Stadler, a global leader in the design and manufacture of passenger trains, and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) signed a contract today, October 23, 2024, for up to 80 new light rail vehicles tailored for the UTA TRAX service in and around Salt Lake City. Stadler is set to build the vehicles at its Salt Lake City manufacturing site – proudly built in Utah for Utah. This is Stadler’s first large light rail contract in North America and the first serial contract in its US home state of Utah.
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) Board of Trustees approved a contract today, October 23, 2024, for up to 80 new light rail vehicles as part of the agency’s TRAX Modernization project to upgrade and expand service over the next decade. Stadler, a global leader in the design and manufacture of passenger trains, was selected by UTA through competitive procurement and will build the vehicles at its Salt Lake City-based U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility.
“After a competitive and comprehensive procurement process, Stadler was selected for UTA’s next generation of TRAX vehicles, offering a low-floor, all accessible boarding that will comfortably carry 14% more passengers than our current fleet,” said UTA Executive Director Jay Fox. “The location of Stadler’s manufacturing facility in Utah provides a unique opportunity for UTA to work directly with our equipment supplier and fast track adjustments that develop throughout the build process. With a 25-year-old TRAX system and ridership already up 17% this year systemwide, these new vehicles will help UTA modernize and expand its light rail system for generations to come.”
The first Stadler LRV’s in the USA
The initial $129 million contract is for 20 new Stadler Citylink light rail cars and funded, in part, by a Federal Transit Administration grant. Pending additional funding, it includes options for 60 additional vehicles, all built in accordance with federal Buy America requirements. The Citylink light rail vehicle can be modified to meet customers’ needs and requirements and offers maximum accessibility in part due to its low-floor design. This makes the vehicle Stadler’s most innovative, customer-focused and service-proven light rail solution. More than 800 units of this low-vibration vehicle type have been sold in various countries across Europe since 2003.
“Building streetcars for Salt Lake City is another milestone for Stadler. The UTA order is the first light rail order in the United States for Stadler and the first large Citylink order outside the European continent. We are convinced that the Citylink will be well received by customers here,” says Stadler CEO Markus Bernsteiner.
“Salt Lake City is our home in the U.S., and the opportunity to build trains for our community is a massive honor. Most of our workforce and their families live in and around Salt Lake City and will ride these new trains, so the excitement can be felt throughout our entire facility today. We are thrilled to partner with UTA as they modernize their TRAX network to provide a state-of-the-art public transit system built by Utahns for Utahns,” said Martin Ritter, CEO Stadler US Inc.
More capacity
‘After a competitive and comprehensive procurement process, Stadler was selected to develop UTA’s next generation of TRAX vehicles. These are low-floor, barrier-free trains that can carry 14 per cent more passengers than our current fleet,’ said Jay Fox, Executive Director of UTA. ‘The location of Stadler’s manufacturing facility in Utah provides UTA with the unique opportunity to work directly with our supplier and quickly implement adjustments that arise during the construction process. With the TRAX system 25 years old and ridership up 17 percent system-wide this year, the new vehicles will help UTA modernise and expand our light rail system for generations to come.’
Which trains will be decommissioned?
The first TRAX line, the so-called ‘Blue line’, was opened in 1999 with 23 Siemens light rail vehicles. This was followed by several extensions and two further lines. The red line was opened in 2001 and the green line in 2011. Today, the route network has a length of 72 kilometres.
The vehicle fleet currently comprises a total of 117 vehicles:
- 23 Siemens SD-100 LRVs (1001–1023), built in 1998
- 17 Siemens SD-160 LRVs (1024–1040), built in 2001–2003
- 77 Siemens S70 LRVs (1101–1177), built in 2010–2012
The new Stadler vehicles will replace the ageing Siemens SD-100 and SD-160 series and will also supplement the fleet for future route expansions.
More than 500 employees work for Stadler USA
Stadler established its U.S. headquarters in Salt Lake City in 2016 when the company expanded to North America from Europe. Stadler now employs more than 500 people at its Salt Lake manufacturing facility and employment will continue to grow as Stadler expands to meet market demands across the country. So far, Stadler has mainly delivered FLIRT and KISS US commuter and regional trains to the US-market.
24.10.2024
