IT’S HERE! - CalTrain’s Electrification and its Impacts

[@Poorgeniu5]

As an occasional SEPTA rider, I applaud them for finally being electrified and I do envy them a bit for having more modern trains, especially with its whisper quiet regen braking.

[@MichaelfromtheGraves]

Doors automatically opening on every car rather than panicking to find which door the conductor decided to open this time

[@Videowatcher10p]

Tbf for the high level stations on SL5s, all doors open, but yea

[@AL5520]

You've enjoyed for decades what some consider as a new thing in North America. The only new thing here are the trains, which is logical for a new system, and you will be getting new (and beautiful, in the renders at least) train in a few years (planned to start arriving in 2029 and be fully deployed in 2031).

[@WorldwideRailfan]

Hopefully SEPTA will be getting new cars in the near future! Those Silverliner IVs are well past their expiration date

[@RonMontagueSWRR]

I will be visiting San Fran on October 1st to 6th. Any recommendations for good and safe rail fanning locations? I plan to spend one dedicated to rail fanning.

[@CrowDepartment]

Metrolink should be taking notes. Electrification is gonna be useful once CAHSR and Brightline West arrive in SoCal.

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

the San Bernardino Line is so overdue to go electric, from it being Metrolink's busiest line, to it being entirely owned between LA Metro and SBCTA (2 of the 5 SoCal county transit agencies that make up SCRRA), and has minimal freight traffic. Even if BLW wouldn't share it, the benefits of having electrified commuter rail should already be enough to justify it.

[@alfredoacosta5600]

And yet they are doubling down on not electrifying the system

[@mrxman581]

​@@alfredoacosta5600Not yet. They're focused on expanding service first. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@mrxman581]

Agreed, but it seems they are focused for now on expanding service. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@LessThanJoshh]

Metrolink has stated in plan books that by 2040 they plan on being zero emissions, this isn't a matter of Metrolink not wanting to do it, its a matter of the fact that 1/3 of Metrolink lines utilize freight railroad trackage or other commuter operations. The plans are there, the cooperation is not, a lot of misinformation about Metrolink electrification. Its weird that lots of people and especially environmentalists portray Metrolink as some diesel-loving polluting nightmare.

[@ChicknNugts]

I love how quickly they come to a stop and accelerate

[@mateojames3231]

The other plus is that train operators can limo stop into the station without worrying about jostling their passengers.

[@BigBlueMan118]

Thats electric traction for you lol, welcome to the rest of the world Americans!

[@wta1518]

@@BigBlueMan118 What kind of traction do you think diesel-ELECTRIC locomotives have?

[@lassepeterson2740]

But are transit times any faster ?

[@wta1518]

@@lassepeterson2740 Yes

[@Sacto1654]

The best thing about the electrified service: shaving some 20 minutes off the travel time between San Francisco and San Jose.

[@Eden21425]

As a european that's very used to stadler Kiss trains (multiple rail companies use them on my favorite train spotting route, and I used to frequently take one to school for a few years) It's very good to see the america is finally making progress on rail electrification

[@nixcails]

Correction California is. The rest of the USA still pretty backwards. Time for the Bear Republic to be an Independent Republic.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

Great video. I will remember for the rest of my life when Caltrain started using all electric trains because September 21st is my birthday.

[@kediloaf]

Hope you had a great birthday! 🎉

[@cooolinoff]

Very wholesome comment, love to see it. Hope you had a good birthday!

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@cooolinoff It was EXCELLENT! Thank you!

[@KirbyComicsVids]

I am a caltrain rider and I'm so excited for the electric trains to come in fully on saturday!! can't wait for the more frequent and faster travel to SF :) and it'll probably be a lot quieter at my girlfriend's place who lives right next to the caltrain line haha

[@mrvwbug4423]

Yes I think people who live near the tracks might be the happiest of all, less train noise. And to think one of the towns on the route sued because they didn't like the looks of the catenary wires, well those wires mean way less train noise disturbing the people who live near the tracks.

