Siemens Mobility has been awarded two separate contracts to provide light rail vehicles for TriMet and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s Contract
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has asked for 25 S700 low-floor light rail vehicles. These cars will operate the entire 53-mile double-tracked MTS light rail network, including the 11-mile MidCoast Trolley extension, which is scheduled to open in 2021.
It will extend San Diego’s current Blue Line from the heart of downtown north to University of California San Diego and University Town Center. They will replace Siemens Mobility’s high-floor SD100 LRVs which were manufactured in the 1990s. This purchase and subsequent purchases will make San Diego’s fleet fully low-floor and accessible. Delivery of the new LRVs is expected in 2021.
“The standards and expectations for public transit continue to change and we are committed to meeting the needs of our current and future riders,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transit System. “MTS operates one of the most efficient and reliable light rail systems in the US and a large part of our success is due to our long-standing working relationship with Siemens to provide best-of-class vehicles. The evolution of its light rail vehicles has been exceptional.”
TriMet’s Contract
TriMet awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to replace its original 26 Type-1 vehicles from a different manufacturer with Siemen’s S700 low-floor vehicle, which was jointly developed by TriMet and Siemens.
The contract includes options for up to 60 additional LRVs, which would accommodate additional vehicles needed for further service expansions such as the MAX Red Line Extension to Fair Complex and the Southwest Corridor. With the completion of this new purchase, TriMet’s LRV fleet will be a fully Siemens Mobility fleet with the first delivery expected in 2021.
TriMet has opted to install the latest Internet-of-Things (IoT) framework to what will now be the Type 6 vehicle, ensuring that the latest rail digitalization capabilities are applied for increasing efficiencies in operations and maintenance, increasing value sustainably over their lifecycle, ultimately resulting in peak economic and passenger experience.
“Retiring our older rail vehicles with stairs and replacing them with these new vehicles will mean the entire MAX Light Rail fleet will be all low-floor, better meeting ADA standards and creating a better experience for all riders, no matter their physical abilities,” said TriMet General Manager Doug Kelsey. “These new vehicles also are a critical part of our making transit better efforts and will make the light rail system more efficient and more reliable for our customers.”
About the S700 Vehicles
The S700 cars are the latest advancement of the fully-electric S70 low-floor vehicle platform designed and manufactured by Siemens Mobility at its solar-powered facility in Sacramento, California. They are characterized by an open and spacious low-floor interior. The wide aisleway makes the vehicle much easier to traverse into and around for passengers, bicycles and wheelchairs. There are also energy efficiency features like LED lighting, which not only utilize less energy but also last longer.
