“This purchase is a major victory for SacRT and the Sacramento region,” said transit agency General Manager and CEO Henry Li. “We are committed to providing innovative mobility solutions in our region and these new 20 low-floor light rail vehicles are another step forward.”
“We are pleased to help dynamic cities like Sacramento meet their mobility needs. Siemens Mobility is committed to delivering trains that enhance passenger experience, increase value sustainably over their lifecycle and improve availability. In addition, these new trains will have a strong link to the area they serve, since they will be manufactured locally right at our Sacramento plant,” said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens Mobility.
The S700 low-floor light rail vehicles will have low-level boarding at every doorway, a spacious seating design, and larger windows for better light and views. They will feature improved accessibility with wider aisles, built-in storage space for luggage and areas for bicycles. In addition, the vehicles will have improved performance and optimized availability provided by condition monitoring, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance.
The Siemens Mobility Sacramento plant manufactures the full range of vehicles from light rail and trams, to locomotives and passenger coaches. It is a full-scale modern manufacturing plant powered almost entirely by a two-megawatt solar installation.
— From a Siemens news release. April 23, 2020.
Fun fact: The Monon line from the diamond at Monon, In to just outside Michigan City, In constituted the longest stretch of tangent track in the US. Sadly, that is no longer the case when it was pulled up North of Medaryville.
‘Tis gone for the most part, Charles. Went due north from Monon to Michigan City. Part of the line remains, serving an elevator at Medaryville – if that’s still working.
Good post Braden! Southern should have grabbed something going into Chicago but never did. I have to wonder if today’s NS is happy with its route structure from Chicago to the Ohio River. Bits and pieces of PRR and NYC provide north-south routes in Indiana but I have to wonder how good they are.
On a 1972 ride Detroit to Chicago, I was surprised to see two L+N diesels at Michigan City (Indiana), not then knowing anything of the Monon or its merger into L+N. Anyway my understanding is that this line is gone.
Charles don’t forget Nickel Plate, and C&O both had branches to Michigan City. Also the: CSS&SB, Michigan Central (NYC) passed(s) through. Quite a busy place 70 years ago..The only reason L&N got to Michigan City was thru merger with Monon, which in my opinion the Southern should’ve grabbed before the L&N did..
The article byline has been changed from “City” to “city” (small c). That usually changes the meaning of the byline.
BRADEN Could have been Michigan City, all Louisville and Nashville Railroad fans know what state Michigan City is in.
Would’ve been nice to say Sacramento instead of California City.. As there is a city in California named California City.. In the Mojave Desert just north of Edwards AFB..