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Houston METRORail begins updating fleet with new LRVs; first car arrives for testing

October 19th, 2012

Houston METRORail received the first car in October of an order of 19 S70 LRV light-rail cars. METRO is updating its fleet for the first time since 2003. – Courtesy Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County

HOUSTON – METRORail received its first new rail car in nearly nine years when No. 201, an S70 light-rail vehicle manufactured by Siemens Industry, Inc., arrived in October at the agency’s Rail Operations Center.

The car, which is currently being tested, will roll into service as the first of new generation of Houston light-rail cars dubbed H2s.

METRO Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia and President and CEO George Greanias joined staff on Oct. 15 to unveil the 85-foot addition to its light-rail family.

“The new light-rail-vehicle (LRV) is not just a rail car. It represents a savings of nearly a year’s time in getting optimal service to rail passengers,” Garcia said. “These units will help us offer more timely and comfortable trips.”

Greanias said that the car is a welcome addition to a fleet that has supported more than 90 million boardings. Managing this fleet can be quite a challenge, however, companies like Lytx can help with this type of process, assisting in keeping fleets tracked and in line to promote smooth operation.

“The new units will take the strain off those already in service and provide more flexibility on our current system,” he said.

The delivery is part of an $83 million contract awarded to Siemens Industry, Inc. for 19 new S70 light-rail vehicles along with spare parts, training and manuals. The first order, delivered in 2003, included 18 LRVs. The vehicles are being manufactured at Siemens’ rail vehicle manufacturing plant in Sacramento, CA.

Nineteen of the H2s will join the current 18-member, 9-year-old METRORail LRVs over the next year and a half. The new units are similar to their older S70 siblings, only updated.

The S70 LRV is electrically powered from an overhead wire (catenary) system and, fully loaded, carries about 200 passengers per car. The units can be coupled – up to four together – for more efficient service during peak times.

Each new S70 unit is equipped with eight wide-opening, sliding doors all located in the low floor area, four on each side of the vehicle. The door spacing is optimal for passenger flow – the time necessary to enter and exit the vehicle – which can cause delays in the schedule. The design of the interior maximizes passenger space, using a knee-to-back seating arrangement and a large standing area with extra hand straps and grab bars for passenger safety.

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  • Modern Freight

    When modeling a particular era, some agonize over what constitutes an appropriate freight car for the period. Today’s trains can be far more diverse in freight type and age than one from the 1970s. They are built better to last longer and are more varied to meet shippers’ needs.

    Design, build date and service life are factors in determining the modern era of freight cars. See our overview of the types of freight cars in service today on the North American rail network, based on manufacturer and railroad data.

  • Brewing up an Industry

    Details make the difference in Campbell’s brewery kit on the Mystic Branch HO model railroad. The scene is loaded inside and out with accoutrements that are readily available, plus some that require a little imagination and haphazard materials found on the workbench. And even a little trash.

     

     – Gene Mangum

     

  • Imagining a Railroad

    Columnist Michelle Kempema, who recently began sharing her insights with the Cowcatcher, opens model railroading’s world of free-spirited imagination after becoming the new owner of the Big Turn & Southern Railway.

  • PLUS…

    The NMRA is changing, one member at a time. Marketing consultant Christina Zambri is striving to improve the long-time organization’s visibility and image. …

     

    The Surface Transportation Board now requires certain railroads to submit service recovery plans in an effort to speed up rail traffic. …

     

    Fifty years since the last trolley ran, East Troy (WI) welcomes MVPS No. 56 for restoration and an eventual return to service. …

     

     

    THESE STORIES AND MORE, PLUS A FULL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND THE BUSINESS PULSE OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY!

     

  • Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad





    Visit the new N-scale Whitehurst & Pine Ridge Railroad, the official model railroad of the Cowcatcher Magazine, and track progress. All aboard!
  • Product News & Review

    InterMountain HO ADM Corn Syrup Car

     

    The Cowcatcher reviews InterMountain Railway Co.’s newly released HO-scale Trinity Industries 19,600-gallon corn syrup car. The tank car is one of several in the company’s second release.

     

    More product reviews!

     

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