California’s Governor Jerry Brown signed the Assembly Bill 1889 into law clearing the way for Caltrain’s Modernization Program to receive Prop 1A funding committed in the 2012 budget process.
Prop 1A will provide the bond funding to finance the state’s High Speed Rail Project, which includes early investments in the book end projects to which the HSR will connect in the north and the south.
The bill clarifies that Caltrain’s electrification project is “suitable and ready” for investment and that the investment in the Caltrain system is consistent with the authority’s current business plan.
California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) announced that Caltrain Modernization would receive one of 14 grants awarded to projects that focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the state’s public transport infrastructure.
Caltrain awarded a design build contract to Balfour-Beatty and the contract for the manufacture of new electric vehicles to Stadler Inc. The first phase of electrification installation work is expected to commence in 2017. The Caltrain Electrification project will electrify the system between San Francisco and the Tamien Station in San Jose and convert Caltrain’s diesel-based system to Electric Multiple Units (EMUs).
The electrification project will reduce diesel emissions in this corridor by 96 percent by 2040, will allow Caltrain to provide more service to more stations, increasing ridership and providing faster service between San Francisco and San Jose.
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