Yes, that's why it's misleading when the author is framing the important part as "electric train exists now" and not "electric train used to be non-electric". If one must nitpick, the biggest conversion west of the Mississippi River was probably the Milwaukee Road whose converted electrified main line dwarfed Caltrain's 51 miles: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_electrification_in_th...>
“The first division to be electrified was the Rocky Mountain Division from Harlowton, Montana to Avery, Idaho. This covered a distance of 438 miles (705 km) and began electric operation in 1917. The electrification remained in operation until 1974, when diesel locomotives took over.”
“The second division to be electrified was the Coast Division between Othello, Washington to Tacoma, and to Black River just south of Seattle. This covered a distance of 207 miles (333 km) and began electric operation in 1919. The electrification remained in operation until 1972, when diesel locomotives took over.”
Yes, that's why it's misleading when the author is framing the important part as "electric train exists now" and not "electric train used to be non-electric". If one must nitpick, the biggest conversion west of the Mississippi River was probably the Milwaukee Road whose converted electrified main line dwarfed Caltrain's 51 miles: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_electrification_in_th...>
“The first division to be electrified was the Rocky Mountain Division from Harlowton, Montana to Avery, Idaho. This covered a distance of 438 miles (705 km) and began electric operation in 1917. The electrification remained in operation until 1974, when diesel locomotives took over.”
“The second division to be electrified was the Coast Division between Othello, Washington to Tacoma, and to Black River just south of Seattle. This covered a distance of 207 miles (333 km) and began electric operation in 1919. The electrification remained in operation until 1972, when diesel locomotives took over.”