Caltrain Electrification

A WAG. Maybe SF behind is due to more complicated signaling and lack of specialized chips ?
Another WAG. Is CalTrain having the train sets testing at Pueblo qualifying units to a very high speed ?

I searched with Google and I found PowerPoint Presentation - Caltrain Electrification Update PPT2.pdf -- is there any page in Caltrain's site that links to it?

Though dated September 22, that document's detailed statistics are for August 31. Much like the previous update documents -- details are for some weeks before the document's date.

But this document shows in red text changes since the previous month.

Searching again for "Caltrain electrification update" I found PowerPoint Presentation - Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP) Project Update PowerPoint.pdf - October 27, 2021

Counts of grade crossing: San Francisco 2, South San Francisco 1, San Bruno 1, Millbrae 1, Burlingame 5, Burlingame/San Mateo (Peninsula Avenue) 1, San Mateo 9, Redwood City 6, Atherton 2, Menlo Park 4, Palo Alto 4, Mountain View 2, Sunnyvale 2, Santa Clara* 1, San Jose 2 (*UPRR owned Reed Street Crossing in Santa Clara)

A grand total of 43.

The update then described the grade-crossing train detectors: a high-speed one and a low-speed one upstream of the crossing, and one downstream of the crossing.

The construction-progress section was dated September 30, like the previous one in being nearly a month behind.

• Foundations: Segment 1 now at 58%, the other segments done
• Poles: Seg1: none, Seg2: end of this month? Seg3: done, Seg4: should be done by now
• Wire: Seg1: one Seg2: steady at 20%, Seg3: done, Seg4: much of it done; all done by the end of this month?
• Wire testing, signal system: no change
• Traction power facilities: Burlingame's transformer is 47% installed, low/high-voltage equipment at 5%, sitework 26%, the other facilities approaching completion.

Train testing (quoting the presentation):

• Dynamic type testing on schedule in Pueblo on trainset 1
• HVAC type testing trainset 2 ongoing
• Routine testing trainsets 3 through 6 being performed in SLC

I searched with "Caltrain electrification update" and I found the latest update: PowerPoint Presentation - 10 - PCEP Update PPT.pdf - its detailed construction updates are dated October 31 for the trackside infrastructure and November 15 for the substations.

https://twitter.com/Caltrain/status/1470925707438030848

The AEM-7 refresh looks good.

The fact that they repainted it makes me think it might stick around to be a rescue engine or be lashed up on the other end of a train set opposite a diesel going past electric territory.

That looks really cool! I'm so sorry these compact, efficient workhorses are gone from the Northeast Corridor.

KTHW wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 9:23 pm The fact that they repainted it makes me think it might stick around to be a rescue engine or be lashed up on the other end of a train set opposite a diesel going past electric territory.

The link provided above by ST Saint states that the repainting was contributed by Herzog. Caltrain is very diligent in keeping the public informed of progress and doesn't want passengers seeing hard-worn, disheveled-looking M/W equipment.

Also, scroll down to a tweet by Christof Spieler with a photo of the Amtrak/NJT station at EWR and the accompanying pungent comment. (Nothing to do with Caltrain, but worth noting.)

PowerPoint Presentation - #8d(i)- PCEP Update PPT.pdf - dated Dec 2 - foundations, poles, wire, and signal info dated Oct 31, traction-power-station info dated Nov 15

PowerPoint Presentation - 8di - PCEP PPT.pdf - mentions a "Change Management Board" and states that the construction info will change format next year.

Those toasters look pretty good with actual paint, or is that a wrap?...

My guess is they'll be used for work train service as well as rescue movements.

Caltrain Electrification Update January 6, 2022 - Caltrain Electrification Update PowerPoint3.pdf

"Revenue service date remains fall 2024"

• Foundations: 3,092 -- Seg 1: 25 remaining, Segs 2, 3, 4: complete -- completion "Winter 2022"
• Poles: 2,587 -- Segs 1, 2: 758 remaining, Segs 3, 4: complete
• Wire (300 mi) -- Segs 1, 2: 100 mi remaining, Segs 3, 4: complete
• Segment energizing -- Seg 4: "Winter 2022"
• Segment completion -- Seg 4: "Spring 2022"
• Traction power - 80% complete, completion "Fall 2022"
• Signal work -- Segs 1, 3: completion "Winter 2023", Seg 2: cutover "Mid-March", completion "November 2022", Seg 4: complete

Date: 2021 Dec 15. The wire is reported in "linear feet", which seems like a tautology. But I'm guessing that it's total length of wire, since the total reported is 1.5 million feet or 300 miles, 6 times longer than the route length of 50 miles.

The first trainset was successfully tested for 4,000 miles. It will be shipped March 2022. The 14th one will arrive winter 2023, and the 19th one summer 2024.

Also a "Crossing Optimization Project" for the grade crossings.

"linear feet" emphasizes we are not talking about square feet (yes, obvious if you know what wire is)

my thought was more that linear feet implies the actual length of wire used, as opposed to the length of track that it covers.

Sounds like they got a lot of wire up, at least on the south-end. Has any of the catenary been energized yet and any idea how soon the ex Amtrak AEM7 will start testing the catenary?

They just completed placing all the foundations for the catenary poles. (https://www.railwayage.com/mw/caltrain- ... n-project/)