This coming Saturday, July 29th, Caltrain will be “touring” their EMUs at San Jose Diridon Station from 10 am to 2 pm. You can RSVP here, although an RSVP is not required. In addition to being able to go inside the train sets, you can pick up Caltrain swag, and enjoy food trucks, games, a photo booth, an art demonstration by Eric Rewitzer, and community resources. For more information, visit caltrain.com/electric-train-tour. If you want to bike to the event, free bike valet will be provided by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.
This will be the first of three tours Caltrain is putting on prior to the EMUs entering service next year. Caltrain will be hosting a second tour on Saturday, September 9th, from 9:30 am to 2 pm, at the San Francisco 4th and King station. Note that this date and time is subject to change. This coming winter, Caltrain will host a third tour at a San Mateo County location, which has yet to be announced.
Caltrain had a proposal for electrification on the table since 1992, but it wasn’t until 2017 when ground first broke on the modernization project set to be completed next year that will electrify the line from San Jose to San Francisco.
Electric trains are expected to offer faster, more frequent, and more reliable service. Caltrain will start planning the service schedule in August.