SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Caltrain’s diesel-powered commuter rail trainsets will find a new life in Peru.
The commuter rail operator announced that it has completed an agreement to send 19 locomotives and 90 gallery commuter cars to Lima, Peru, for some $6 million, a deal which also involved the U.S. State Department, Department of Commerce, and Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
“This agreement will help Peru embrace a more sustainable future while also bringing millions of dollars to help us keep Caltrain running,” Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said in a press release. “Our former Caltrain passenger cars and locomotives will enable the start of new commuter rail service in greater Lima, cleaner air for commuters and community members and the access to opportunity that great public transportation provides. ¡Todos a bordo! [All aboard!]”
Caltrain had offered the equipment for sale, at one point advertising the availability of the locomotives on its online store [see “Caltrain offers F40s for sale …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 14, 2024]. Lima expressed its interest in buying the equipment, which led to the agreement announced Friday. The Air Quality Management District has provided a waiver allowing the locomotives to continue in operation rather than being scrapped, a standard requirement for funding toward new equipment.
The equipment bound for Peru, built between 1985 and 1987, was retired when Caltrain made the switch to electrified operations between San Jose and San Francisco in September.
“These trains have a long and proud legacy of service that we’re proud to pass along to the people of Peru,” said Caltrain Board Chair Dev Davis. “The F40s hold a special place in the heart of train enthusiasts, and there’s no better task for them than to keep helping people get where they need to go.”
Caltrain’s Bouchard is representing the agency at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima today (Saturday, Nov. 16). Representatives of Lima, the U.S. State Department, and other dignitaries will join Caltrain in celebrating the agreement.
$6 million dollars? Now THAT’s a steal! Although something tells me that doesn’t include shipping costs.