SAN JOSE — Caltrain will hold the first public tour of its new Stadler electric trainsets this Saturday, July 29, at the San Jose Diridon Station.
The event is slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Caltrain reports on its website that as of Thursday, it had received approximately 3,600 RSVPs from those planning to attend, and is recommending that those who want to tour the cars attend between noon and 2 p.m. Everyone in line by 1:45 p.m. will have a chance to tour the train.
The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a welcome ceremony featuring Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard, board chair Jeff Gee, and elected officials. It will feature raffles, live music, food tricks, art demonstrations, and games and other activities.
Parking will be limited, and Caltrain is urging attendees to take public transit — including special additional Caltrain service — or active transportation such as bicycles; free bicycle valet parking will be provided. More event information is available here.
Similar events are planned this fall in San Francisco and this winter in San Mateo County, although dates for those events have yet to be announced.
Wish I still lived in the Bay Area to ride these. Welcome to the 21st Century America… only 1/4 of the way through it.
The Stadler KISS double-decker EMU that Caltrain ordered will be compliant with the FRA alternative Tier-I crash-worthiness standard. Under the alternative standard, it will have Crash Energy Management (CEM) features that allow parts of the EMU to collapse whilst keeping the passenger seating area intact in the event of collision, instead of relying on pure structural strength as in the traditional Tier-I standard. The implementation of the alternative Tier-I standard results in a lighter train that will save energy and track maintenance cost. Coupled with the positive train control system that is being installed on the Caltrain line, Caltrain KISS trains will be allowed to operate in mixed traffic with heavier trains, such as Amtrak passenger trains and Union Pacific freight trains, instead of the temporal separation required in the 2009 waiver.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
The recent Stadler EMUs will replace Caltrain’s existing diesel fleet. Caltrain awarded Stadler a $551 million contract in August 2016 for 16 six-car KISS bilevel EMUs, with an option for a further 96 cars worth an additional $385 million.
In December 2018, Caltrain exercised an option to extend the trains from six to seven cars, and ordered another three seven-car trains, as part of the San Francisco-San Jose electrification project.
The said services are expected to commence in 2024, two years later than planned. This is due to complications in the installation of signaling system, unforeseen conditions under the tracks and the COVID-19 pandemic. The cost has also risen to $2.44 billion, making it $462 million over the initial project estimate.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Is it me or does that Stadler EMU look like it has a nose extension attached to it? The Euro version doesn’t have that beak on it from what I can tell.
Is this in response to a new crash standard? Crush zone? A “pusher” in case it has an unplanned meet with an auto?