SAN FRANCISCO — Yesterday, national and local leaders celebrated as Caltrain named one of the trains in its state-of-the-art electric fleet in honor of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi at Caltrain’s San Francisco Station. Made during Women’s History Month, this dedication recognizes Pelosi for her outsized role in advocating for Caltrain and other public transit agencies throughout her career as she nears the end of her final term in Congress after serving for 38 years.
Pelosi was instrumental in obtaining federal funding for Caltrain’s $2.4 billion Electrification Project that was completed in 2024, modernizing the 160-year-old railroad and leading the agency to be named the fastest growing transit agency in the United States in 2025. In addition to record ridership growth, electrified service has also provided cleaner air for communities along the corridor, faster, more frequent service for riders throughout the San Francisco Peninsula and a state-of-the-art electric fleet featuring modern amenities such as free Wi-Fi, power outlets, baby changing tables in the bathroom and much more. The new electrified system hasn’t just transformed Caltrain’s service — it’s designed to serve generations to come.
"Speaker Emerita Pelosi didn't just represent the Bay Area — she built it, strengthened it, and connected the Golden State to the world," said Governor Gavin Newsom. "She has driven the biggest wins for infrastructure and clean transportation this state has achieved in a generation, and Caltrain's transformation from an aging diesel railroad into one of the fastest-growing electric transit systems in America is proof of what fearless, relentless leadership looks like. Naming this train in her honor is a tribute as enduring as her legacy, and every Californian who rides these rails will travel in the future she fought to build.”
“It is not hyperbole to say that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s history-making career has improved the lives of millions of Californians and Americans alike,” said US Senator Adam Schiff. “But at the center of her work has always been delivering for her beloved San Francisco, and that includes her vital role in supporting Caltrain’s improved infrastructure, which has boosted job growth and regional connectivity across the Bay Area. The federal investments she has championed have helped modernize and improve public transportation with climate smart infrastructure that is central to our state’s economic development. I’m proud to see her receive this much-deserved recognition and honor for her decades of leadership.”
“Speaker Pelosi’s leadership put America on a track to the future with her unswerving support of an electrified Caltrain,” said former US Representative Anna Eshoo. “How fitting it is that one of those trains will bear her name.”
“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi is a true living legend and part of our nation’s history as the first woman Speaker of the House. The focus of her career has been on making things better for all, and for decades she has been a steward, watching out for the City of San Francisco, the greater Bay Area and the entire country,” said US Representative Kevin Mullin. “Speaker Emerita Pelosi is a champion of public transportation, and it is thanks to her advocacy and leadership that Caltrain obtained crucial federal support to modernize our regional rail system into a world-class transit experience. It is only fitting that all her efforts on behalf of Caltrain are memorialized by the naming of a train in her honor during Women’s History Month.”
“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been an ongoing champion for the electrification and modernization of Caltrain and has led to the securing of millions for the Caltrain Electrification Project that has helped lead the Bay Area in reducing emissions, making our air cleaner, reducing traffic, and providing faster and more reliable service,” said US Representative Ro Khanna.
“No legislator in U.S. history has wielded the Speaker’s gavel with more positive impact than Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. For championing progress on health care, climate action, and modern, sustainable transportation, we should honor her decades of leadership and her unwavering commitment to our region,” said US Representative Sam Liccardo.
“Few leaders have done more for San Francisco than Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Naming this Caltrain in her honor is a fitting tribute to her decades of service to this city and her record of delivering results for our residents and our future. On behalf of San Francisco, we thank her for her 38 years of service and for always fighting to keep our city moving.”
“For as long as Caltrain has existed, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been in Congress advocating for it” said Caltrain Board Chair and San Bruno Mayor Rico E. Medina. “While we are sad to see her go, we are proud to continue to celebrate her legacy and everything she has achieved both for our rail agency and for the people we serve every day.”
“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been a tireless advocate for public transportation throughout her career,” said Caltrain Board Member and Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga. “Her ability to turn vision into action has delivered transformative investments for systems like Caltrain, strengthening a vital corridor that connects residents across the Peninsula to jobs, education, and opportunity. Naming this train in her honor is a powerful recognition of both her leadership and her lasting impact on our region.”
“It’s safe to say that without Nancy Pelosi we would still be chugging along with old diesel trains,” said Caltrain Board Member and Palo Alto Councilmember Pat Burt. “Instead, passengers literally love riding fast, clean Caltrains to work or events, all hours of the day, seven days a week.”
