[beoba]

Isn't Clipper a separate entity from Caltrain? Or is Caltrain somehow handling that transaction for you on Clipper's behalf?

Still smugly using my Translink-branded card.

[shaddi]

Yup. To be fair the intended payment model for the Clipper is to link it to a credit card and do autoload whenever your balance crosses below a threshold. Kind of silly in some ways but it works just fine after you get it set up.