THE COASTAL WEST

Regional electric passenger rail:   

California is emerging as a hub of 25 kV overhead catenary, or overhead contact system (OCS), rail electrification development in the United States. Caltrain just celebrated the one-year anniversary of carrying passengers in Stadler trainsets under 25 kV catenary wire between San Francisco and San Jose, and has ordered a Stadler catenary+battery unit to be demonstrated south of San Jose to Gilroy. Since the introduction of electric service, Caltrain has experienced the ‘sparks effect’ – a significant boost in ridership following electrification.

The September 2025 whitepaper by Californians for Electric Rail, Electrolink: Modern Passenger Rail for Southern California discusses the benefits of electrification and other improvements for Metrolink (in the great LA metro area), Amtrak Pacific Surfliner (between San Luis Obispo, LA and San Diego, or LOSSAN Rail Corridor) and Coaster service (in San Diego County).     

High speed rail:    

Construction is slated to begin soon on 25 kV OCS electrification for both Brightline West (between Southern California and Las Vegas) and the initial operating segment of the California High Speed Rail project in the Central Valley.     

The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) already is working on designs and environmental approvals for OCS electrification on the San Luis Obispo-LA-San Diego (LOSSAN) corridor between Burbank, LA Union Station and Anaheim- including on the BNSF-owned LA-Fullerton segment. The CHSRA EIR/EIS approvals for installation of OCS along the Burbank-LA-Fullerton-Anaheim segment of LOSSAN can be utilized by Metrolink or another public agency as an ‘early action’ project, to build OCS infrastructure long before the first high speed rail trains arrive in Southern California.     

California Freight Rail Electrification 

Battery-electric switcher locomotives are starting to be deployed in California freight yards.   The nonprofit advocacy group Californians for Electric Railhas published white papers on the electrification of the BNSF Cajonand San Bernardino subdivisions, and the Alameda Corridor which serves the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, along with a Google Map showing existing electric utility substations adjacent to railroad tracks in Southern California.   There is also interest in California for using freight railroad main line corridors as rights-of-way for new electric power transmission connected to large-scale solar energy development, with concepts proposed for the BNSF Cajon Subdivision, the BNSF Needles Subdivision, Union Pacific Cima Subdivision, and Arizona & California Railroad.