[@jossdeiboss]

I think rules in the US should be updated to reduce the times train have to use the horn. When you have got an Electric Multiple Unit, the motors are on the axle itself, so in a very low position. This means that little walls at the sides of the tracks would basically cancel all noises.

[@AlexDahl]

Hi, small quibble, EMU's do not generally have every axel powered. The majority of bogies are still your standard unpowered fare, but instead powered bogies are sprinkled throughout the train (4-6). This is way more efficient than having just a locomotive do all the work of pulling because it dramatically increases the rate at which trains can accelerate.

[@mrvwbug4423]

correct. On the Stadlers, I believe it is one bogie per car that is powered, so 2 out of 4 axles on each car. On the FLIRTs it's only the bogies in the center of the set that are powered, the ones on the power section

[@junglist_ikon]

Caltrain AND Drum'n'Bass intro? What a lucky day this is!

[@davidng2336]

It’s great to see Caltrain gong in a great direction, and hope that other railroads will soon follow. However service to Gilroy will still be using the diesel sets as that section remains without electrification; a BEMU has been ordered for this section.

[@CSXIV]

If the BEMU works out, Caltrain may order 3 more to round out that route. It would be nice to see Electrification on that line in the future, but the tracks are owned by the UP, so who knows if they'd ever sign off on that.

[@theelectricwalrus]

MBTA might pick up some of those F40's. 40 year old locomotives would fit right in in Boston!

[@WorldwideRailfan]

The MBTA is supposed to be recieving some more F40s in the form of rebuilt Rolling Stock Solutions leasers in the near future. Boston still loves the F40 platform despite it being almost half a century old at this point

[@genoobtlp4424]

Quick correction, not every axle has to be powered to be an EMU, it just must be a self-powered (set of) car(s). For example the swiss KISS only have the end cars powered, and according to the posting on the Stadler website, these trains have a „2'Bo' + Bo'Bo' + 2'2' + Bo'Bo' + Bo'Bo' + 2'2' + Bo'2'“ arrangement)

[@stephanweinberger]

And quick explanation of the European wheel arrangement abbreviations. Main difference: we count axles here (as opposed to wheels, like it's common in the US). 2: two unpowered axles B: two powered axles o: each axle is powered by a separate motor ': axles are mounted in a bogie (or other type of movable frame, like eg. for leading or trailing axles on steam engines; i.e. the axles are not directly on the frame of the engine) e.g. a typical US diesel-electric locomotive would be Bo'Bo' (4 axles total) or Co'Co' (6 axles). A 4-6-2 steam engine would be 2'C1'.

[@omerolopez9741]

I’m still waiting for CalTrains to add 938 on their trains :)

[@tiernanstrains]

That Siemens tour is gonna be juicy 👀

[@roberthuron9160]

BTW,the Southern Pacific,was using the Red Cars,in San Francisco,and Oakland,as a test bed for electrifications! So there were plans dating back to the 1900's,for uprating the services back then! The electrification to Boston under Amtrak,was planned by the New Haven,back in the 1910's,and finally got done about a 100 years later! Curious coincidences,no/yes! Thank you 😇 😊!

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Here in the UK, when the (old) Southern Railway sparked up the London to Brighton and part of the Sussex Coast routes in 1933, part of the publicity circus involved simultaneously commemorating the 50th anniversary of Volk's Electric Railway, Britain's first and now also oldest electric railway, running just over a mile between just short of Palace Pier and just short of Brighton Marina, a 2'-8½" gauge line, 141 years young and still going as strong as 110Vdc 3rd rail power supply allows! On the first day of the Southern's shiny new electric operations, on the Seaford branch, there was a slight issue when it was discovered the signal box's levers and frame were energised at 750Vdc .... a problem temporarily solved by the simple expedient of running an earthing cable across the adjacent beach into the sea. Those were simpler times!!

[@chastermief3501]

7:48 they chose not electrify it not just because it only sees 4 round trips per weekday but mainly because the track south of Tamien is owned by Union Pacific who would not allow it Edit changed Sunnyvale to Tamien station, realized I put the wrong station. surprised no one corrected me in a train-related community. if you see someone just be actually wrong correct them.

