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8/21/2023
Caltrain last week announced that the California Transportation Commission approved the allocation of funds from an $80 million award from the California State Transportation Agency to acquire one battery-equipped electric multiple unit train (BEMU) from Stadler.
The BEMU will be operable on both Caltrain’s electrified service area of the corridor as well as on the portion of the corridor from San Jose to Gilroy that does not yet have overhead electrified lines, Caltrain and Stadler officials said in a press release.
The BEMU, which will be purchased through a contract option with Stadler, will charge while the train runs on overhead power in the electrified service areas and then use battery charge to travel “off-wire” on nonelectrified line areas. This will pave the way for Caltrain to operate a fully zero-emission service in the future.
Under the demonstration plan, the BEMU will charge while in operations between San Francisco and San Jose, and then operate using battery power on non-electrified tracks between San Jose and Gilroy.
Also, Caltrain’s board approved exercising the options on its contract with Stadler for four EMU trains to replace aging diesel trains and rail cars. Those trains, along with the BEMU demonstration, will allow Caltrain to run more than 90% of its service with electric trains.