The North County Transit District (NCTD) has ordered two additional Siemens Charger locomotives for a total order of nine units.
These locomotives complete NCTD’s efforts to replace and convert its current COASTER locomotive fleet to more efficient, lower-emissions vehicles. The new locomotives will also expand NCTD’s fleet size and enable NCTD to nearly double COASTER service frequency for the traveling public in San Diego County.
“Submitting our final order for two additional locomotives cements our commitment to enhancing our COASTER riders’ experience,” said Tony Kranz, NCTD Board chair and Encinitas councilmember. “In addition to increasing service frequencies, these new locomotives will provide a smoother and more reliable passenger experience, will significantly reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality and reduce noise pollution for residents and riders.”
In 2018, NCTD initially ordered five Siemens Charger locomotives to replace aging vehicles that had reached their useful lifespan. The first order has been delivered and are currently in the testing and commissioning phase. In 2019, NCTD’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of two additional Siemens Charger locomotives and two new trainsets (each trainset includes a Siemens Charger locomotive as well as four bilevel coach cars and a bilevel cab car from another manufacturer).
The Siemens Charger locomotives will improve overall COASTER efficiency and sustainability, providing an estimated 90-percent reduction in emissions compared to previous engines. This will allow NCTD to improve operational efficiency while contributing to California’s local and state sustainability and air quality goals. Siemens Charger locomotives comply with today’s highest emissions standards. In addition to being Tier-4 certified by the EPA, the Siemens Charger was recently emissions-verified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards.
“We are grateful to NCTD for their continued confidence in Siemens’ technology. These two additional locomotives represent an important milestone for us, bringing the total number of locomotives Siemens Mobility has sold in North America to 300,” said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Mobility Rolling Stock in North America. “We are proud to be able to manufacture these locomotives by Californians for California. Producing these locomotives at our solar powered Sacramento factory further improves the strong environmental footprint of NCTD’s service. “
NCTD was able to purchase the diesel-electric Siemens Charger locomotives as part of a multi-state procurement with the California and Illinois Departments of Transportation. This joint agreement saves money for the district due to lowered procurement costs. Additionally, the size of the procurement aids in the future acquisition of needed parts for continued operations as the same type of vehicle has already been purchased in multiple states – with 37 in California alone.
Siemens Mobility provides the light-rail vehicles for San Diego and has provided Siemens Charger locomotives for Pacific Surfliner trains on the LOSSAN Corridor between San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and San Diego.
