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Contact: Jonah Weinberg, 650.508.6238
Caltrain Releases Sneak Peak at Peninsula Rail Travel in 2025
Caltrain released a preview of its system-wide capital
improvement project, known as Project 2025, which
looks down the road to where rail service on the Peninsula
will be in 20 years. The plan explores enhanced scenarios
that outline various increased service level options and
necessary capital requirements for each.
The overall goal of Project 2025 provides a capital investment
strategy that will improve system safety and reliability, and
supports future expansion of the system. The multi-billion
dollar undertaking first seeks to bring the railroad up to the
highest level of good repair, which is necessary to accommodate
improvement and expansion. “Think of it like someone getting
into good shape before they go in for elective surgery,” said
Caltrain Director of Rail Operations, Engineering and Construction,
Robert Doty. “We can’t make the system better until it’s healthy
enough to go under the knife.”
Some of the major projects are:
Electrifying Caltrain’s corridor and replacing diesel
locomotives with electric trains by 2012
Improving technology and signaling equipment so that
trains will be allowed to travel faster, and to allow for
increased service
Opening the Dumbarton Rail Corridor, which will cross the
bay between Menlo Park and Union City by 2012
Adding track and crossovers to accommodate more
frequent trains
Building grade separations in key areas to assist with
rail safety and local traffic flow
Improving the North Terminal in San Francisco to allow
for increased service and access to the downtown
extension through the Transbay Terminal
Improving the South Terminal in San Jose, to allow for
additional service, including access to ACE, Capitol
Corridor and Amtrak trains
“We could be looking at 10 trains an hour,” said Doty.
“But, right now we’re running a system that is little better
than was operating in the 1950s. The U.S. is a third-world
country when it comes to rail travel, but this will make
Caltrain a world-class rapid rail transit system.”
Staff will deliver the final plan to the board by the end of the year. To view the slide-show preview for this plan, visit
www.caltrain.com/Project2025.
08/30/06 - jbw
09/06/06 - rev.
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