Caltrain scopes a new electric train schedule

“Now we have a unilateral change in the schedule that disadvantages our mutual riders,” Heminger said. “We are having a hard time getting their attention. We got to figure this out.”

While the board continues to work to find a compromise with BART and other transit agencies to provide seamless service, the Caltrain electrification project will be more efficient, officials said.

The service slated to begin in September will provide 104 trains per weekday, or four trains per peak hour in each direction that will run from 6:30-9:30 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. The service would alternate express and local trains. Travel times from San Francisco to San Jose could be as quick as an hour for express trains and as long as 75 minutes for local trains, nearly 30 minutes faster than the local diesel trains currently running. Rush hour traffic in a vehicle is around 90 minutes, according to the presentation.

Board Member Pat Burt said he was excited to see the stations not being served by the baby bullet trains, an express train, will receive three trains per hour during peak hour.

“It is truly transformative in terms of those stations being able to go to folks that can use feeder systems to get to them or part of transit-oriented development, can go from not being able to rely on Caltrain as a primary transportation mode to being able to do so,” Burt said.

South San Francisco, San Mateo, Hillsdale, Redwood City and Millbrae were identified as the stations in the county that need more service during peak times, according to the presentation.

Weekday off-peak hours will be from around 5-6:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. All stations will receive local service every half hour, and the travel time from San Francisco to San Jose could reach up to 75 minutes, according to the presentation.

Burt also noted that the new schedule would run until 1 a.m. rather than midnight, and the horn noise may disturb nearby residents.

“I just haven’t heard any discussion about the noise ramifications of this new schedule,” Burt said.

Each station will receive 20% more stops. Eleven stations will get four trains per peak hour, five stations will receive three trains per peak hour, and all stations will have at least one train every 30 minutes, according to the presentation.

This new service plan will offer 27% more stops at equity priority stations, which Caltrain identified through previous studies. As part of its equity priority plan, this service plan will offer 23% more stops at stations serving minority riders and 16% more stops at stations serving low-income riders, according to the presentation.

The electric trains will be equipped with Wi-Fi outlets at every seat. The service is smoother, quieter and can accelerate and decelerate much quicker than the diesel train.

The board plans more community events to share the proposed service plan and receive feedback from the community, which it will use before finalizing the schedule. By December, Caltrain plans to complete the service plan.