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

CP Lick, between Tamien and Capitol stations, is where Caltrain ownership ends and UP begins. CHSRA is working with UP on an agreement to build two electrified tracks adjacent to the UP track (for three total in the corridor), which would remain non-electrified for UP and, presumably, Amtrak. CHSRA and Caltrain would share the electrified tracks. Chances are CHSRA will build those, and that probably won't start until the mid to late 2030s at the earliest, unless funding for it is found sooner.

[@chastermief3501]

@@ChrisJones-gx7fc oh god only 2 electrified tracks? That’s really not good enough, given that CHSR only stops at Gilroy and San Jose

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

@@chastermief3501 there'll be crossovers along the way, similar to the SF-SJ corridor, so HSR trains will be able to overtake Caltrain trains.

[@chastermief3501]

@@ChrisJones-gx7fc have you seen Banks rail’s videos on CHSR? He did a full analysis of how scheduling on this section would have to work.

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@ChrisJones-gx7fc They could electrify all the lines, US catenary height outside of the NEC is 23ft to the wire, enough to clear the tallest of US freight trains. This might also be a good time to push for electrification of the US freight rail network. The one advantage to electric freight locomotives is they would only need about half as many, since modern electric locos have about double the power of the best diesels.

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

Once MBTA sees this, they’ll know EXACTLY what to do

[@KcarlMarXs]

Delay further 😢

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

@@KcarlMarXsbetter late than never

[@WorldwideRailfan]

I wish! The politicans in charge of funding the MBTA's electrification seem to purposely have their heads in the sand at this point

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

@@WorldwideRailfantheir Battery trains will even put them in mud…

[@mrvwbug4423]

They're already planning to get double decker EMUs from Kawasaki, that will look similar to their existing double decker cars which are also made by Kawasaki. And in the shorter term they intend to buy some ACS-64s off of Amtrak to haul services on the section of the NEC they serve.

[@MarcelosalivaTRENESArg]

Excellent video my friends 😊

[@mshotz1]

The surplus equipment is now available for use in other areas. Like Maybe restoring or expanding service to other areas of the LA Basin or adding trains in Northern California.

[@WorldwideRailfan]

Unfortunately, per some California state law, the F40s have to be made inoperable before being sold (apparently by dumping cement into the engines) so the likelihood of them ever running again is sadly pretty low

[@mrxman581]

Metrolink in SoCal announced yesterday an increase in service. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@IndianGeek5589]

@@WorldwideRailfan What? That's ridiculous lol. There's plenty of places that could use them either for increasing frequency or new service altogether

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@WorldwideRailfan cab car conversions haha

[@maas1208]

​@@WorldwideRailfan What if you're selling the F40s somewhere outside of California?

[@trainmaster9323]

Stadler is a good manufacturer ❤

[@genoobtlp4424]

Absolutely agree

[@keahnig164]

For me it's the best

[@Canleaf08]

Finally! I am excited for the next time in Millbrae riding with the CalTrain to San Francisco. I saw the power lines and stood a couple of times in San Mateo at the station admiring the power lines wires. Greetings from Germany.

[@MrMarshmallow26]

Awesome! Can't wait for the Siemens tour vid, especially with Airo production underway.

[@justaguy9224]

Boston has such a great potential to have an S-Bahn style system with a city center tunnel between North and South stations with the inner section having working like a subway, with the outer sections working like commuter rail.

[@mrxman581]

Very exciting stuff. Saw a report on Metrolink in SoCal that it was increasing service. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area. Hopefully, they will electrify the system sooner rather than later, too.

[@jossdeiboss]

Those train look beautiful. Great move, CalTrain!

[@LievenSerge]

Oh nice they are using the KISS double decker from Stadler. I just built a model for the Innotrans convention.

