's maintenance and operations into one location.
Downtown San Francisco extension
An additional 1.3 mi (2.1 km) tunnel has been proposed to extend Caltrain from the current northern terminus in San Francisco at 4th and King to a rebuilt
Transbay TerminalSan Francisco Transbay Transit Terminal, or simply Transbay Terminal, was a transportation complex in San Francisco, California, USA, located roughly in the center of the rectangle bounded north–south by Mission Street and Howard Street, and east–west by Beale Street and 2nd Street...
, where it would be much closer to the job center of San Francisco and connect directly with
BARTBay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
,
MuniThe San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
, Transbay
AC TransitAC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
buses, and long-distance buses. As of August 2006, the Caltrain extension portion of the Transbay Terminal project is scheduled to begin construction in 2012 and open in 2018. The extension would also serve the
California High-Speed RailThe California High-Speed Rail project is a planned future high-speed rail system in the state of California and headed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority . Initial funding for the project was approved by California voters on November 4, 2008, with the passage of Proposition 1A...
system.
Dumbarton Rail
Caltrain has been chosen to provide commuter rail service on a to-be-rebuilt
DumbartonThe Dumbarton Bridge is the southernmost of the highway bridges that span the San Francisco Bay in California. Carrying over 81,000 vehicles daily, it is also the shortest bridge across San Francisco Bay at 1.63 miles...
rail corridor across the
San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
between the Peninsula and
Alameda CountyAlameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
in the East Bay. This project would add four stations to the Caltrain system:
Union CityUnion City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark . The city...
,
Fremont-CentervilleFremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
,
NewarkNewark is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated as a city in September 1955. Newark is an enclave, completely surrounded by the city of Fremont. Its population was 42,573 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, and
Menlo ParkMenlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
/
East Palo AltoEast Palo Alto is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States.-Overview:As of the 2010 census, the population of East Palo Alto was 28,155. It is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, roughly halfway between the cities of San Francisco and San Jose...
. The two obsolete swing bridges along the corridor would be replaced. Dumbarton Rail was scheduled to start construction in 2009 after a 30-month environmental review and begin service in 2012.
SamTransSamTrans is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto...
, one of Caltrain's member agencies, already owns the right-of-way for the Dumbarton Rail Bridge. The bridge has not been used since 1982, when it was still owned by
SPThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, and about 33% of the bridge collapsed due to an arson fire in 1998. However, the project's estimated cost doubled between 2004 and 2006, to
US$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
600M, and is financially problematic. In January 2009, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission instead applied the funds to the BART Warm Springs Extension project in Fremont, delaying the Dumbarton rail project for a decade.
South of Gilroy extension
Caltrain was the first service provider approached by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) to extend service south of Gilroy into
Monterey CountyMonterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
. The proposed extension would stop at
PajaroPajaro is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Pajaro is located on the south bank of the Pajaro River northeast of its mouth, at an elevation of 26 feet . The population was 3,070 at the 2010 census, down from 3,384 at the 2000 census...
(serving
WatsonvilleWatsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
in adjacent
Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
) and
CastrovilleCastroville is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Castroville is located northwest of Salinas, at an elevation of 23 feet . The population was 6,481 at the 2010 census, down from 6,724 at the 2000 census. Castroville calls itself "Artichoke Center of the...
before terminating at
SalinasSalinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
. This project depends on state and federal funding availability and a possible local sales tax measure. This project is managed by TAMC, who has released the
Final Environment Impact Report (EIR)An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
for this project in 2006. This would complement another plan to re-establish rail service last provided by
Southern Pacific RailroadThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
's
Del Monte Express which operated between
MontereyThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
and San Francisco.
As TAMC would have to secure 100% of the operational funding expense incurred by Caltrain for this extension, it is now being discussed to partner with the
Caltrans Division of RailAmtrak California is a brand name used by the Caltrans Division of Rail for all state-supported Amtrak rail routes within the U.S. State of California...
to instead extend
Capitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
service south from San Jose to Salinas.
Service to
HollisterHollister is a city in and the county seat of San Benito County, California, United States. The population was 34,928 at the 2010 census. Hollister is primarily an agricultural town.-History:...
along a spur separate from the Monterey County extension has also been proposed.
Weekend service, especially during the summer, could also be provided to Santa Cruz via Watsonville.
