Balfour Beatty has achieved substantial completion on the Caltrain Electrification project, the first undertaking in North America in which diesel trains and their infrastructure components are transitioned to an electrified system. The milestone signifies the successful turnover of the electrified, 51-mile corridor between San Francisco and San Jose, as Caltrain prepares to transform the system into a faster, more efficient and sustainable service for commuters throughout the Bay Area.

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To reach the milestone, construction activities were performed day and night which included locating underground utilities, testing soil conditions, inspecting signal and communication equipment and pruning and removing trees. The project team also installed foundations and 2,569 pre-engineered poles and strung 2,645,050 feet of wire to support the Overhead Contact System (OCS) which powers the fleet of new, high-performing electric trains.

Additionally, 10 traction power facilities – electric power stations used to provide, distribute and regulate electricity to the OCS and electric trains – were installed between the San Francisco and San Jose corridor.

“Reaching substantial completion is a tremendous feat,” said Mark Konchar, Balfour Beatty US Civils president. “On a project of this magnitude, ongoing collaboration and an all-hands-on-deck approach was vital, and I commend our team of global experts, various industry partners and local stakeholders for their partnership in delivering the future of public transportation in the U.S. Another milestone achieved means we are a step closer in providing Caltrain with the resources to safely maintain and operate their new infrastructure for their customers every day.”

“We are now at the cusp of our new and improved electrified service,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “I thank our partners at Balfour Beatty for helping us to deliver a transformative change that will benefit Bay Area residents for decades to come.”

Substantial completion follows the success of Balfour Beatty, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Caltrain’s efforts in energizing the full corridor through the OCS and traction power facilities and testing the electric trains up to 79 mph.

Post-substantial completion, Balfour Beatty will continue to work with its industry partners and Caltrain to conduct operations and maintenance training, pre-revenue service testing and complete punch list items along the corridor. These preparations are underway, with official revenue service starting in September 2024.

About Balfour Beatty US

Balfour Beatty is an industry-leading provider of general contracting, at-risk construction management and design-build services for public and private sector clients across the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company performs heavy civil, rail and a broad variety of vertical construction. The company is held by Balfour Beatty plc (LSE: BBY), who is global leader in international infrastructure with interests in Hong Kong, UK and US. Balfour Beatty US is ranked among the top domestic building contractors in the United States by Engineering News-Record. To learn more, visit www.balfourbeattyus.com.

About Caltrain

Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with commute service to Gilroy. Serving the region since 1863, Caltrain is the oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi. Looking to the future, Caltrain is set to electrify the corridor by 2024, which will reduce diesel emissions and add more service to more stations while advancing the agency’s equity goals. Follow Caltrain on Facebook and Twitter.

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