Caltrain Electrification

That looks like the wheelchair lifts you see on buses, so it almost certainly extends from the train itself.

Every car has two wheelchair spots in it, so it's unclear how they intend to fill those if only one car can actually allow someone in a wheelchair to board. Welcome to California, the most inclusive state in the country, in 2024. Absolutely nuts.

The EMUs as shipped have door plugs for high level platforms. But as something purchased over 30 years after the ADA was passed, they have to be accessible to riders today, not at some distant point in the future.

I also highly doubt Caltrain is going to pony up the money to build high level platforms. They are 100% expecting CAHSR to foot that bill. So maybe it will happen in two decades? Back in 2015, their plan was to go to high levels at only three stations: SF, SJ, and Millbrae. Conveniently, the only stations where CAHSR is expected to stop. Apparently a plan to convert the stations to 25" was dropped at that time as well. One thing to keep in mind is that Santa Clara has to remain compatible with Amtrak's California cars and ACE's bilevels.

In the meantime, $4M was blown on constructing platforms that provide only a token level of accessibility and were only really necessary for less than a year?

Has anyone measured the height above the top of rail yet? From the photo provided, those mini-high platforms are not the standard 48 inches. They appear to me they match the low floor height of the new Stadler EMUs.

Correct, about 25 inches or so.

The only access to NEC high level platforms on these trains is from door plugs that will have to be replaced with real doors once the high level platforms actually exist.

lol I managed to find this in Caltrain's brochure:

Q: Will all the cars be ADA accessible?
A: Yes, all cars will meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and will be accessible to persons using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
Q: How will passengers using a wheelchair or mobility device board the new electric trains?
A: Similar to the process today, passengers using a wheelchair or mobility device will be able to use the mini-high wheelchair ramp or the mobile platform wheelchair lift to board the new electric trains.

https://www.caltrain.com/media/21596/

The most liberal and inclusive state (and perhaps metro) in the nation, ladies and gentlemen. Meanwhile an agency on the opposite coast has somehow managed to make 20 stations accessible in the last 4 years.