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Caltrain is looking for a new home.
The popular commuter rail line that brings 20,000 riders to 28 points between San Francisco and San Jose, with extensions to Gilroy, has been sharing its headquarters with SamTrans since the 1990s. SamTrans, San Mateo County’s bus system, is moving in 2025 to a new office space near the Millbrae Caltrain station. It has invited its roommate to co-locate, but Caltrain is shopping around first.
Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain has been serving the region since 1991, and as an organization since 1863, according to a statement Monday. The oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi River, it is planning to electrify by 2024.
Currently, there are 78 Caltrain staff, but they expect to grow to 177 over time so they are looking for a space of about 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, for a five- to 10-year lease. Top locations, considering distance to stations and amenities like shops and restaurants, include San Francisco, Millbrae, Redwood City and San Mateo.
Caltrain is soliciting offers. A single PDF submission should be sent to HQ-RFI@Caltrain.com by 1 p.m. on April 22.
Maybe there’s room for some bargaining on this as well as other matters when Councilmember Pat Burt, head of the Rail Committee, meets with Caltrain’s Board of Directors about their declared intention to leave shoofly tracks in place at Meadow and Charleston even if their trains fly by overhead on a viaduct, should that become the “preferred local option” recommended by the Rail Committee to the city council for approval and is constructed.
Why is Palo Alto not being considered? After all, San Francisco is, and Palo Alto has the second busiest station to San Francisco.
I agree with “South Palo Altan” in principle. But I believe that one of the considerations that should have a high priority is where can CalTrain get the least expensive lease for their dollar. Again, this should not be the only priority, but certainly should be high on their list. I will say that it disturbs me to read that after electrification the operating costs will increase a good percentage (I do not remember the exact percentage). That seems contrary to what I have read over the past several years. I love CalTrain and of course want them to succeed long term.
“ Currently, there are 78 Caltrain staff, but they expect to grow to 177 over time…”
Since Caltrain is losing money big time and has no current plan to deal with running out of reserves in a few years along with having to pay $500 million over the next decade, downsizing rather than upsizing is the way to go.
Interesting perspective.
Based on that opinion, Caltrans and every city government road department should also downsize, they take in less user revenues than Caltrain.
Maybe the police and fire departments should also downsize to match their user fees…
@IVI
Could you clarify? I was referring to Caltrain’s expenses each month being $2 million more than its funding (before drawing from its diminishing reserves). My understanding is that road depts etc normally don’t spend more than they are funded.