The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will deliver $166 million to replace and upgrade outdated light rail and commuter rail vehicles across the nation.
The nation’s passenger rail vehicle fleet is steadily aging, with a third of subway and commuter rail vehicles being more than 25 years old. Older railcars are prone to mechanical failure and inefficient operations, resulting in delays, increasing maintenance costs and overall worsening ridership experiences.
The FTA has chosen three recipients to receive funding through the latest round of the Rail Vehicle Replacement Grants (RVRG) program. The program provides grants for capital projects designed to replace rail rolling stock and enhance reliability, safety and convenience along the nation’s rail transit networks.
Entities selected for grants include:
- Port Authority of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) – $82.7 million.
- Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) – $70 million.
- Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) – $13.3 million.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will spend its $82.7 million share to buy 45 170-foot light-rail vehicles to modernize Allegheny County’s light-rail fleet. The authority will sunset 76 of its existing fleet, targeting those that have outlived their useful design life and become obsolete.
The new vehicles will feature a modern, open-concept interior design geared to maximize passenger space and accommodate larger passenger volumes per car. ADA accessibility will be included with on-vehicle wheelchair lifts and flat interior floor layouts. Each vehicle will also feature upgraded propulsion systems and designs that emphasize energy efficiency, ride quality and passenger comfort.
DART will allocate its $70 million award to replace 53 light-rail vehicles. These vehicles were originally bought in the 1990s, operating with more than 30 years of service resulting in lower performance rates and increased maintenance costs. Replacing these outdated vehicles will lead to more reliable service delivery, stronger system resilience, improved ridership comfort and the ability to accommodate future growth.
The final $13.3 million dedicated to SEPTA will go toward replacing a 50-year-old twin railcar in the authority’s Silverliner IV commuter fleet. The current electrical, multiple-unit commuter railcars have proven to be unreliable and, in some cases, unsafe. Replacing these vehicles with modern alternatives will lend itself toward reducing delays, improving safety and mitigating maintenance costs.
Photo by Trev W. Adams from Pexels
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