The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) will begin operating the first set of newly-refurbished light rail vehicles by Siemens on the recently opened Blue Line to Cosumnes River College light rail extension on Sept. 10.
The additional light rail vehicles will increase capacity on the Blue Line and throughout the RT light rail system in order to maintain service levels. Sacramento-based Siemens is refurbishing a total of 21 light rail vehicles that will eventually be in operation system-wide. The light rail vehicles were refurbished on-site at the Siemens rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento and at the RT light rail maintenance facility. Siemens Sacramento plant, which has been in operation for almost 30 years, is powered up to 80 percent by two megawatts of solar energy and currently employs over 800 people.
“The rollout of these refurbished light rail vehicles shows the power of local partnerships,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “RT’s work with Siemens has allowed federal stimulus funds and local taxpayer dollars to improve RT’s level of service, while also creating jobs at Siemens’ Sacramento rail manufacturing hub. The partnership has been a win-win that we can point to with confidence of a job well done.”
The refurbishment will add approximately 15 years of additional useful life to the vehicles.
“We’re proud that Siemens is a long-term partner with RT to help modernize its transportation fleet in a cost-effective way,” said Chris Maynard, vice president of customer services for Siemens Mobility. “Working together closely with RT, we were able to combine our technology expertise to give these vehicles new life to move people in and around Sacramento.”
RT acquired the vehicles — originally built by Urban Transportation Development Corp. (UTDC) — from Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The refurbishments allowed RT to add to its fleet at a fraction of the cost of new vehicles.
Sacramento RT also operates 36 Siemens-manufactured light rail vehicles.
