News & Reviews News Wire News photos: Electrified service begins on Caltrain

News photos: Electrified service begins on Caltrain

By Trains Staff | August 13, 2024

First two Stadler trainsets enter service in gradual buildup to Sept. 21 switch to full electrification

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Electrified and diesel trainsets meet at station
Two Caltrain eras meet as southbound train No. 240, with one of two Stadler electric multiple-unit trainsets in service on Sunday, Aug. 11, meets northbound train No. 237, powered by F40PH-2 No. 915 at Millbrae, Calif. Elrond Lawrence

After a Aug. 10 event involving Gov. Gavin Newsom and other elected officials and VIPs, public service using Caltrain’s electric multiple-unit trainsets began on a limited basis on Sunday, Aug. 11, between San Jose, Calif., and San Francisco [see “Caltrain to place first electric trainsets in service,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 9, 2024]. Two of the trainsets built by Stadler USA at its plant in Salt Lake City were in operation; additional electric equipment will gradually be added to service until the full switch to electrification, currently scheduled for Sept. 21, 2024.

Here’s a little bit of how the first day looked, thanks to photographer Elrond Lawrence.

White and red electric train as seen across water
The first northbound run for an electrified train was No. 221, a 7:12 a.m. departure from San Jose Tamien. That train then turned and made the first southbound trip as No. 228, a 9:59 a.m. departure from San Francisco, shown here south of Bayshore. Elrond Lawrence
Red and white electric trainset rounds curve
The other trainset in service on Sunday is shown on northbound train No. 229, which departed Tamien at 10:05 a.m. and arrived in San Francisco at 11:53 a.m. Here it’s south of Bayshore. While the electric trains can cover the route more quickly than the diesel equipment, during the current period of mixed equipment, they’re still running on the same schedules as the diesel-powered trainsets. Elrond Lawrence
White and red electric train arrives at station platform where several people are watching
At Santa Clara, Calif., southbound train No. 240 departs as a Caltrain employee and railfans look on. The heavyweight car visible next to the station is Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co. No. 184, a 1912 Pullman café-parlor-observation turned business car on display at the station since 2009. Elrond Lawrence

3 thoughts on “News photos: Electrified service begins on Caltrain

  1. Can these trainsets be “MU’ed”? On a heavy day you could easily have a 14 car train. A common practice in Europe. Watch the Zurich HB video feed. That’s if the stations can handle that load level.

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