Caltrain EMU Public Tours

Target Audience: Thousands of excited community members, riders and railfans both local and from across the country came out to see and celebrate this sample of our new fleet (and upcoming new service).

Strategy Objective:The strategy behind this event was to engage and educate the public about the new electric trains through an immersive tour experience. By allowing individuals to first-hand experience the trains, the aim was to build trust, excitement, and anticipation for the full-scale launch of the electric train services.?The event included an in-depth tour of the new, modern trains as well as several community booths from our partner transit agencies, food trucks, DJ, speeches from elected officials.

Situation Challenge: The objective of the Caltrain Electric Train public event was to educate the community about the new electric trains and celebrate the milestone of electrification. We aimed to provide over 4,000 attendees with a firsthand experience of the train's amenities through tours, while fostering community spirit with local food, art, and music. The event served as a platform to inform the public about the project's benefits, including enhanced efficiency and environmental sustainability, and to build excitement and support for the future of regional transit.

Results Impact: Over 4000 people attended each of the two events, with over a dozen earned media pieces stemming from the event. This event generated positive engagement and excitement for the Caltrain Electrification Project which is set to be complete in 2024.

Why Submit: These tours required a concerted effort from the Caltrain team to successfully show off the new electric trains to thousands of attendees. The event expanded beyond simple tours of the trains and included a block party that fostered a sense of community, connection and excitement. The reviews and feedback that we received was extremely positive and had our community even more excited for the completion of Caltrain Electrification.