Electrification
The proposed Caltrain electrification project would convert the Caltrain mainline between San Francisco and
San JoseSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
from the current diesel-electric locomotive power source to a fully electric rolling stock. Electrification would improve service times via faster acceleration, enable more fine-grained scheduling, and reduce pollution and noise. Electrification also allows future expansion to downtown San Francisco.
Although the project has an estimated total cost of $600–865 million, some of these costs can be offset by savings of $1–2 million a year in fuel and other saved costs; the amount saved depends on the price of diesel oil. Electrified vehicles require less maintenance, but electrification will increase required track maintenance by approximately the same dollar amount, at least initially. Caltrain planned to complete electrification by 2015 for the first phase and 2020 for the second phase. The electrification is expected to start in 2012.
The electrification project between San Francisco and San Jose is the first of two project phases,
with the second phase between Tamien Station and Gilroy. The capital cost, excluding electric rolling stock, for the first phase is estimated at $471 million (2006 dollars). Caltrain plans to use
electric multiple unitAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s as rolling stock used on the electrified lines. The US
Federal Railroad AdministrationThe Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
granted Caltrain a waiver to operate the units, which were previously banned due to concerns over crash resistance. Caltrain plans to retain the newer diesel-electric rolling stock for Dumbarton and south of Tamien service.
Wireless internet access
In 2006, Caltrain announced that wireless internet access (using
WiMAXWiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
) would be available to passengers, at no additional charge, by the end of 2007. Caltrain invested more than $1 Million in researching and testing WiFi in 2006. The Caltrain Board of Directors voted at their August 30, 2007 meeting to keep the project from proceeding by rejecting both bids to provide the service, citing both bids not meeting the expectation of Caltrain. Caltrain still hopes to offer the service eventually as part of a more comprehensive communication package.
New operating partnership
On August 19, 2011, Caltrain announced a staff recommendation to sign a five-year, $62.5 million contract with
MissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
based TransitAmerica Services, a subsidiary of Herzog Transit Systems, after taking proposals from three other firms, including Amtrak, which has provided operating employees since 1992. The new operating contract is to be considered by the full Joint Powers Board at its scheduled September 1 meeting. If it is approved, TransitAmerica Services will take over not only the conductor and engineer jobs on the trains, but dispatching and maintenance of both equipment and trackage/right-of-way from Amtrak. The changeover is estimated to take about five months, beginning in late 2011 with completion in 2012.
California High-Speed Rail
The entire length of the Caltrain right-of-way from
Gilroy- People :* Beryl Gilroy* Dan Gilroy* Frank D. Gilroy* Freddie Gilroy* Henry Gilroy* Ian Gilroy* Jackie Gilroy* John Gilroy * Keith Gilroy* Linda Gilroy* Matt Gilroy* Norman Thomas Gilroy* Pat Gilroy* Paul Gilroy* Rex Gilroy* Thomas F...
to San Francisco is part of the planned route of the
California High-Speed RailThe California High-Speed Rail project is a planned future high-speed rail system in the state of California and headed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority . Initial funding for the project was approved by California voters on November 4, 2008, with the passage of Proposition 1A...
line. Trains will reach speeds of up to 125 mph between San Jose and San Francisco. The construction of the system will also eliminate all grade crossings on the peninsula and in Silicon Valley along the right-of-way.
Closed stations
- 4.1 mi (7 km) - Paul Avenue
Paul Avenue Station was a lightly used Caltrain station located in Bayview, San Francisco, California. Before its closure in 2005, the station was served by only two trains Monday through Friday , and had no service on weekends. The station platform is still intact...
, San Francisco - possibly to be replaced by Oakdale, about one mile (1.6 km) to the north in 2012 or 2013.
- 20.0 mi (32 km) - Bay Meadows
Bay Meadows was a horse racing track in San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States.-History:Built on the site of an old airfield, Bay Meadows Racecourse was the longest continually operating thoroughbred racetrack in California, having been founded on November 13,...
, San Mateo - closed on December 20, 2005; consolidated with Hillsdale station which was less than half mile (800 m) away. The Hillsdale station was also moved a few hundred feet (100 m) north so that an exit ramp leads right into the Bay Meadows parking lot as part of a renovation of the station for Baby Bullet service.
- 34.9 mi (56 km) - Castro
Castro Station was a Caltrain station located in Mountain View, California. It was replaced by the newer San Antonio station 0.8 mi to the north in 1999. The last Castro boardings were in 2000....
