Jan 5, 2007

Caltrain planning for rail revolution

Lightweight, electronic cars could save money, increase speed and seating capacity

By Shaun Bishop / Daily News Staff Writer

Caltrain officials are poised to take the lead on a plan they believe could revolutionize the 150-year-old rail system in the United States.

The transit agency Thursday revealed a long-term vision in which it would replace its aging fleet of diesel locomotives with modern, lightweight electric rail cars. But to realize that goal, Caltrain will have to work with state and federal authorities to change long-standing regulations that prohibit the lightweight cars from operating at the same time as heavier locomotives.

If its efforts are successful, Caltrain will open the door for other agencies around the country to modernize their rail services with cheaper, more efficient rail vehicles like those used in Europe and other parts of the world.

"This is the time and this is the place to change an industry," said Bob Doty, manager of rail operations for Caltrain. "Once we pass this opportunity up, we won't get it again."

The vision was laid out in a Caltrain staff report, codenamed Project 2025, that was presented to the Caltrain joint powers board at its meeting Thursday. The report comes as the agency faces the looming challenges of sustaining or improving its train performance as ridership increases over the next few decades due to growing numbers of workers and residents.

The agency would like to use Electric Multiple Unit (or EMU) trains, so named because each car unit generates its own propulsion. The benefits of the more modern train are numerous and include less wear and tear on the tracks, cheaper maintenance, lower fuel costs and increased speed; on a 15-stop stretch, they would be about 10 minutes faster than Caltrain's current trains, Doty said. Plus, their ability to use longer cars would increase Caltrain's capacity dramatically during peak hours, from about 5,400 seats now to more than 17,000.

But such trains have not been designated as "compliant" with federal regulations because of their lighter weight. The government requires that compliant locomotives like the ones currently used by Caltrain be encased in tons of steel so they will withstand the impact of a crash.

"We are a third-world country when it comes to public transportation," said Arturo Lloyd, a member of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board.

A third alternative is electric locomotives, which are compliant with government rules and would provide some benefits over diesel locomotives but are still heavy and slower than the EMUs.

Doty and other Caltrain authorities hope to persuade regulators that lightweight EMU trains and standard locomotives could use the same tracks safely with the help of an automated system that would stop trains automatically if they get too close to each other. Currently, Caltrain engineers rely on signals and their judgment to know when a locomotive is too close to the train ahead.

Among the battery of regulatory agencies with which Caltrain will need to negotiate are the Federal Railroad Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Transit Administration and the California Public Utilities Commission. "It's not a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination," said Mike Scanlon, Caltrain's executive director. The discussions will start immediately, since the board is looking to make a decision by the end of 2008.

The agency would also have to determine how to fund the new equipment. Rough cost estimates put capital expenditures for the new electric systems at around $3 billion each.

Still, board members were optimistic about giving it a shot. The Project 2025 report says the changes to regulations are "a solution 'looking for a champion,' having been recognized within the industry as a progressive action long past due."

"We really don't have a choice," said Forrest Williams, a recent appointee to the board. "We can't sit on our laurels and just say, 'Let the trains run.' "

E-mail Shaun Bishop at sbishop@dailynewsgroup.com.