[@TheLordAI]

NJ Transit has some double deck electric EMU cars coming in to replace the old Arrow MUs

[@andrewreynolds4949]

The main benefit of the electrification is the greatly improved acceleration of the EMUs, vey useful for the stop-start running on commuter systems like this. When the project was planned it was about the only feasible way to significantly increase capacity on the network; what a shame that it’s only coming into service after Covid, when the ridership was greatly reduced. Electrification is not necessarily more reliable or cheaper than diesel power. Reliability depends on a number of things, including the conditions the wires are exposed to. Places with high winds, potential for trees damaging the lines, and very remote locations where maintenance is very difficult can make diesel the better solution. The cost comparison depends heavily on the prices of fuel and electricity; for example, recently in the UK the price of electricity went up enough that some of the freight rail companies entirely stopped using their electric locomotives. The price of diesel was simply far lower. It’s really not a quick cut comparison.

[@mrvwbug4423]

The other major benefits are dramatically reduced emissions, especially for passengers, and signficantly reduced trackside noise which is great for people who live near the tracks.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

@@mrvwbug4423 Those are secondary benefits; they don't make much of a business case for themselves, while the improved acceleration and thus reduced journey time does (at least on a busy route like this)

[@stevens1041]

I do appreciate how these are significantly less quiet, due to significantly less weight. The diesel units would rumble past the platforms, really uncomfortable back then.

[@J-Bahn]

Maybe Metrolink can scoop up all the surplus diesel equipment for the Olympics. Some of it is already in Metrolink colors after all.

[@CSXIV]

Well they were former Metrolink equipment, though I don't think the Bombardier cars are going away soon (the Gilroy extension will still be using diesel locomotives for the immediate future). I know the old gallery cars are going away. Not sure Metrolink would want them back, considering that Metrolink was likely sending them to the scrap yard when Caltrain bought them.

[@mrxman581]

Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@mrxman581 Obviously ML had the rolling stock somewhere, though I don't think they're buying and surplus equipment from CalTrain.

[@speakertwentytwo]

Swiss trains assembled on the continent to get around buy America regulations? Fantastic. I understand the appeal of local manufacturing, but the rest of the world has such better things to offer, it's time we found ways to access those benefits.

[@duckbow]

There is hope! Wishing this would happen soon for MBTA commuter rail. Thanks for posting.

[@darmanyjimenez5083]

it’s gonna start in 2028! they’re purchasing emu’s and plan to fully electrify the fairmount line by 2028

[@Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

@@darmanyjimenez5083 They are doing it in a stupid and (long run) expensive way, by battery-electric multiple units that only get to recharge at South Station (and maybe at the other end). It would have been better to convert the Fairmount Line into a real (Red Line style) rapid transit line, and it would be an easy conversion except for the last little bit to get into South Station Under. Considering how much the T has fought tooth and nail against electrification of Commuter Rail in the recent past, I have a suspicion that they are designing this to fail.

[@coreyhipps7483]

Unfortunately the MBTA seems to be determined to do this with batteries instead of overhead catenary. I wish we'd just bite the bullet on overhead electrification.

[@mbrproductions160]

I would rather not have my tax dollars wasted on this, thankfully it most likely won’t happen anyway

[@LMB222]

The acceleration is also limited by passenger comfort - the train alone can do even more than shown at 6:40

[@LuisFernandodaSilva1854]

This brings up an interesting point: Metra operates the largest diesel-powered commuter network in the US and is betting that investing in battery-powered trains will be the solution... ironically, Metra has an electrified line. I hope they realize soon that the solution already exists in Metra's own home.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Problem is Metra mostly operates on track owned by freight railroads.

[@LuisFernandodaSilva1854]

@@mrvwbug4423 I agree with you. Do the Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line tracks also belong to the freight operator?

[@maas1208]

​@@LuisFernandodaSilva1854 The Electric District is Owned by Metra

[@Br-bs1xe]

More electrification costs less. More high speed rail costs less, it's that simple

[@andrewreynolds4949]

That’s not how that works. More costs more

[@sgt.eclair]

@@andrewreynolds4949 bro hasn't heard of economies of scale !!!!