“Nancy Pelosi has spent a lifetime moving this country forward, so it’s only fitting that her name now rides the rails moving people across our region. This honor by Caltrain recognizes not just her historic leadership, but her unwavering commitment to investing in public transit, fighting climate change and connecting our communities. Speaker Pelosi didn’t just help build a better future, she helped lay the tracks for it,” said Caltrain Board Member and San Mateo County Board of Supervisors David Canepa.
“It’s only fitting that this train bears the name of Nancy Pelosi, a leader who has spent decades moving our country forward,” said Caltrain Board Member and San Jose Councilmember David Cohen. “Like a train that connects communities and moves people to new destinations, Speaker Pelosi has helped guide Americans toward opportunity and ensured more people take part in the journey.”
"For decades, every successful major transportation project in the Bay Area has had one thing in common; they had Nancy Pelosi in their corner," said Jeff Gee, Caltrain Board Member and Transbay Joint Powers Authority Board Chair. "From Caltrain's electrification to the Transbay Terminal, Speaker Emerita Pelosi understands the transformative power these projects have, and she has always made it a priority to not just plan for today's transportation needs, but for tomorrow's."
“Nancy Pelosi is not just a powerhouse in our nation's public affairs,” said Caltrain Board Member Steve Heminger. “She is the best friend the Bay Area transportation community ever had. She will be sorely missed, but her legacy will live on in her countless good works and deeds that have made our beloved region a much better place.”
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi has long recognized that public transit is essential to the backbone of San Francisco and communities across this country,” said Caltrain Board Member and District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton. “Her leadership in securing federal investment for Caltrain electrification and other critical infrastructure has brought real, tangible benefits to our neighborhoods like shorter commutes, cleaner air, and access to good-paying jobs. This is a well-deserved and earned honor.”
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi is a true transit champion – her vision and leadership for Caltrain and all of our transit systems have been instrumental in realizing the promise of a better-connected, sustainably-powered and economically vibrant region,” said Transportation Authority Board Chair and District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar. “The Transportation Authority is proud to help honor and continue the work of Speaker Pelosi to build clean, safe and affordable transit, connecting and strengthening our nation and community.”
“Transit systems like Caltrain do not just happen overnight, they are built by people,” said Rudy Gonzalez, San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council Secretary and Treasurer. “Speaker Pelosi has long been a champion of public transit and the people who rely on it, consistently fighting to strengthen systems like Caltrain. This recognition honors a leader who understands that investing in transit is investing in working people and the future of our region.”
“Speaker Pelosi has been a fierce champion for the San Francisco Bay Area and its institutions, including the Caltrain and the Giants,” said Jack Bair, San Francisco Giants Chief Development Officer. “Since the ballpark opened, more than 5 million fans have taken Caltrain to games, and from this day forward many of them will be headed to the ballpark on a train appropriately bearing her name.”
“Speaker Pelosi has long understood that world-class transportation infrastructure is fundamental to economic competitiveness,” said Rosanne Foust, President of SAMCEDA. “Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing investments like Caltrain modernization, strengthening our region’s ability to connect talent, employers, and opportunity.”
“There is no greater champion for Bay Area transit and Caltrain than Nancy Pelosi,” said Kristina Lawson, Chair of the Bay Area Council and Managing Partner of Hanson Bridgett. “Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s steadfast leadership over many decades has played an instrumental role in the transformation and modernization of this critical rail service connecting one of the most vital economic and innovation corridors on the planet.”
“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been a steadfast champion for public transportation and for the communities Caltrain serves,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “We are deeply grateful for her leadership and efforts to secure critical investments that have been transformative to this corridor and pivotal to strengthening transit systems across the Bay Area. The people of the Bay Area will benefit from electric Caltrain service for decades to come, and by naming this train in her honor, we ensure that her role in making this project a reality will be celebrated for just as long.”
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has been a strong advocate for Caltrain and public transit throughout her career. Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Speaker Emerita Pelosi helped secure $10.3 billion to expand public transit and helped secure more than $4 billion in emergency COVID-19 relief for Bay Area transit, strengthening essential infrastructure and connecting communities. This is the second electric trainset Caltrain has dedicated, after the rail agency dedicated a train in honor of Rep. Anna Eshoo on the first day of electrified service in September 2024.
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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with commute service to Gilroy. Serving the region since 1863, Caltrain is the oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi and the first railroad to convert from diesel to electric power in a generation.
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Editor’s Note: Pictures and video from the event can be found here