Rail

SacRT continues light-rail modifications work at 48th Street and 39th Street stations

Feb. 14, 2023

The work requires both stations to be closed temporarily so their platforms can be adjusted to accommodate SacRT’s new low-floor light-rail trains.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

SacRT's 59th Street Station was the first of 15 stations on the Gold Line to undergo platform modifications to accommodate the district's new low-floor light-rail vehicles.

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) will temporarily close two light-rail stations starting this week to perform work that will allow low-floor light-rail trains to be used on its system.

The 48th Street Station will close Feb. 18-19, while the 39th Street Station will close Feb. 25-26. The platforms at the station will be adjusted to meet the height requirements for low-floor light-rail trains.

SacRT plans to modify platforms at 48 of its 53 light-rail stations to accommodate new low-floor rail vehicles. The platforms are required to be eight inches above the track to allow the rail vehicle's ramp to deploy.

The work is part of SacRT’s Light Rail Modernization project, which includes installation of a passing track Parkshore Drive and Bidwell Street in Folsom, purchasing new light-rail vehicles and converting stations to accommodate these new vehicles.

To accommodate the district's new Siemens S700 trains, light-rail station platforms along the Gold and Blue lines are required to be at least eight inches above the top of rail track for the vehicle’s ramp to deploy. SacRT says 48 out of 53 stations do not have the right height requirement for the low-floor trains.

SacRT is taking a phased approach to the platform modifications with work being scheduled incrementally on 15 Gold Line stations. The 19 Blue Line Stations in need of modification will proceed after funding is secured.

The first station to undergo modification was the 59th Street Station and SacRT says additional Gold Line stations will be temporarily closed in phases each weekend following work on the 48th Street Station and 39th Street Station.

SacRT expects to have the station conversions and low-floor trains ready for service by summer 2024.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.