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Only if electrification teams are kept gainfully occupied ... a lesson UK governments of all political stripes have utterly failed to grasp since the Woodhead line was first sparked up back in 1953!

[@Br-bs1xe]

@@andrewreynolds4949 But if you buy more, the price drops because there are no longer individual pieces but masses and producing masses is cheaper than small quantities in Porduz. One km of overhead line in Germany costs €1-1.5 million (USD 1.1-1.6 million), depending on whether it is single-track or double-track. From what I read, CalMod costs 1.5 billion for 51mi (82km). This results in a km price of 18 million USD per km. If I read a false price, tell me.

[@TheRustyLM]

Check out the abysmal ridership and the exploding budget deficit. The only hope is kalama opening the federal taxpayer check book. 🙄

[@MrSaemichlaus]

If you're sitting on a sideways seat and the operator is really trying to make up some time, these trains will make you hold on to your seat. I'm not joking. Greetings from Switzerland.

[@PlayinWithMahWii]

Chicago is also getting Stadler Kiss based BEMUs for the Beverly Branch on the Rock Island distance. It has short stops every 2 city blocks. Beverly Branch is perfect for EMUs, and BEMUs are great for the potential electrification of the rest of the Rock Island line!

[@danielhulse3549]

I love that you took this at San Antonio station!

[@rickygalle1053]

I think the F40 that screaming in the video while coasting into the station was maybe so loud because of dynamic braking to. it needs the engine to spool up to excite the rotor winding of the motor so to slow down the train

[@marco_grt4460]

I live near a second branch line in Italy, they replaced old Aln 668 with ATR 125 and new ATR 803 both from Stadler, while the ATR 125 is more like Diesel-electric train, the ATR 803 run in proximity to the station in electric, outside the station the engines start

[@mshotz1]

The use of two locomotives is done to have a spare locomotive on the line in case one should fail. This allows the extra locomotive to be cut off and sent to the stranded train rather than dispatching one from the engine terminal. This was a practice that started in Chicago.

[@roberthuron9160]

There was a policy on the PRR/LIRR to have protect locomotives,near major Junctions,to cover for rush hour breakdowns! It's really not that new,as it existed over,now 100 years ago! Steam power,anyone! Thank you 😇😊!

[@AnotherBostonRailfan]

Nice video! Quick note though in terms of history though - CalTrain is not the first electrified US commuter railroad that runs EMUs. The commuter railroads around NYC and Philadelphia have long been electrified, albeit on older catenary and third-rail systems. Likewise, Metra Electric District and the South Shore Line have long been electrified and running EMUs. Denver started running a modern, 25kV electrified commuter rail system with EMUs starting in 2016. Shore Line East also started running M8 EMUs under 25kV electrification in 2022. CalTrain though is definitely the glitziest though with their brand new, state-of-the-art Stadler trains. And they were the technically first ones to explicitly go from diesel to EMU with new overhead catenary (the NYC/Pennsylvania and Chicago lines transitioned from steam, Denver's RTD was started from the get-go as electric, and Shore Line East used existing Amtrak overhead wires)

[@gb9727]

Frontrunner is likely the next ComRail to go stadler

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

Considering the fact that they're separated from the freight tracks, I think they're the most likely to be electrified next. And I think there was a UTA plan that proposed electrification recently.

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

Technically Metra is next since they ordered Stadler FLIRT BEMUs for the Rock Island District Blue Island service

[@gb9727]

@@OntarioTrafficMan But that's not really systemwide, just a branch

[@WorldwideRailfan]

I'm surprised they haven't ordered anything from Stadler let considering their proximity to the factory!

[@sirremusrobinson1070]

This is the type of service the the NEC ,New York City and Boston, Philadelphia have been enjoying for almost 100 years if not over. About time California caught up..

[@bryant3825]

Congrats to Caltrain for electrified service and about time too! Love those new Stadler Kiss Railcars they sound and look amazing! You know I would love to see the whole Florida Brightline to be electrified but I don't know how it will bold well with FEC considering the fact that its letting Brightline run on it. And I am hoping but wishful thinking of Tri-Rail to be electrified since the Railway line is owned by SFRTA. In other news Southern California Metrolink should be electrified espically the orange county line since it already runs faster trains there and CAHSR is planning to run that corridor to Anaheim.

