Caltrain's evolution from coal to electricity

In June 1985, the first of 63 new gallery cars and 18 new diesel-electric locomotives became part of a new push-pull operation, dubbed Caltrain. It ran between San Francisco and what is now Palo Alto.

Why it mattered: It was an upgrade from the original commuter railroad, built in 1863, and paved the way for what now promises to be a fully electrified commuter rail.

Driving the news: Almost 40 years later, Caltrain is now set to debut its first fully electric fleet after publicly introducing electric trains last weekend.

Fun fact: It is the oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi.

Flashback: In the 1860s, in cars operated by San Francisco and San Jose Railroad Co., the trip between San Francisco and what is now Palo Alto took two hours, after which passengers heading to San Jose would need to board a stagecoach for the final leg.

• After ridership declined with the rise of automobiles, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) agreed to assume responsibility, modifying train schedules and increasing the number of weekday trains from 44 to 46.
• In 1985, the railway was renamed Caltrain. Caltrans also replaced old equipment with new diesel-electric locomotives, known as the F40.
• With the F40s in place, Caltrain built up a steady ridership, averaging over 63,000 weekday riders in 2019.

State of play: The F40 locomotive bid farewell with a final journey earlier this year. They'll soon be replaced with the electric fleet, which Caltrain says will enable more frequent service and faster transit times.

• That includes doubling the number of stations that provide service every 15-20 minutes in peak periods, as well as updating service from every hour to every 30 minutes during mid-days, evenings and weekends.
• The railway estimates that electrifying the corridor between San Francisco and San José will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 250,000 tons annually — equivalent to taking 55,000 cars off the road.

What they're saying: "Passengers might not consider the rides appreciably smoother because the jostle and swing of standard rail travel is still present. But the equipment is new instead of worn, and there's no noise and exhaust from diesel engines," SFGATE's Bill Buchanan writes .

What's next: Caltrain will launch its full electric fleet on Sept. 21.