Temporary Weekend Service Reductions to Accommodate Electrification Construction

On the weekends of February 11-12, 25-26, March 4-5 and 11-12, Caltrain will be suspending rail service between San Francisco and Millbrae Stations to accommodate Caltrain Electrification construction and testing. Limited bus service, known as a bus bridge, will be provided to riders traveling to or from the affected area. These will be the first of 31 weekends in 2023 in which service will be adjusted to accommodate construction and testing for Caltrain Electrification, which is expected to launch passenger service in fall 2024.

Caltrain Receives $367 Million in State Funding to Finish Electrification Project

Caltrain will receive $367M in State grants to complete the Caltrain’s Electrification project by fall 2024. The grants, which come from California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), represent the remaining funding needed to complete the project. This funding will allow Caltrain to reallocate resources that had previously been identified to complete Electrification to instead support its operations. This strengthens the agency’s financial outlook and averts the “fiscal cliff” that had been projected for later this year. Thank you to the Caltrain state and federal delegation and the broad coalition of supporters that helped to advocate for Electrification!

Corridor Crossing Strategy Coming Soon

The Corridor Crossings Strategy (CCS), identified in the Caltrain Business Plan as an agency priority, is a coordinated approach to grade separations and closures that will help unlock regional mobility and safety benefits. (Grade separations “separate” the railroad tracks from the road so pedestrians, cyclists and motorists no longer need to cross the tracks. There are currently 41 crossings on the Caltrain-owned corridor.) Over the course of 2023, a Crossings Delivery Guide will be created in order to expedite the process. Caltrain will gather the ambitions of stakeholders to clarify and define a vision that balances the complex web of organizational, technical, and funding challenges that must be addressed for this vision to be realized.

Caltrain Crews Battle Elements to Keep Service Running

The storms that hit the Bay Area this month took many by surprise, but despite difficult conditions, Caltrain was able to maintain its service and get people where they needed to go. Starting on New Year's Eve, the excessive rains did pose problems, as some sections of track were submerged. More dramatically, large trees fell across the tracks twice, requiring a construction crew to release tension from the Overhead Catenary System so another crew could deconstruct and remove the tree. Thanks to all the men and women working on the corridor for keeping our service going even in challenging conditions!

New Year, New Board

2023 brings with it a new Caltrain Board of Directors, as a new Chair and Vice Chair are appointed while new members are brought into the fold. San Bruno Mayor Rico E. Medina is the new SamTrans representative on the Board and Pat Burt joins on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, while newly elected Supervisor Ray Mueller will represent the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. Redwood City Mayor Jeff Gee will take the gavel this year as the new chair, with San Jose Councilperson Dev Davis as vice chair. We thank the members of the Board for their service and wisdom, and wish them luck in what will undoubtedly be a busy year.

Celebration Train Returns After COVID Hiatus

Caltrain first ran a special train to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in 1985, and was proud to bring this tradition back to the peninsula on MLK Day, January 16. After two years of COVID-related cancellations, the MLK Celebration Train, which Caltrain operates in partnership with the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Foundation, was able to make its run again this year, with big crowds coming out despite the wet January weather. Attendees clearly took Dr. King’s words to heart, “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Go Pass Donation Program Back for 2023

Caltrain is currently conducting outreach to organizations who serve low-income or marginalized communities in order to select the recipients of donated Go Passes.

The Go Pass Donation Program began in 2021 to diversify ridership and increase access to the Caltrain system. Participating organizations receive the donated Go Passes to provide to their staff and clients, who are then able to ride the Caltrain at no personal cost over the course of the calendar year. If you, or an organization you work with would like to participate in the program, send an email to GPDP@caltrain.com.

Caltrain Recognizes National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

The Caltrain Board of Directors voted to recognize January as National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In 2018, Caltrain supported AB 2034 which required transit providers such as Caltrain to educate their employees as to how to recognize the signs of human trafficking so they can intervene. It is incumbent upon all of us to do more to prevent this abhorrent practice and keep our riders safe.