, Mountain View (at Castro City on Rengstorff Avenue) - closed in 1998; replaced with the new San Antonio stop 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the north in 1999
Hold-out rule
Stations where trains on both tracks are boarded on the same side (requiring some passengers to cross an active track to board) have a "hold-out" rule, prohibiting any train from passing a train that is stopped at the station for passengers. (The rule applies even when the passing train is on the side opposite the platform.) The rule does not apply to Broadway and Atherton stations on weekdays, when no trains stop there.
- South San Francisco
- Broadway
- Atherton
- Santa Clara
- College Park
Ticketing and ridership
Caltrain Average Weekday Ridership by year
Survey done every February. |
| 1997 |
26,043 |
| 1998 |
27,967 |
| 1999 |
27,591 |
| 2000 |
31,291 |
| 2001 |
35,609 |
| 2002 |
30,961 |
| 2003 |
27,191 |
| 2004 |
25,550 |
| 2005 |
28,393 |
| 2006 |
32,031 |
| 2007 |
33,841 |
| 2008 |
36,993 |
| 2009 |
39,122 |
| 2010 |
36,778 |
| 2011 |
41,442 |
Fares for Caltrain service are based on the number of zones traveled (see above). Caltrain uses a
proof-of-paymentProof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
system: before boarding, each rider buys a ticket that may or may not be checked during his trip. One-way tickets expire four hours after purchase, but round-trip tickets ("day passes") are good for unlimited rides within their zone limit until the last train of the day. Discounted 8-ride tickets and monthly passes are available. Seniors, children, and the disabled ride for roughly half price (varies depending on the ticket). One-way fares are (as of July 1, 2011):
- Within one zone: $2.75
- Within two zones: $4.75
- Within three zones: $6.75
- Within four zones: $8.75
- Within five zones: $10.75
- Within six zones: $12.75
Day-Pass or Round Trip is double the one-way.
Zone ticketing requires little infrastructure at the stations but can be expensive for passengers making a short trip that crosses a zone boundary (each zone is 13 miles long). Travel from Sunnyvale to Lawrence (2.0 miles / 3.2 km) costs $4.75, the same as San Francisco to Redwood City (25.3 miles / 40.8 km).
In August 2009 Caltrain became the fifth public transit agency in the San Francisco Bay Area to implement
TranslinkThe Clipper card is a reloadable contactless smart card used for electronic transit fare payment in the San Francisco Bay Area. First introduced as Translink in 2002 by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as a pilot program, Clipper was rebranded into its current form and launched in 2010...
(now known as the Clipper card), the smart fare card that allows usually seamless transfers between participating agencies. Single rides, 8-ride tickets, and monthly passes are all available using Clipper, and conductors carry Clipper card readers while checking tickets. On February 1, 2011, paper 8-ride tickets will be replaced entirely by the Clipper card. Starting with the March monthly pass, monthly passes will be available only on the Clipper card.
Cost and budget
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board purchased the right of way between San Francisco and San Jose for $212 million from Southern Pacific in 1991. The total operating budget for fiscal year 2006 was $73,524,000. The fare revenue was $30,186,000, making the
farebox recovery ratioThe farebox recovery ratio of a passenger transportation system is the proportion of the amount of revenue generated through fares by its paying customers as a fraction of the cost of its total operating expenses....
41%.
Locomotives
Caltrain uses (or has used) the following locomotives, which are powered by
diesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s:
| Builder | Model | Locomotive Numbers | Years of Service | Notes |
| EMD |
F40PH-2-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
|
902, 903, 907, 910, 914 |
1985–Present |
Overhauled by AlstomAlstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
in 1999; HEP generators retained original gear drive from main engine. |
| EMD |
F40PH-2CAT-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
|
900, 901, 904–906, 908, 909, 911–913, 915–917 |
1985–Present |
Originally F40PH-2s; overhauled by Alstom in 1999 and HEP generators were converted to separate Caterpillar 6-cylinder engines. |
| EMD |
F40PH-2CAT-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
|
918, 919 |
1987–Present |
Originally F40PH-2s; overhauled by Alstom in 1999 and HEP generators were converted to separate Caterpillar 6-cylinder engines. |
MPI (Boise)Wabtec Corporation is an American company formed by the merger of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company and MotivePower Industries Corporation in 1999....
|
F40PH-2C-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
|
920–922 |
1998–Present |
Cummins-powered HEP generators. No. 920 is the Operation LifesaverOperation Lifesaver is an organization originally started in Idaho in 1972 as a six-week, one-time public awareness campaign sponsored by the office of Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad after years of increasing grade crossing accidents.As a result of...
