Level boarding eludes Caltrain system upgrade

As part of a deal brokered by politicians and other officials, Caltrain received enough HSR money to begin an electrified commuter corridor from San Francisco south to San Jose. Now, it’s on the verge of going into operation.

At some point, it is projected by hopeful boosters that HSR trains will share existing tracks (and new passing tracks at key locations as well) with Caltrain equipment. At the same time, diesel-powered freight trains will continue to be able to use the Caltrain tracks.

The Caltrain dream to become more like BART is about to come true — with one important caveat: The new setup will not include level boarding for passengers. That feature is prominent and standard on other electrified rail lines, subways included.

Level boarding provides easy, seamless, on-and-off access to train cars. In other words, no more clunky stairs. Level boarding is safer, quicker and much better for the disabled, bikers, small children, the elderly and anyone hauling luggage or other large items onto and off cars. Level boarding also speeds up train schedules to some modest degree.

Currently, Caltrain does comply with rules for the disabled in this regard. Its stations include mechanical lifts for wheelchairs and scooters.

Dan Lieberman, a Caltrain spokesman, said setup complies with regulations governing assistance for the handicapped. Conductors well versed in the setup are vital and very helpful when using this process.

Instituting level boarding for Caltrain will probably not come about any time soon. It will cost cash it doesn’t have at this point. Station platforms will have to be modified (again); new train cars may have to be purchased too. It won’t be cheap. But it’s not being ignored.

In an email, Lieberman noted that Caltrain authorities are well aware of this deficit. He said they are implementing a level boarding “road map effort” to begin a process to examine the feasibility of such an upgrade in the future. There is no deadline.

In any event, Caltrain’s first big step toward a modernized transit route is on the immediate horizon. Level boarding, though, will have to wait.

RAIL BACKERS ARE NERVOUS: Remaining in the rail realm for a moment, there can be little doubt that advocates of that mode of travel are experiencing more than a little angst these days. That’s because the prospect of gobs of fresh taxpayers’ money for their ambitious enterprises, including Caltrain and the state’s grossly over-budget HSR project, among others, could be dimmed significantly if Democrats lose the White House (and, perhaps, the Senate as well) in November. That would be a nightmare scenario for rail boosters. Staunch conservatives in the GOP have a record of deep skepticism about public financing for rail projects that require large infusions of money, including cash for operating subsidies.

IT’S TEA TIME AT KIKI’S: Kiki’s Coffee Shop is currently offering an afternoon tea service at its location in the northeast corner of San Mateo on Idaho Street, one block north of the Peninsula Avenue/Highway 101 overpass. It’s the site where Nini’s Coffee Shop stood for more than a half-century. Nini’s shut down during the pandemic and eventually was sold. You can follow the new operation, including its tea schedule, on Facebook and Instagram.

PLEASE MAKE OURS ANIMAL-STYLE: South San Francisco is on pace to host an In-N-Out Burger outlet in the near future. An application to locate a new one on El Camino Real just south of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center is under consideration. Once open for business, the South City In-N-Out would be San Mateo County’s sixth.

John Horgan can be contacted by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.