[@mrxman581]

Looks like Metrolink is focused on expanding service for now. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@mrvwbug4423]

If Brightline found that the ROI on electrifying the line was worth it they would've started on that already. FEC is a major stakeholder in BL, so BL being profitable is good for FEC. I don't think they're running enough services on that line at this time to justify it. With the entire line being private they could do it without much chance for interference from DeathSantis. As for Tri-Rail electrification, DeathSantis would kill it in its tracks.

[@bryant3825]

@@mrvwbug4423 @mrxman581 I say with Brightline in that its very successful in that its constantly busy and benefits both passenger and freight, it should be electrified. Caltrain while its electrified now it still has grade crossings which there has been some projects to eliminate some grade crossings, I wonder how this will affect CAHSR when that comes to the Bay Area and Caltrain right of way? The Pennsylvania Railroad was electrified granted not all of the routes it operated but the most high trafficked and profitable ones were such as the modern Northeast Corridor. But it did electrified freight routes as well. I say with the Tri-Rail electrification is because where Tri-Rail runs on the SFRTA owns the right of way from Mangonia park all the way to MIA airport station essentially the entire Rail corridor even though CSX trains do run on it. As for Metrolink I like that there increasing services which gives some lines an incentive of being electrified in the near future. I hope it happens sooner and California seems to be leading in that as well.

[@gb9727]

i hope this is a sign of things to come

[@mbrproductions160]

I hope not

[@mrvwbug4423]

CalTrain isn't the only recently completed electric commuter railroad in the US. RTD commuter rail in Denver began service in 2016 and runs at up to 15min frequency on the A line and 30min on the other 3 commuter lines. RTD uses Silverliner 5s in a bit different spec than SEPTA's version.

[@DEADDEVILCAT]

"-and its 5 in the afternoon. As rush hour begins to pick up-" Oh buddy. I wish it picked up at 5. That'd save me a lot of headaches.

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Great to see investment in the future of passenger rail. To European ears, the persistence of the clanging bell in what are clearly commuter stations is odd. I'd imagine that, having never known anything different, US rail regulars must have a near Pavlovian reaction to the sound ... and European systems must be a bit if a culture shock (especially the UK with it's crazy small trains).

[@lalakerspro]

We like the horns and bells, especially railfanners here

[@TimsTrainAndBusAdventures]

We need rail news

[@rmorzy75]

Metra! F40s are on sale! Your favorites!!

[@AL5520]

From what I understand the section to Gilrow is not electrified as it's owned by Union Pacific and they don't want it to be electrified. The low usage is also limited by UP they only agreed to allow 10 trains per day.

[@lalakerspro]

@@AL5520 does that include the 2 amtrak's that pass daily

[@marcelmoulin3335]

Watching from the Netherlands where all train lines are electrified, I hope that the rest of the US takes its cue from Caltrain. Now is the time to expand the train network and to electrify. (By the way, albeit. a Dutchman, I grew up in Palo Alto in the '60s and '70s; I took Caltrain regularly into the City.

[@melaniedrogr951]

ehh not all lines, our government keeps refusing to electifry the diesellines in the north

[@dantem4119]

I wish Seattle and the puget sound could do something like this for Sounder and lay the groundwork for a cascades hsr route. Frequent and fast sounder service would be a highly used option especially for sports and entertainment

[@keeganfox1864]

Unfortunately the biggest reason why these electrification projects take so long is because freight railroads usually own the lines that a lot of commuter systems run on and they dont want to open up the pocketbook to upgrade their infrastructure to handle trains that arent even their own because that means less profits (and therefore less bonuses for the shareholders). Its one of the bigger reasons why Amtrak struggles outside of a few corridors, the freight railroads unfortunately have too much sway resulting in passenger trains getting stuck behind freight trains (you see this a lot with Amtrak's long distance trains)

[@Gscaler]

Nice Profilepicture 😃👍

[@RHTeebs]

With GO Transit electrifying, i think its a major mistake that Amtrak is not electrifying the Maple Leaf route from New York to Toronto.

