California State Rail Plan 2005-06 to 2015-16

2005-06 – 2015-16 California State Rail Plan
Centralized Maintenance Facility – A new Centralized Equipment Maintenance
and Operations Facility is scheduled for completion in 2006. It will allow for
maintenance of the Caltrain fleet to be performed at one location and with the
most modern equipment, improving fleet reliability and performance with lower
operating costs.
Operational Capacity Improvements – Several stations will receive outside
boarding platforms to allow two trains to operate at a station at the same time.
Additional improvements include station center track fences, signalized pedestrian
at-grade crossings, and new crossovers. These improvements will reduce travel
times, increase train speeds, and improve service flexibility.
Customer Service Improvements – Improvements are planned in San Francisco
and Hillsdale stations to provide better access and station amenities, audible signs,
and upgrades to the public address systems.
Right-of way Improvements – In San Mateo County, various grade separations
are under design to improve safety by separating the railroad from vehicle and
pedestrian flow. Other projects in San Mateo County include bridge, culvert,
track, and tunnel rehabilitations.
Electrification – The environmental process is nearly completed with preparation
of design plans, specifications and estimates soon to follow for conversion of the
existing diesel engine mode of propulsion to electric power from San Francisco to
Gilroy.
PROPOSED SERVICE EXTENSIONS
Downtown San Francisco
In 2001, the City and County of San Francisco in collaboration with other
Bay Area transportation agencies agreed to build a new multimodal transportation
terminal in San Francisco. The new center, to be located at the existing Transbay
Terminal at First and Mission Streets in downtown San Francisco, will be one of
the largest multimodal transportation centers on the west coast. When completed,
the terminal will allow a subsurface extension of Caltrain commuter service from
its current location at Fourth and King Streets to Downtown San Francisco.
The new center will also serve AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans,
Greyhound, Amtrak feeder buses, Muni buses and light rail, and BART.
Dumbarton Rail Corridor
The former SP discontinued rail service in the 1980s on the 20.5-mile Dumbarton
Rail Corridor between Redwood Junction and Newark Junction. A 1991
San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) long range study to
determine the feasibility of operating commuter rail service in the corridor
recommended a rail service option. As a result, the SamTrans purchased the
ROW in early 1994. Funds were programmed for the Dumbarton Rail Corridor in
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