By Railfan & Railroad Staff

Caltrain is hosting a weekend-long celebration across its system to mark the long-awaited lunch of electric train service between San Francisco and San Jose. 

Last month, Caltrains’s new Stadler-built trains made their public debut after years of work to put wire up over the 51-mile route. Since then, the agency has slowly but surely been putting more trains in service between San Francisco and San Jose. Diesels will still be used on the run to Gilroy, but the electrification means the iconic F40s will be retired. 

Electrification will help meet ambitious regional and state climate action goals by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and relieving traffic congestion. By transitioning from diesel to electric trains, carbon dioxide emissions will be cut by 250,000 metric tons annually – equivalent to removing 55,000 cars from the road each year.

This weekend, Caltrain was hosting a series of free public events and offering free rides along the entire route. The full schedule of events can be found online.