Next month, Stadler and Caltrain will be showcasing Stadler's new electric multiple unit (EMU) vehicle for the San Francisco Bay Area at APTA EXPO in Orlando, Florida.
APTA EXPO is a premier event for the public transportation industry that provides a platform where suppliers and customers can exchange ideas and information. Caltrain is a commuter rail line that serves the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley in California.
Caltrain has ordered 23 of the seven-car units from Stadler and has recently added a bi-level battery-powered EMU to the fleet in production. The vehicles are intended to replace Caltrain's diesel-powered fleet in autumn next year on the route between San Francisco and San Jose.
The EMUs are being built at Stadler's US headquarters in Salt Lake City. Four vehicles have already been completed, and are undergoing testing on the Caltrain network. Stadler bi-level EMUs have been proven in use in both Europe and elsewhere for several decades. This is the first time that they will see service in the United States.
Commonly referred to as the KISS, which is the German abbreviation for Comfortable, Innovative, Fast, Regional Train, the new units combine high performance with high passenger capacity, and will allow a faster and more frequent service to solve the problem of a rapidly growing ridership.
They have seating for around 600 passengers and standing room for additional riders. The seats are fitted with power sockets, digital passenger information displays real-time journey information, and each train is equipped with a toilet.
The new trains will form the bases for California's first modern, electrified railway which is a transformational project that is creating jobs across the USA, will combat climate change, and significantly improve service for users. With their associated infrastructure the trains represent a keystone in California's transit and sustainability future, and is a critical component of the state's future high-speed rail system as the two systems will share a corridor.
The electrification lays the foundation for Caltrain's 2040 Service Vision that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 110 metric tons every day, and support tripling the number of users to 180,000 passengers every weekday, which equates to adding 5.5 new freeway lanes to US Highway 101.
Caltrain's new EMU will be exhibited at Stadler's booth #1340 on the show floor at APTA EXPO, and will officially unveiled at a vehicle presentation on Monday, Oct. 9th at 1:30 pm. It will be open for visitors to tour during EXPO hours from Monday, 9 October to Wednesday, 11 October.