[@sirremusrobinson1070]

The longer they operate the electrics, the better they'll be with them and operate them. On the East Coast we've been using electric MUs for decades and our service is way faster than the diesels you've been replacing..

[@tristaterailroading]

Next step is to bring the platforms higher for accessibility reasons.

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

I really hope MBTA borrows some of these for testing on the Providence line..

[@JamesBrown-zu8iv]

Now that's what I call the American Railroad, with CalTrain('s)!

[@Roadman3235]

Like JR, Group Amtrak should buy commuter trains and EMUs and should electrify their entire system for more environment friendly trais.

[@BraviazRahadi]

Wont gonna happend if its outside of NEC

[@Roadman3235]

@@BraviazRahadi Yaeh I hope amtrak is privatized and do electrics

[@michaelb4047]

I am really curious whether Siemens will launch their Desiro HC (High Capacity) in the USA... Stadtler KISS160s are very, very good trains and, like the Siemens vehicles, very reliable. I am pleased that the American rail sector is being modernised with European know-how. Greetings from a Siemens Employee from Germany.

[@infinitecontak]

The reason south of Tamien isn't electrified is because those tracks are owned by Union Pacific, not Caltrain

[@nukedukem6]

I was there that day of the double head!

[@MMTB616]

Excellent coverage. I was visiting San Francisco (from Australia) at the time of the conversion and rode from San Jose behind a diesel on September 20 and did a short trip to Burlinghame on the Monday. Had to return to SFO by Uber because of the first day power outage.

[@Letsgobyland]

nice one👍

[@TNRailProductions_01]

Very good video. What is the difference between the previous signal system and the one that they just implemented on the line?

[@WorldwideRailfan]

The new PTC signalling system (I-ETMS) allows trains to run closer together, as well to prevent collisions and enforce speed limits for trains

[@TNRailProductions_01]

@@WorldwideRailfan so basically there is no wayside signal system, but a traveling blocks with the train?

[@osmanhossain676]

I always want California High-Speed Rail in California and I always love California High-Speed Rail in California.😮

[@gabrielherrera5749]

If they’re continuing to run diesel service to Gilroy, will passengers have to transfer at Tamien? Or will they be running Gilroy bound diesel trains out of SF?

[@WorldwideRailfan]

Passengers will unfortunately have to switch trains at either Diridon or Tamien

[@frederickschulkind8431]

There should be more than one pantograph on each train. It will carry to much current and risks have a loss of contact disable the train.

[@WorldwideRailfan]

Each train has two sets of pantographs, however only one is needed in order to operate - similar to the new Avelia Liberty trains

[@mbrproductions160]

The only reason this ever happened was because of the CAHSR project, had it not been for that, the project would have been completely unnecessary and the money would never have been given for it.

[@Mike__B]

Thank god Stadler has a US based manufacturing facility and we decided on a company with experience building these trains instead of just some big company with no experience that we have to go with be "Buy America" is a requirement... and they lobby the crap to get the contract.

[@christopherreiff3192]

Amtrak should move ACS-64's 667-670 to CA because they should extend the California Zephyr and should make a new service called Coast Daylight that is connected to the Coast Starlight between LA and San Jose, then ACS-64 lead the Coast Daylight section meanwhile ALC-42's lead the Coast Starlight, the ACS-64s should also lead the California Zephyr between San Francisco and San Jose, and also do shunting at night so both of the trains are ready to go in the morning after the shunting

[@sebastianhofmann17]

To the Axis not all of the KISS trains are powered they have an axis configuration of " 2’Bo’+Bo’Bo’+2’2’+Bo’Bo’+Bo’Bo’+2’2’+Bo’2’ " (2 = two unpowered axis; Bo = two powered axis where each axis has is own motor)

[@johnarnehansen9574]

There is always the possibility of using Thermal- and Renewable power plants for railroad electrification, that could be proven to be more efficient and more sustainable!

