Caltrain Resumes Full SF Service After Weekend Tunnel Work

Caltrain resumed normal train service to downtown San Francisco on Monday morning, after the first weekend dedicated to work to prepare four tunnels for electrified trains set to start running in 2022.

Caltrain's tunnel work for the weekend was expected to be completed by 3 a.m. Monday. This weekend was the first in a planned series of weekends during which the four tunnels in San Francisco were be modified to accommodate overhead "catenary" electric wires. Plans are for weekday service to proceed as normal during that period.This weekend tunnel work is expected to last through next spring.

To accommodate the new electric trains, crews will also create additional clearance and install anchor bolts in the tunnel ceilings to facilitate the installation of the overhead wires to power the new electric trains. During work weekends, SamTrans will provide free bus service to connect Caltrain riders traveling between the San Francisco station, the 22nd Street station and the Bayshore station.

Electrification of Caltrain's San Francisco-San Jose route is expected to improve system performance, enable more frequent and/or faster train service and reduce long-term environmental impact by reducing noise, improving regional air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

By Bay City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone