Help Preserve Iconic California Commuter Locomotive

Between 1985-1987, the state of California, through the California Department of Transportation, purchased 20 F40PH-2 diesel-electric locomotives from EMD. These were acquired, along with a fleet of Gallery style commuter coaches, to replace equipment that was owned and operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad between San Jose and San Francisco. With state involvement, the service was rebranded as CalTrain, continuing on to become the busiest commuter rail operation in the Western United States. For nearly 40 years, CalTrain’s fleet of 20 F40s dutifully carried millions of travelers up and down the San Francisco peninsula.

In 2024, Caltrain completed a long envisioned project to electrify the San Francisco to San Jose rail corridor. As part of this project, The fleet of 20 original F40PH locomotives and 92 gallery cars were replaced with new electric multiple unit train sets. On September 21st, 2024, the new trains fully took over for the F40s and gallery cars.

The Southern California Railway Museum needs YOUR help to save a CalTrain F40PH locomotive! All 20 of CalTrain’s F40 locomotives will be going up for auction this month.

CalTrain was the first new commuter railroad in California during the passenger rail renaissance in the United States. These locomotives represent the first major investment by the state of California in new passenger rail equipment as well as a transition from private to publicly owned and operated commuter rail in the Golden State.

A CalTrain F40 locomotive would help us show how passenger rail continued to evolve in California in the latter 20th Century. Our museum is hoping to raise enough funds to purchase one of the locomotives at auction and then move it to our museum in Perris, California. Currently, this project has two financial backers that have pledged significant support in helping the museum to acquire a locomotive. By our estimates, we are close to halfway to what we need to fundraise to both purchase and transport a locomotive. At this time, we are the only museum that we are aware of that is actively pursuing the acquisition of one of these locomotives.

This is the best chance for any of CalTrain’s F40s to be preserved and escape the scrapper’s torch. Our effort is dependent on anyone who wishes to contribute to ensure that one of these locomotives is saved. Should our efforts to bid on and purchase a locomotive prove unsuccessful, your donation can either be diverted to another project at the museum or remain in the collections acquisition fund as we continue to acquire historic locomotives and rail cars. If the acquisition is successful any funds that remain, after covering the purchase and transportation costs, will be moved to a restricted fund for stabilization and possible future restoration of the unit at SCRM.

Help us preserve this significant piece of California passenger rail history for future generations to enjoy! Thanks for your consideration!