Caltrain Crews Doing Track Maintenance Work

Caltrain crews are doing rail-grinding work at various locations along the rail corridor this month, preventive maintenance that is necessary to reduce surface defects on the rail to extend its serviceable life and improve ride quality.

The work will take place at night on weekdays and during the day on weekends when commute train service is infrequent or trains are not running.

The rail-grinding began Feb. 16 in Santa Clara and crews will work their way north to San Francisco through the end of the month. Rain or other unforeseen circumstances may cause the work to be extended by a few days.

During rail-grinding, as the equipment moves along the track, sparks fly to the ground. A moderate level of noise can be expected, due to noise from engines and equipment, as well as horns and back-up safety alarms. A water truck follows the machine to prevent fires.