Maryland’s Purple Line receives funding for project oversight, provides first look at trainsets

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland agency has approved more than $180 million for a consultant to continue overseeing contracts for Maryland’s troubled Purple Line light rail project until the companies managing the project can hire a new lead contractor.

Also, the Maryland Transit Administration has provided a first look at the equipment for the 16-mile, 21-station rail line — 26 trainsets assembled at the Elmira, N.Y., plant of carbuilder CAF using shells fabricated and painted in Spain.

The Washington Post reports the Maryland Board of Public Works approved the $183.5 million for the program management consultant for engineering firms AECOM and RK&K, and consulting firm WSP, who is overseeing some 150 contracts allowing some work — such as moving of utility lines and the building of the line’s trainsets — to continue until a replacement can be found for Fluor Corp., which quit the project in a dispute over costs related to construction delays [see “Digest: Canada announces major changes …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 25, 2020].

WTOP Radio reports the first images of the cars were shared during an online community forum earlier this week. Project director Vernon Hartsock said all 130 shells for the 26 light rail trainsets, each of which has five sections, have been fabricated, with 94 painted. Of those, 82 are now in Elmira for assembly. The 140-foot trains “are about the longest light rail vehicle” in North America, he said.