The Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract for the delivery of 14 S700 light rail vehicles for Phoenix.
The new vehicles will be constructed at the Siemens Mobility facility in Sacramento, California.
“Additional light rail fleet supports our mission of connecting communities, especially as we close in on the 2024 completion date of South Central extension/Downtown Hub. As our transit system grows, so must our fleet to accommodate new miles of service and additional riders across metro Phoenix,” Scott Smith, the CEO of Valley Metro said.
The light rail vehicles for Phoenix will offer spacious interior and generous storage space for bicycles. They will have energy-efficient LED lighting and a powerful air conditioning system that ensures passenger comfort even when dealing with high outdoor temperatures.
The improved performance and optimized availability of the trains is achieved with condition-based monitoring, data analytics and predictive maintenance.
In 2017, Valley Metro ordered 11 light rail vehicles from Siemens Mobility.
The South Central extension will have a length of 8 km connecting the South Phoenix with the regional light rail system, operating from downtown Phoenix to Baseline Road. The project includes a transport hub in downtown Phoenix, eight new stations with two park and rides facilities and public art.
The light rail project will begin at McKinley Street between 1st Avenue and Central Avenue creating a loop to the existing Valley Metro Rail. It will continue south on Central Avenue to Baseline Road.
In addition, the new light rail extension will add a Downtown Hub between Washington Street and Jefferson Street. The 3rd Avenue loop will connect to the future 16 km-long Capitol/I-10 West LRT extension which will connect with the existing Valley Metro Rail system in downtown Phoenix, to the 79th Avenue Park-and-Ride. The first phase of the extension from downtown Phoenix to the Capitol area is expected to enter passenger operation in 2024.
Phoenix light rail system is daily used by 45,000 passengers.
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