CALIFORNIAN commuter operator Caltrain has successfully energised and tested the 25kV ac overhead line equipment on the 82km $US 2.44bn Caltrain Electrification Project between San Francisco and San Jose.
Working with contractors Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) and Balfour Beatty, Caltrain built two main traction power substations: the East Grand substation in South San Francisco and the FMC substation in San Jose, as well as one switch station and seven parallel stations along the corridor.
Infrastructure work undertaken by PG&E included constructing two double-circuit 115kV transmission connections from the East Grand and FMC substations to Caltrain stations in those areas, retrofitting both substations to enable PG&E to support Caltrain’s request for redundant transmission feeds and upgrading three PG&E and two third-party remote end substations.
The next step for Caltrain, which is undertaking the first electrification of a major US commuter line for many years, is testing its 19 seven-car double-deck Stadler Kiss EMUs at their maximum operating speed of 177km/h in preparation for the start of electric revenue service, which is expected in September. The first Kiss trains started initial test runs at Santa Clara last summer.
“Completion of the overhead catenary system allows us to test electric trains along our entire corridor,” says Ms Michelle Bouchard, Caltrain executive director. “This is a momentous step in the Caltrain Electrification Project as we approach the launch of electrified service.”
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