Skip to main content

Siemens to refurbish light rail vehicles for Sacramento

By awarding Siemens Rail Systems a contract to modify and refurbish 21 light rail vehicles (LRV), Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) says it will add to its fleet at a fraction of the cost of new vehicles. RT acquired the vehicles, originally built by Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC) - from Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The vehicles originally went into operation in 1987 and have been in storage since RT acquired them in 2003. They are now needed for RT's expanding s
August 14, 2012 Read time: 1 min
By awarding 189 Siemens Rail Systems a contract to modify and refurbish 21 light rail vehicles (LRV), 6364 Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) says it will add to its fleet at a fraction of the cost of new vehicles. RT acquired the vehicles, originally built by Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC) - from 1791 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The vehicles originally went into operation in 1987 and have been in storage since RT acquired them in 2003. They are now needed for RT's expanding system but need to be updated to meet operating requirements.

The refurbishment will add approximately 15 years of additional useful life to the vehicles, while new vehicles are typically built to last 30 years. Siemens will also modernise the vehicle's communications, event recorders and auxiliary power systems.

Related Content

  • US public transportation records passenger numbers highest for 58 years
    March 10, 2015
    Americans took 10.8 billion trips on public transportation in 2014, which is the highest annual public transit ridership number in 58 years, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). “In 2014, people took a record 10.8 billion trips on public transportation -- the highest annual ridership number in 58 years,” said Phillip Washington, APTA chair and CEO and general manager of the Regional Transportation District in Denver. “Some public transit systems experienced all-ti
  • Costing transit is complicated case
    August 19, 2015
    David Crawford welcomes fresh thinking from Canada. Public transit improvements can bring society “significantly more value” than conventional transport models normally indicate, argues Canadian researcher Todd Litman. “Traditional evaluation practices originally developed to assess roadway improvements, and focus primarily on vehicle travel speeds and operating costs. “They do not generally quantify or monetise basic mobility benefits, vehicle ownership and parking cost savings, or efficient land developme
  • Report highlights community impact of new mobility options
    March 29, 2018
    Local authorities and communities must understand the impacts of the new mobility options and regulate to get the transport systems they want, according to a new report. Colin Sowman takes a look. Outside of the big cities plagued with congestion, the existing transportation system(s) often cope adequately, and the ongoing workload (maintenance, safety…) is more than enough to keep local transport authorities busy. Is it, therefore, a good use of public service employees’ time to keep abreast of the raft
  • Siemens EV charging ahead in Corby
    March 8, 2013
    Siemens is to provide the UK’s Electric Corby with its CP500A AC electric vehicle (EV) charging points at the first of ten locations in Corby, with a further eight locations being finalised. With the support of Corby Borough Council, the latest Siemens EV charging equipment will be installed over the coming weeks. According to Siemens, the network of Siemens EV charge points will help Corby strengthen its position as a leading edge location for ‘cleantech’ business investment, and bolster the wider Plugged