[@northwestrailfanofficial]

I like the look of the new electric Caltrain sets, but the horns on them sound absolutely awful.

[@osmanhossain676]

Yes 100%😮

[@SiqueScarface]

It's funny to see the typical rounded European face of the Stadler with the typical rectangular North American car profile.

[@garyh.2487]

The seat backs are almost vertical, making the seats very uncomfortable. They tried to put in as many seats as possible.

[@coleallen3895]

I think Metrolink is California’s largest commuter railroad (has more than one line and LA has a much higher population than SF)

[@mplsmike4023]

Yeah that stat doesn’t sound right to me either.

[@fernyberty]

i think he meant to say busiest

[@lalakerspro]

Its the largest yes, but for sure not the best

[@WorldwideRailfan]

I meant largest in terms of ridership, my bad!

[@mrxman581]

​@@WorldwideRailfanThat might change in the near future since Metrolink announced yesterday an increase in service. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service. The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink's six-county service area.

[@JuiceJackNut]

So what happened with the AEM-7s?

[@marty2129]

I wonder if/when those Stadlers would appear in the northeast...

[@SuperDave30]

Farewell to the F40PH’s of Caltrain locomotives and gallery cars it’s time for retirement, but all is not lost I still operate F40PH on Train Sim World just enjoyable memories. 😢

[@mplsmike4023]

I’m sure Metra will pick up the gallery cars, they’re the home of old commuter rail equipment.

[@SuperDave30]

@@mplsmike4023 either Nashville Star commuter rail.

[@samtrak1204]

High speed train's maximum speed is only 110 mph on the Caltrain Corridor?

[@mrxman581]

It's probably because it's a shared ROW. That's a very common thing to see when the HSR train nears crowded city centers with shared ROWs.

[@samtrak1204]

@@mrxman581 I figured.

[@nicholasyoung2794]

How do they handle power outages?

[@darthmaul216]

They are less common than the media would have you believe

[@HouseRepublican]

Actually, Denver RTD is the busiest west of the Mississippi.

[@osmanhossain676]

Yes and yeah of course California High-Speed Rail in California.😮

[@Roadman3235]

In our country, PNR should do the same.

[@Workaholic42]

Better late than never!

[@Gus3ragin]

Did you ride on the new trains?

[@melaniedrogr951]

Yeah but the price tag is also due to american inexperience. in europe this project would have costed about 300-400 million at most, in the usa it costed billions.

[@roxxma]

"Caltrain is the first of many American commuter rails to be electrified" (Shoreline East raises hand "um, hello there") 🙂

[@mrvwbug4423]

Even in recent years *RTD commuter rail has entered the chat* and LIRR has been electrified to some extent for over 120 years, LIRR had electric lines before diesel locomotives were even invented, they needed the electrified lines to get into Penn station since they couldn't take steam engines down there.

[@garyh.2487]

Seems to me that the electric trains accelerated slower when they were running with the diesel trains.

[@gb9727]

ConOpinion: MUs are better than Locos

[@tdginc]

I have nearly fallen on those trains because they accelerate and decelerate so fast

[@Whistvomithasreturned]

Truly a BART moment

[@jordanalexander4331]

Philly’s system is already entirely electrified.

[@gdrriley420]

Not all the axles are powered on stadler products. One of caltrains issues is they wanted more motors than they really needed.

[@somax1259]

The trains look nice other then when standing right beside them, looks too much like a massive dominating wall, though I guess thats what happens when you have an un-restrictive loading gauge I guess

[@evanstauffer4470]

How can multiple-unit trains make emergency stops faster than locomotive-hauled trains? Regenerative braking is not used when the train's brakes are in Emergency.

[@ArnavWarnav]

It feels like American railroads are becoming to look like rail systems in Europe. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing. New US locomotives look almost exactly like the rest of the world. Yes, I do know new trains in America are built by European manufacturers these days.