The CalTrain project (www.caltrain.com) — part of California’s CalMod project, which will electrify the corridor from San Francisco’s 4th and King Caltrain Station to the Tamien Caltrain Station — is the biggest project that Stadler US has taken on during its two-year presence in Salt Lake City.

The train manufacturer, which has its roots in Switzerland, was awarded the contract in 2016 to design and build 16
six-carriage KISS double-decker electric multiple-unit trains (KISS is an acronym of the German for Comfortable Innovative Speedy Suburban Train).

The contract also includes an option for an additional 96 carriages.

While production of the carriage bodies takes place in Switzerland, Stadler US will handle the final assembly and commissioning.

The first carriage bodies arrived in Salt Lake City earlier this month, marking the first time that Stadler will be using this new facility.

The contract with CalTrain marks the first time that Stadler has sold lightweight double-decker trains to the USA.

Stadler has a workforce of over 7,600 based in various production, service and engineering locations in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belarus and the USA — as well as service locations in Algeria, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the UK.

More than 1,600 of its FLIRT (Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train) units have been sold in 18 countries, while nearly 300 KISS units have been sold in 11 countries.

Stadler has also sold 140 of its Euro 4000 — the most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in Europe — in seven countries.