Caltrain Red Ink, Shutdowns, Delays

The headlines read "Rough path for transit on horizon" (Chronicle), "Financial outlook for Caltrain is grim" and "Fears grow over delay of Caltrain electrification" (Daily Journal).  Ridership is down about 90% and the line is looking at more than an $80 million budget deficit through FY21.  It's hard to imagine getting on a crowded SRO train again, but it's easy to imagine many of the newly-minted work-at-home employees will continue at least some days.  What to do?

During the meeting, officials said additional federal funding beyond the CARES Act will be needed as well as a dedicated funding source. A proposed eighth-cent sales tax for Caltrain in each of the three counties along the corridor is winding its way through the approval process for placement on the November ballot.  Without new funding, furloughs and even a systemwide shutdown all become possibilities, officials said.

A hiring freeze has been implemented and overtime has been eliminated, to name two moves, and further reductions to service was also proposed. Even with the extremely low ridership of late, Caltrain is still running hourly service and a total of 40 trains a day, down from the usual 92 trains per day.

We noted the delays on the electrification program back in August when things were flush and the DJ is highlighting it again

According to John Funghi, chief officer of Caltrain’s Modernization Program, the foundation work is being paused this time because Balfour Beatty is running out of rebar cages needed for the job. That’s because Balfour Beatty failed to order more of them on time, Funghi added.   To stay on schedule and complete the remaining 1,380 foundations by the end of the year, an average of 174 foundations must be completed a month. Caltrain Board Member Dev Davis claimed fewer than 50 foundations have been completed a month on average since the work began.  But Funghi has argued monthly averages don’t provide the full picture as some months 50 foundations may be installed while other months are scheduled to see as many as 300 foundations installed.

Davis isn’t buying that argument.  “John you have said that for the last three months at least, including two of the months where we had zero foundations,” she said. “I’m sorry but I cannot believe it any longer.

From the sounds of it, a lack of rebar is the least of Caltrain's problems right now.  The sad thing is during all of the Board discussions being reported, nobody says "Hey, why don't we call the Governor and suggest he kill high-speed rail and use some of that money to prop up regular rail?"  As I noted elsewhere, there are at least a few Assemblymen thinking along those lines, so why doesn't the Caltrain board jump on board?  It would certainly add credibility to the November ask for more sales taxes to fund rail.

Comments

[Joe]

I don't even know what to say.........

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/caltrain-aims-to-increase-service/article_361e359c-a93a-11ea-a52c-c3fa79d60e1a.html

[Joe]

From the DJ:

The city of San Mateo will receive $23.8 million in funding to complete its 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project after the San Mateo County Transportation Authority voted to grant the funding to the city last week.

The decision came at the Jan. 7 San Mateo County Transportation Authority meeting. The Caltrain 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project, which is around 85% finished, has overrun construction costs of $25.9 million. The city of San Mateo has agreed to pay $2.1 million to finish the project, while the remaining $23.8 million will now come from the Transportation Authority.

Caltrain officials cited COVID-19 cost overruns and issues with the relocation of a gas line and two fiber-optic lines as significant reasons for financial cost overruns.

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/san-mateo-gets-23-8m-for-25th-avenue-project/article_28403e2a-554c-11eb-8fa5-ab2580513901.html#tncms-source=login
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As one of the guys who put one of those fiber-optic lines in circa 1984, I can tell you this was 100% foreseeable.

[Phinancier]

The Porkulus Bill has delivered some oikers to Caltrain. https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/caltrain-to-get-fed-money-for-electrification/article_2dc563be-82ee-11eb-8862-d3452190bf38.html#utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1615561202&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

As part of the recently passed federal American Rescue Plan Act, an estimated $1.25 billion will be available in transit funding for the San Francisco-Oakland area, which includes San Mateo County, with Caltrain earmarked to receive around $52 million for electrification, said Charles Stone, chair of the San Mateo County Transit District.

“Any extra funding we get at Caltrain right now is huge. We’ve got a shortfall,” said Stone, also the mayor of Belmont.

Stone said the $52 million would help electrification projects like the Caltrain Modernization Program, which will upgrade service reliability, including conversion to an electric fleet and station improvements.

Ya think they should have cut the schedule back big time when everyone was sheltering and done some lay-offs? Yep

[Joe]

Yesterday's front page headlines:

Daily Post: Overbudget, delayed 2 years
Daily Journal: Caltrain delays electrification

Multiple quotes about how this is "common" and "to be expected". Somehow the Caltrain Board seems to have to rely on the Federal Transit Administration to tell IT they are overbudget.

The Post quotes former Foster City mayor James Lawrence saying this is another example of "ineptitude and poor management" at Caltrain. He goes on "They've proven time and time again they can't manage public funds".

There's also the usual nonsense about merging with BART as if that will make things better.

Prediction: look for another tax to be layered on top of the last one (Measure RR) that added another $100 million per year in County unaffordability.

[Paloma Ave]

But, but, how can we NOT invest in 1830's technology?

[Barking Dog]

https://padailypost.com/2021/06/09/opinion-with-the-latest-caltrain-fiasco-its-time-to-talk-about-merging-railroad-with-bart/amp/

[Joe]

Dave Price at the Post gets 95% of the way there, then loses his way. Everything up to the "Why not BART?" sub-heading is right on.

I have notable experience regarding the underground utilities on the Caltrain right of way. It hosts the Sprint fiber optic route along with a number of others. I helped put that bit of fiber in the ground and was the person who enrolled the Sprint network in the Underground Service Alert system. Did you ever wonder why you see USA spray-painted near places that utilities and cable companies dig? That's the reason. The idea that Caltrain didn't know that there are a lot of various utilities running along and across the right of way including some that may not be included in USA's data is ridiculous. As Price notes, there are just too many "political characters" running the show. He just scratches the surface with his list.

BUT. But Dave Price just tosses out the assertion that BART is slightly better run. I'd love to see the back-up for that. Having watched it for 30 years, I see no evidence in support. And there is some evidence that elected Board members won't solve the problem. Recall this post if you will:

https://www.burlingamevoice.com/2019/01/a-bart-non-answer.html