unit. |
| MPI (Boise) |
MP36PH-3CMPXpress is a series of diesel-electric passenger train locomotives designed for commuter rail service. The manufacturer, Motive Power , offers the locomotives with a number of customizable options such as different prime movers and traction motors, head end power generated by a separate engine or...
|
923–928 |
2003–Present |
Primarily used for "Baby Bullet" service. |
| EMD |
GP9An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
|
500, 501;
Southern Pacific 3187 |
2000–Present;
1980–1985 (Built in 1959) |
Used for Work Train/Yard Switcher service. |
| EMD |
MP15DCThe EMD MP15DC was a switcher-type diesel locomotive model produced by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between 1974 and 1980. 351 examples were built...
|
503, 504 |
2003–Present (Built in 1974) |
Used for Work Train/Yard Switcher service. |
Caltrain also leased a number of Amtrak F40PH's in 1998 and 1999 while Caltrain's F40PH-2's were being overhauled.
Locomotive names
- 900 San Francisco
- 901 San Jose
- 902 San Mateo
- 903 Santa Clara
- 904 Palo Alto
- 905 Sunnyvale
- 906 Burlingame
- 907 Mountain View
- 908 Redwood City
- 909 Menlo Park
- 910 Millbrae
- 911 San Carlos
- 912 San Bruno
- 913 Belmont
- 914 Atherton
- 915 South San Francisco
|
916 California
917 Gilroy
918 County of San Mateo
919 County of Santa Clara
920 Morgan Hill (Operation LifesaverOperation Lifesaver is an organization originally started in Idaho in 1972 as a six-week, one-time public awareness campaign sponsored by the office of Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad after years of increasing grade crossing accidents.As a result of...
)
921 San Martin
922 Tamien
923
924
925 Jackie SpeierKaren Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco.She is also a former member of the California State...
926
927
928 |
Passenger cars
There are 93 bi-level gallery-type cars built by
Nippon Sharyo, , formed in 1896, is a major rolling stock manufacturer based in Nagoya, Japan. In 1996, it abbreviated its name to "日本車両" Nippon Sharyō. Its shortest abbreviation is Nissha "日車". It was a listed company on Nikkei 225 until 2004. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Nagoya Stock Exchange...
in Caltrain's fleet, of which 66 are coaches and 27 are bike-accessible cab cars. Caltrans purchased the first 63 gallery cars in 1985 when it began subsidizing the commuter rail service. The other 30 were purchased by Caltrain in 2000, and the older cars were rebuilt by Nippon Sharyo around the same time. Each gallery car has one set of exit doors on each side of the car.
Caltrain purchased 17
Bombardier BiLevel CoachBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
es in 2002, of which 10 are coaches, 5 are cab-bike cars, and 2 are cab-wheelchair cars. Some of the Bombardier BiLevel Coaches were bought from the
Sounder Commuter RailSounder commuter rail is a regional rail service operated by BNSF on behalf of Sound Transit. Service operates Monday through Friday during peak hours from Seattle, Washington, north to Everett and south to Tacoma. As of 2011, schedules serve the traditional peak commutes, with most trains running...
. Caltrain purchased additional eight cars in 2008 to meet short-term passenger growth and to increase spare ratio. These Bombardier cars are mostly used on Baby Bullet express trains, but occasionally they can be spotted working on limited-stop and local trains.
Caltrain formerly used "Boise Budd" single-level cars it bought from
Virginia Railway ExpressThe Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
as Special-Event trains. These were sold after becoming obsolete. They are now in service on the
Grand Canyon RailwayThe Grand Canyon Railway , is a passenger railroad which operates between Williams, Arizona, and Grand Canyon National Park South Rim.-Santa Fe Ownership:...
.
Inter-CityInter-city rail services are express passenger train services that cover longer distances than commuter or regional trains.There is no precise definition of inter-city rail. Its meaning may vary from country to country...
, RegionalCommuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
and Commuter rail
Caltrain has direct connections to three
regional railCommuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
services;
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
(with service to San Francisco, SFO, Oakland, Fremont, Richmond, Dublin, Concord, and Pittsburg.) at the
Millbrae Intermodal StationMillbrae Station is an at-grade Bay Area Rapid Transit and Caltrain station located in suburban Millbrae, California, in northern San Mateo County.-Description:...
,
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's
Capitol CorridorThe Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
and
Coast StarlightThe Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
trains, as well as
Altamont Commuter ExpressThe Altamont Commuter Express is a regional rail service in California connecting Stockton with San Jose....
at
San JoseSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
's
Diridon StationDiridon Station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a transit hub for Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley...
