Editor,
Caltrain should stop the current electrification project, and change to one of two viable and newly available alternatives: battery or hydrogen fuel cell electric multiple units (EMUs). In 2019, Bombardier Talent 3 battery EMUs will begin operation in Austria.
In 2018, Alstom iLint fuel cell EMUs will begin operation in Germany. Other manufacturers are developing competing EMUs. Either of these alternatives deliver the performance, range, quick recharge/refuel, passenger capacity and emissions-free operation that Caltrain requires. These would save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for the implementation by eliminating the large infrastructure that the catenary system requires, and save millions of dollars annually by not maintaining that infrastructure. These would extend electrification to Gilroy and other destinations for free, by eliminating even more catenary wires to reach those destinations. These would eliminate the need to remove or trim 4,000 trees. And these would enable Caltrain to reap the advantages of quickly progressing improvements and cost reductions in batteries, hydrogen generation and fuel cell technologies.
When and if California high-speed rail reaches San Jose, passengers would quickly transfer to a Caltrain express to San Francisco. Many, perhaps most, passengers would transfer anyway, to Caltrain local, BART, VTA or automobiles. It would be quite unfortunate if our railway serving Silicon Valley were to spend $2 billion of taxpayer money to construct one of the last catenary rail systems rather than one of the first of many battery or fuel cell rail systems.
Mike Forster
Palo Alto
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