RTD’s eventual West Line fleet begins rolling in
RTD unveiled the first Light Rail vehicle that eventually will serve the West Corridor.
Photo courtesy RTD’s FasTracks
DENVER – The first of 55 light rail vehicles for the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks system was rolled out for a showing Friday.
The vehicle was delivered via flatbed truck from the Siemens Transportation Systems plant in Sacramento, Calif., and lifted onto light rail tracks overnight before it made its way to the Elati Light Rail Maintenance Facility rail yard.
The new fleet will be used on the West Corridor as well as the I-225, Southeast and Southwest extensions. The entire 55-vehicle fleet is expected to be in Denver within 18 months.
“The arrival of our first light rail vehicle for the new FasTracks fleet represents a considerable milestone,” said Phil Washington, RTD’s Interim General Manager. “This is a visible example of our FasTracks tax dollars at work and the substantial progress being made on the FasTracks program.”
RTD ordered the new rail vehicles, a newer model of the rail vehicles already in RTD’s fleet, in 2007. They will have the same appearance and identity as RTD’s existing fleet, but are a newer model.
Crews from Siemens will inspect and test the new vehicles in Denver. Each vehicle then goes through a 1,500-mile “burn in” period designed to ensure safety and functionality during out-of-service runs throughout the existing light rail system. The new light rail vehicles will be gradually integrated into service, lightening the load on current vehicles RTD’s overall fleet until the West Corridor opens in 2013.
Some of RTD’s original units, were put into service in 1994 with the opening of RTD’s first light rail line and recently reached the 1 million mile mark. They are expected to run about 30 years or 2 million miles, according to RTD.
FasTracks is RTD’s voter-approved transit program to expand rail and bus service throughout the RTD service area. The project envisions 122 miles of commuter rail and light rail service, 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, adding 21,000 new parking spaces, redeveloping Denver Union Station and redirecting bus service to connect the eight-county transportation district.
