Balfour Beatty Reaches Milestone on Caltrain Electrification

Balfour Beatty has achieved substantial completion on the Caltrain Electrification project, reportedly the first undertaking in North America to transition diesel trains and their infrastructure components to an electrified system. The milestone marks the 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.

To reach the milestone, construction activities were performed day and night, including 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 powering the fleet of new, high-performing electric trains.

“Reaching substantial completion is a tremendous feat,” said Mark Konchar, Balfour Beatty US Civils president. “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.”

Photo courtesy of San Francisco County Transportation Authority.