The project involves electrifying and upgrading of Caltrain’s commuter rail service through San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties in the US state of California.

Balfour Beatty said that the agreement further solidifies the joint commitment to finish the project by September 2024 to provide a modernised, sustainable and reliable commuter rail service for commuters in the Bay Area.

The US$347m agreement, which is exclusive to the construction scope of work, is the result of Balfour Beatty and project stakeholders partnering to find the most efficient and cost-effective solutions to deliver the rail service’s 25kV AC overhead catenary system (OCS).

Once complete, the OCS will serve as the power source for the new electric trains and provide a more sustainable rail service through the replacement of ageing diesel trains to high-performance electric trains. In addition, the OCS will allow for an increase in the commuter rail service to six trains per peak hour per direction, and maintain train operating speeds of up to 79mph.

The Caltrain Electrification project will electrify the commuter rail corridor from San Francisco’s 4th and King Caltrain Station to the Tamien Caltrain Station in San Jose. Balfour Beatty’s design-build team members will continue to work along 52 miles of dual-track alignment to electrify the remaining sections of the Caltrain corridor.

Construction activities include locating underground utilities, testing soil conditions, inspecting signals and communications equipment, pruning and removing trees, and installing foundations to prepare for the installation and operation of the OCS.