.
The future BART-to-San Jose extension would also introduce connecting BART service at Diridon station and
Santa Clara stationSanta Clara station is one of two heavy railway stations in Santa Clara, California...
. Planned renovation for the Santa Clara station would also reintroduce the possibility of connecting service for Altamont Commuter Express and Amtrak.
Bus/Light rail
Caltrain is served by a number of local bus/rail systems. These system include the
San Francisco Municipal RailwayThe San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
(Muni), San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) and
Santa Clara Valley Transportation AuthorityThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
(VTA). (Additionally,
Golden Gate TransitGolden Gate Transit is a public transportation system serving the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It mainly serves Marin and Sonoma Counties, and also provides limited service to San Francisco and Contra Costa County.Golden Gate Transit is one of three...
of
MarinMarin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
and
SonomaSonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
Counties is within 20 minutes' walking distance, or a short Muni ride via the
NThe N Judah is a Muni Metro line in San Francisco, California, so called as it runs along Judah Street for much of its length, named after railroad engineer Theodore Judah. It links downtown San Francisco to the Cole Valley and Sunset neighborhoods. It is the busiest line in the Muni Metro system...
or T lines, from Caltrain's northern terminus.)
In August 2005, as part of its Vasona light rail project, the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation AuthorityThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
established its third transfer point with Caltrain at
San JoseSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
's central train station Diridon. In addition to many bus connections, VTA light rail service has two other Caltrain transfer points at San Jose's
TamienTamien Station is an intermodal passenger transportation station served by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail system, two bus routes, and the Caltrain commuter rail line. The station has two distinct elevated rail platforms – one for Caltrain, the other for light rail. ...
and at
Mountain ViewDowntown Mountain View station is an intermodal passenger transportation station that serves the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail system, Caltrain commuter rail line, and numerous bus and shuttle routes.-Station amenities:...
. (Also, the
Cottle light rail stopCottle is a light rail station operated by Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . This station is served by VTA's Alum Rock–Santa Teresa line...
in southern San Jose is a mile from Caltrain's Blossom Hill station.)
The
San Francisco Municipal RailwayThe San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
(Muni) has two light rail connections, the
N JudahThe N Judah is a Muni Metro line in San Francisco, California, so called as it runs along Judah Street for much of its length, named after railroad engineer Theodore Judah. It links downtown San Francisco to the Cole Valley and Sunset neighborhoods. It is the busiest line in the Muni Metro system...
and T Third Street lines, at separate stops near the San Francisco 4th and King station. Muni intended to establish another light rail connection to the Bayshore station at Visitacion Valley in southern San Francisco for the T Third line, but this has been delayed indefinitely due to cost and design issues. The T Third opened on 2007-04-18 without the connection.
Airport
Caltrain used to have a connection to
San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
via a free shuttle bus at the Millbrae station that met arriving trains. With
BARTBay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
's extension to SFO, Caltrain discontinued the shuttle bus. Now in order to take Caltrain to SFO, riders must take a $4, 12-minute, un-timed connection with BART beginning at
Millbrae Intermodal StationMillbrae Station is an at-grade Bay Area Rapid Transit and Caltrain station located in suburban Millbrae, California, in northern San Mateo County.-Description:...
; currently, riders must also change BART trains at San Bruno during weekdays before 7pm, as BART has eliminated direct service from Milbrae to SFO during those times; direct BART service between Millbrae and SFO still exists on nights and weekends.
There is a connection to
San Jose International AirportNorman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
via the free
VTAThe Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
shuttle bus #10 at the Santa Clara Station.
Regional express bus
Caltrain is also served by
AC TransitAC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
from Hayward at the Hillsdale station (Line M) and at Palo Alto station (Line U). This is in addition to the
Dumbarton ExpressThe Dumbarton Express is a California bus service operating between Union City BART station and Palo Alto Caltrain station via the Dumbarton Bridge. The service is operated by a group of operators including BART, VTA, Union City Transit, and AC Transit...
from Union City/Fremont at Palo Alto. Furthermore
Highway 17 ExpressThe Highway 17 Express is an Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach route provided by a consortium of entities that provides regional service between San Jose and Santa Cruz County in the South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
bus from
Santa CruzSanta Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
and Monterey-Salinas Transit from
MontereyThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
at San Jose, as well as San Benito County Express from
HollisterHollister is a city in and the county seat of San Benito County, California, United States. The population was 34,928 at the 2010 census. Hollister is primarily an agricultural town.-History:...
at Gilroy.
