A tour has been launched by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), offering groups the opportunity to host a 7-foot-9-inch display model of the Purple Line light-rail vehicle (LRV).
“This is a good representation of how the actual train will look,” said Charles Lattuca, MDOT MTA executive director of transit development and delivery. “The public can see the LRV up close and get a real sense of it transporting them to recreation, jobs, shopping and education.”
The first full-sized Purple Line LRV is undergoing testing in Elmira, N.Y., and will be delivered for local testing to Maryland in late 2020. Measuring 140 feet, MDOT MTA says the train will be the longest light-rail vehicle of its kind in the country. A total of 26 trains will run on the 16-mile Purple Line system. Each vehicle will have capacity for more than 400 passengers and will be equipped with 80 passenger seats, bike racks and dedicated disability accessible space.
The Purple Line is a light-rail system that will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County. It will provide a direct connection to the Metrorail Red, Green, Yellow and Orange lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton. The Purple Line will also connect to MARC, Amtrak and local bus services.
The model LRV, one twentieth the length of the actual light-rail vehicle, is usually housed at Purple Line headquarters in Riverdale. After recently being displayed at Montgomery County’s Silver Spring Library, it now moves to the New Carrollton branch of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, where it will remain for several weeks.
“Our visitors have relished seeing the model LRV up close,” said Uzoma Onyemaechi, Silver Spring Library branch manager. “It has an educational component, so young and old can learn about a system that’s on track to make mobility easier. I think other communities will enjoy displaying the model LRV as well.”
The Purple Line LRV model will continue on tour in 2020. Groups interested in hosting the display can contact the Purple Line Outreach office at [email protected]. Project staff can coordinate transport and set up the model.
