Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, July 30, 2015, 9:55 AM
Town Square
Air district board approves $20M for Caltrain electrification project
Original post made on Jul 30, 2015
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, July 30, 2015, 9:55 AM
Comments (5)
Posted by Duane
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 2:27 pm
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 2:27 pm
Why electrify Cal-train?
Finish the Bart system from San Jose to Millbrae ,that would also solve the CA High Speed Rail problem,It would end or start in San Jose,or Dublin or Stockton if Bart makes it that far.!!
Posted by Andrew
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 2:48 pm
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Building BART from Millbrae to San Jose would take decades, even if they started the project today. It definitely should be done, but the unfortunate reality is that it's not going to happen any time soon. Also commuter rail and subway systems server different needs and are complimentary. Generally commuter rail is faster and hauls more passengers, but service is less frequent. It's good for longer and planned trips. Subways (should) have frequent service but are slower so they're better for shorter and ad-hoc trips. The bay area needs both Caltrain and BART through the south bay. It also needs BRT or light rail to serve areas that can't support heavy rail. They only way to improve traffic is to get cars off the road, and that means building good transit.
Posted by Steve Ly
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 3:15 pm
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2015 at 3:15 pm
It's crazy to rip out a perfectly functioning Caltrain system and spend billions building a BART system that has an incompatible track gauge.
Standard gauge trains, even if not "high speed," can operate south of San Jose, to Gilroy, Salinas or Los Angeles but BART trains would require a change in San Jose. As shown by Germany's modern S-Bahns, electrified commuter trains work fine.
Posted by Reader
a resident of another community
on Jul 31, 2015 at 7:19 am
a resident of another community
on Jul 31, 2015 at 7:19 am
In addition to Germany, add pretty much every single Western European and Asian country.
The Japanese have been using electrified commuter trains for well over half a century. As a matter of fact, their HSR (Shinkasen, the original bullet train) is fifty years old. That's right, a 120mph electric train running on standard gauge tracks powered by an overhead catenary in 1965.
It's okay for Caltrain to acknowledge the fact that it's 2015.
Posted by Excellent!
a resident of Blossom Valley
on Jul 31, 2015 at 8:54 am
a resident of Blossom Valley
on Jul 31, 2015 at 8:54 am
More space for the cylcing/train combo-commuters will be great. Looking forward to the increased capacity. Obviously people want to ride the train as ridership numbers show.
Meanwhile VTA, the bus company, wants to take an entire lane away from people on ECR so they can run an empty bus through town without stopping.
Support Cal Train! Moving more people w/out sacrificing the quality of life in MV.
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