The MBTA plans to spend $811 million to obtain 102 “supercars,” which might start to exchange its getting old Green Light fleet over the following decade.
The contract, accredited by the Board of Directors this week, was touted by transit management as “a historic moment” for the MBTA, albeit one which was closely overshadowed by the discharge of a scathing federal report highlighting an abundance of issues of safety all through the system.
MBTA General Manager Jeffrey Gonneville mentioned the imaginative and prescient for the brand new Type 10 supercars, which is able to exchange Type 7 and eight automobiles that went into service between 1986 and 2007, has been within the works since 2018, and since advanced to grow to be a part of the T’s Green Line Transformation Program.
“(It) really is that first moment, this catalyst of really beginning to transform what is frankly the oldest subway system in the United States, at least the oldest continuous subway system in the United States, to really a modern system,” Gonneville mentioned.
“This is a historic moment for the MBTA and certainly something all of us internally are really excited about,” he added.
The MBTA obtained three bids for the venture, and finally chosen CAF USA, Inc., the identical firm chosen to ship 24 Type 9 gentle rail practice automobiles for the Green Line, which is able to proceed for use alongside the brand new supercars.
Car shell manufacturing and meeting, and truck body meeting will happen at CAF’s manufacturing unit in Elmira, N.Y., however truck body manufacturing will happen in Spain, in response to a venture presentation.
Following a design section that can start this 12 months, 4 pilot automobiles might be delivered in 2026. The first electrical a number of unit manufacturing autos will arrive within the spring of 2027, at a required fee of two monthly till the spring of 2031, in response to MBTA Chief of Capital Transformation Angel Pena.
William Wolfgang, the T’s director of car engineering, mentioned the brand new Type 10s, at 114 ft lengthy, are 40 ft longer than the Type 7 and eight autos they are going to be changing.
A single supercar will present the identical capability as a two-car practice set on these present legacy autos, which may even scale back the required quantity of operations employees.
The new automobiles are additionally safer, he mentioned, as they are going to be constructed to scale back the danger of fatalities or severe accidents in crashes.
MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler mentioned the T plans to pay for the Type 10s with a mix of state funds, by way of the Masstrack and transportation bond payments. The MBTA additionally plans to pursue a grant from the Federal Transit Administration.
“I can’t overstate the significance for the future of the Green Line this investment, and that there are ample state and federal resources hopefully on the way to help with this,” Tesler mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”