So, one of the interesting ways Caltrain can expand is to simply add additional rolling stock (cars) to handle capacity. However, there's a problem with that: each additional car reduces acceleration and directly effects the timetable.
For example, currently caltrain consists are 1 locomotive + 5 cars. Locomotives range from 2,500 usable horsepower (after HEP) to 3,600.
The highest horsepower locomotives, the MP36PH-3C's, are pretty much reserved for the baby bullet service. This means that to add an additional car to a train would increase weight on average by 20% - a big addition to a train that has is running flat out at nearly all times.
The problem that caltrain faces is pretty simple: they can't expand capacity without significant investment of capital into additional locomotives and rolling stock.
For example, currently caltrain consists are 1 locomotive + 5 cars. Locomotives range from 2,500 usable horsepower (after HEP) to 3,600.
The highest horsepower locomotives, the MP36PH-3C's, are pretty much reserved for the baby bullet service. This means that to add an additional car to a train would increase weight on average by 20% - a big addition to a train that has is running flat out at nearly all times.
The problem that caltrain faces is pretty simple: they can't expand capacity without significant investment of capital into additional locomotives and rolling stock.