On Aug. 31, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) celebrated the arrival of its first next-generation railcar. The delivery is part of a $435 million investment to completely replace the agency's aging fleet. Funding will cover the new rail cars, infrastructure upgrades to support the new stock, railroad connections, engineering, testing and training, spare parts, field support and special tooling required for the upgrades. 

GCRTA selected Siemens Mobility as the preferred vendor for the new rail cars in 2023. As part of the agreement, Siemens Mobility will provide 24 S200 rail cars, which are modeled after a fleet currently used by Calgary Transit. The contract carries options for up to 60 rail cars, which are ordered in groups of six to 12 cars depending on available funding. The GCRTA Board ordered six additional rail cars in 2025. 

The LRVs feature 52 seats designed to be easy-to-clean for the highest level of sanitation, additional standing room, four wheelchair areas for enhanced accessibility, two bicycle racks and an advanced infotainment system. GCRTA notes the LRVs also have ice cutting technology and a modern operator cab area with a dedicated heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit, heated windshield and enhanced visibility to withstand the coldest Cleveland days. 

“This arrival is more than just new equipment; it’s a promise kept to our riders,” said GCRTA General Manager and CEO India Birdsong Terry. “These new LRVs are catalytic for the health and economics of Greater Cleveland. They will promote increased ridership and encourage transit-oriented development along the Red Line communities from East Cleveland to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport." 

In September 2023, the agency received $12.6 million in funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the project. As part of that funding, $12.4 million went towards the Rail Car Replacement Program while $200,000 went towards electrical vehicle planning, as GCRTA plans to eventually add electric buses to its fleet. 

Upon arrival, each new rail car will undergo safety and commissioning tests at GCRTA’s Brookpark rail yard and on the GCRTA rail system before entering official revenue Red Line service in summer 2027 and Blue and Green Lines rail service in summer 2028.