HARTFORD, Conn. — Alstom will build 60 new coaches for Connecticut commuter rail service, Gov. Ned Lamont announced today.
Delivery of the first cars under the $315 million contract is expected in 2026. The cars are intended for use on the Hartford Line as well as New Haven Line branches.
“Having a modernized transit system with safe, comfortable, and convenient access to work, home, and fun is essential to attracting the kind of businesses and workforce talent we need to grow good-paying jobs and remain economically competitive,” Lamont said in a press release. “Connecticut is the home of the busiest rail line in the nation, and the purchase of these new rail cars continues our efforts to deliver better and more reliable service for commuters.”
The cars will feature two-by-two seating, overhead luggage racks, folding workstation tables, and a bicycle storage area. Also planned are wi-fi service, real-time information displays, and power outlets and USB ports. They will offer easy access for passengers with mobility aids.
The 85-foot stainless steel cars, designed for at least a 40-year service life, will be based on Alstom’s X’Trapolis European EMU railcar, designed to meet Federal Railroad Administration requirements and tailored to meet Connecticut Department of Transportation needs.
“We are proud to be a part of this exciting new chapter for CTDOT and the people of Connecticut,” said Michael Keroullé, president of Alstom Americas. “We look forward to further building upon our relationship with CTDOT by providing extensive expertise ranging from passenger ergonomics, experience, and comfort to operational considerations and optimized maintenance practices for years to come.”
The agreement includes options for additional railcars. It follows a recent order for six new dual-mode locomotives.
It looks like the commuter rail cars will be built at Alstom’s rolling stock Centre of Excellence, and North America’s largest rolling stock manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York which will lead the project. Other Alstom sites will possibly support the project including, Rochester, New York, for the automatic train control system.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
I really miss the opulent EMU Pullman green clerestoried coaches built by the Pullman Company operated by New York Central from the 1920s predating my mother’s birth to the 1960s. My parents and I visited paternal relatives on a side trip to Ossining, New York by what I thought were “engineless” trains.
really ugly cars. hope they can pass the FRA’s compression tests.
The X’Trapolis family trains have high floors, and are available in both single- and double-deck configurations. They are typically powered by an external electrical source, but may also be powered by batteries, hydrogen or diesel-electric power units.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Uh-oh. This is going to give options for intercity single level coach operators. This means competition for Siemens Mobility. Then again, Alstom is coming late to the game with an unproven product. We shall see how much room the North American market has.
With more than 2,500 bi-level and multi-level cars and more than 1,400 single-deck cars developed and manufactured in North America, Alstom is a significant contributor to the capacity and quality of passenger rail transportation of major cities across the United States, specifically the northeastern region.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Alstom looks forward to further building upon its relationship with CTDOT by providing extensive expertise ranging from passenger ergonomics, experience, and comfort to operational considerations and optimized maintenance practices for years to come.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Uh huh.
I wonder they’ll be built at Hornell?
Alstom Hornell was/is installing a stainless steel fab shop to build the multilevel car order for Metra. Then again Quebec was underwriting a fab shop for Bomber at La Poc so, who knows?
I think using the La Pocatière plant for this order would be complicated by the Buy American Act.