Bus shuttle
Caltrain sponsors many shuttle routes serving local employers on the Peninsula and in Silicon Valley. Shuttle connections via the
MargueriteMarguerite is a free shuttle service Stanford University offers to its students, faculty, staff, and the general public.Stanford's history of providing free transportation is as old as the university itself...
are available to
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
at the Palo Alto and California Avenue stations and
San José State UniversitySan Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
at the San Jose Station.
Bicycle access
Caltrain was one of the first commuter rail services to add
bicycleA bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
capacity to its trains. On the older
Nippon Sharyo, , formed in 1896, is a major rolling stock manufacturer based in Nagoya, Japan. In 1996, it abbreviated its name to "日本車両" Nippon Sharyō. Its shortest abbreviation is Nissha "日車". It was a listed company on Nikkei 225 until 2004. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Nagoya Stock Exchange...
gallery fleet, every cab car is designed to carry 40 bicycles. On the other hand, most cab cars on the newer Bombardier fleet are designed to carry 24 bicycles. As of 2011 every consist includes two bicycle cars. Consequently, bike capacity on trains can range from 48 to 80 bicycles. Folding bicycles are not restricted and can be carried on any car when folded.
All bicycle rack-equipped cars are marked by a yellow bike decal on the outside. In addition, a mirror is attached. On board the bicycle cars, the cyclists are required to secure their bicycle to the rack using the
bungee cordA bungee cord , also known as a shock cord, is an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, usually covered in a woven cotton or polypropylene sheath...
provided. Each rack can accommodate four bicycles. Because the bikes are stacked together against the racks, most riders place a destination tag on their bicycles to optimize placement and minimize shuffling.
The variation on bicycle capacity between trainsets has generated criticisms from the bicycling community, as cyclists are denied boarding when a train reaches its bicycle capacity. The Baby Bullet service, favored by many cyclists, is routinely operated with lower-bike capacity Bombardier cars and cyclists may be forced to wait for slower trains operated with higher-capacity gallery cars, or seek alternate transportation, such as driving.
Due to equipment rotation and maintenance concerns, Caltrain says it cannot dedicate cars with higher bike capacity on trains with high bike demand.
To provide an alternative to bringing bicycles on board the trains, Caltrain has installed bicycle
lockerLocker may refer to:* Locker , various kinds of storage compartment or container* Footlocker , a storage box* In nautical usage, a "locker" may be a storage place that in other environments would not be referred to as a locker, such as cupboards on board ships for keeping stores, anchor lockers,...
s at most stations, and constructed a new bicycle station at the San Francisco station. A bicycle station was open at the Palo Alto station from April 1999 to October 2004, and reopened in February 2007. In early 2008, the Caltrain sponsored
Warm Planet bicycle station opened at the 4th and Townsend terminus.
It has long been suggested that Caltrain could increase its bicycle capacity by removing some seats from bicycle cars. Initially Caltrain rejected this idea because some trains are operated at seated capacity and the seat removal would take space from other fare-paying passengers.
But in early 2009, Caltrain reversed its position and announced that it would be expanding bicycle capacity by 8 spots by removing some seats in the bike cars, bringing bike capacity to 40 bikes on gallery cars and 24 bikes on Bombardier cars. The actual expansion started several months later. As of July 2009, the transition has been mostly completed.
Fatalities
A historical average of nine suicide deaths occur each year by way of Caltrain, while a minority of fatalities are accidental.
In 2008, there were 16 fatalities involving Caltrain, of which 13 were suicides, while in 2009, there were 19 fatalities involving Caltrain, of which at least five were suicides.
Deaths by year
Year / Deaths
- 2010 / 11 deaths
- 2009 / 19 deaths
- 2008 / 16 deaths
- 2007 / 8 deaths
- 2006 / 17 deaths
- 2005 / 10 deaths
- 2004 / 9 deaths
- 2003 / 10 deaths
See also
- South Bay Historical Railroad Society
The South Bay Historical Railroad Society is located in Santa Clara and operates the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History in the Santa Clara Depot, as well as the Santa Clara Tower and two other buildings....
- Southern Pacific Peninsula Commute
The Peninsula Commute, also known as the Southern Pacific Peninsula or just Peninsula, was the common name for historical commuter rail service between San Jose, California and San Francisco, California on the San Francisco Peninsula. This service ran as a private, for-profit enterprise beginning...
- Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
External links