Thursday, May 21, 2009 - Star Community NewspapersThe Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) will purchase 11 GTW 2/6 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) from Stadler Bussnag AG, a company in Switzerland.Dee Leggett, DCTA spokesperson, said the Swiss company's rail cars will eventually be used "as the next generation rail fleet for DCTA's 21-mile corridor from Denton to Carrollton."Members of the DCTA board of directors were on hand Tuesday to witness Jim Witt, DCTA president and Klaus Potocnik, head of DCTA project management and deputy CEO, sign the $73,764,069 contract.Vehicle construction will commence in September 2010 and the first vehicle is scheduled to arrive in Lewisville, from Switzerland, in August 2011. The final vehicle is scheduled for delivery in April 2012. Testing will continue through August 2012 with "fleet transition" scheduled for September of 2012.Leggett said DCTA still plans to have passenger rail service up and running between Denton and Carrollton by December 2010. She said DCTA will lease 10 rail diesel cars from the Trinity Railway Express for 18 months, to be used until the DMUs arrive from Switzerland.Each of the rail cars being purchased from the Switzerland firm can seat 96 passengers and has a total capacity of 200, with up to 104 passengers allowed to stand after the seats have been filled.Luggage racks, bike racks and space for wheelchairs are provided. The vehicle is 70 percent low floor, meaning level boarding is provided. Though up to three vehicles may be run as a unit, DCTA plans to run two coupled vehicles on 20-minute headways during peak service. Globally, there are more than 430 GTW rail vehicles in operation.This is Stadler's third contract in the United States and the largest in North America. The New Jersey Riverline and Austin's Capital Metro also operate these vehicles. Stadler is known throughout the world as a provider of DMUs and other rail equipment. Founded in 1942, Stadler expanded to produce commuter rail vehicles, streetcars, rack railways, passenger coaches, locomotives and other rail related products."This is an exciting day for Stadler, as well as DCTA. This $73 million contract is the largest contract Stadler has ever executed in North America," Potocnik said. "We are excited to find the right partner with a spirit of cooperation. We look forward to a successful partnership. ""Stadler is known world-wide for the quality of their products. We are excited to be able to deliver a premium rail car for our customers," said Scott Neeley, executive vice president of rail development.A central element of DCTA' service plan, and heavily endorsed by Denton County residents, the A-train project includes single-phase construction of 21-miles of regional rail, five rail stations, a bicycle/pedestrian trail, and a regional rail operating and maintenance facility.The immediate objective of the project is to have full service between Denton and Carrollton to interface with Dallas Area Rapid Transit's (DART) light rail system by December 2010. This timing will coincide with DART's opening of the northern section of its Green Line and will complete a 50 mile segment of regional passenger rail that is detailed in the Mobility 2030 plan.The A-train is slated to begin service using RDC vehicles which were previously operated by the Trinity Railway Express (TRE). The Stadler DMUs or "new generation vehicles" are expected to go into operation after approximately eighteen months of the A-train being in service."The execution of this contract marks another major milestone in the A-train project and illustrates our agency's commitment to bringing regional rail service to Denton County," said Charles Emery, DCTA board chairman and member of the Regional Transportation Committee."This is the last piece of the A-train puzzle," Emery said. "We recently received the funding from TxDOT and gave our CMGC notice to proceed. Today, we signed and sealed the deal for DCTA's next generation of rail cars."DCTA is a coordinated county transportation authority and currently provides fixed-route bus service to the member cities of Denton, Highland Village and Lewisville. The authority also provides paratransit service and a commuter bus service connecting Denton County to Downtown Dallas. The agency was formed in 2002 and carried two million passengers last year.For information about DCTA and its services, call 972-221-4600 or visit www.dcta.net.
Thanks. They selected a good reliable product. But enjoy the Budd RDC revival while you can! Hope they keep one or two as operating museum/nostalgia.
I thought Trinity Rail Express (Dallas - DFW - Ft. Worth) used Budd RDC's, mainly.
Is that no longer true? - a.s.
al-in-chgo I thought Trinity Rail Express (Dallas - DFW - Ft. Worth) used Budd RDC's, mainly. Is that no longer true? - a.s.
Al,
There's a lot of info at the TRE site. http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/trerollingstock.html When I rode the line in February the RDC's were nowhere in sight.
John Timm
videomaker The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) will purchase 11 GTW 2/6 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) from Stadler Bussnag AG, a company in Switzerland....This is Stadler's third contract in the United States and the largest in North America. The New Jersey Riverline and Austin's Capital Metro also operate these vehicles.
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) will purchase 11 GTW 2/6 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) from Stadler Bussnag AG, a company in Switzerland....This is Stadler's third contract in the United States and the largest in North America. The New Jersey Riverline and Austin's Capital Metro also operate these vehicles.
I'm pretty sure the Riverline has 20 cars, so I don't see how the article can consider Denton's 11 car order to be Stadler's largest.
Patrick Boylan
Free yacht rides, 27' sailboat, zip code 19114 Delaware River, get great Delair bridge photos from the river. Send me a private message
TRE has several RDC 1's I dont remeber how many, but the bulk and main force is the FP59's and Bombidier trains...They use the RDC on a random basis you might ride one today and it may be a month til you ride one again...
videomaker al-in-chgo I thought Trinity Rail Express (Dallas - DFW - Ft. Worth) used Budd RDC's, mainly. Is that no longer true? - a.s. Al, TRE has several RDC 1's I dont remeber how many, but the bulk and main force is the FP59's and Bombidier trains...They use the RDC on a random basis you might ride one today and it may be a month til you ride one again...
Considering the RDC's are at least fifty years old, TRE does well to run them as often as they do. - FWIW here'a letter from TRE about their RDC's - a.s.
CMStPnPI've looked at the A-Train website and I am curious what the plan is for the DMU's once they are in operation. Are they going to stop running at the Carollton Station or are they going to switch onto the DART rail line and continue onto Dallas Union Station. I read somewhere the original plan was that they would switch onto the DART line and complete the ride to Dallas Union Station. I don't remember where I read that though.
"DCTA passengers will be able to take the A-train and transfer to DART's services at the Trinity Mills station in Carrollton." This sentence was taken from the DTA's website.
The DTA's commuter buses run from Denton to downtown Dallas, although they get relatively few passengers. But the train, at least initially, will make an across the platform transfer for passengers traveling south of Carrollton.
The DTA rail line will probably attract a significant number of commuters traveling to Denton, which amongst other things is the home of the University of North Texas. It is one of the larger campuses of the Texas University System. In addition to a large student body, it employs a significant number of people living south of Denton.
I know thats what it says on the website however in their plans somewhere the option was explored on the DMUs' riding into Dallas on the DART light rail lines. I guess we'll know once we see what type of signalling system they install on the line they are rebuilding now and if it is integrated or not.
They want to build a simliar system from Plano to McKinney and perhaps one day onto Sherman Dennison and they have reserved the Right of Way for it. They keep talking about funding it somehow but the membership cities are at max on the sales tax. So thats why I am watching the A-Train developments.
CMStPnPI know thats what it says on the website however in their plans somewhere the option was explored on the DMUs' riding into Dallas on the DART light rail lines. I guess we'll know once we see what type of signalling system they install on the line they are rebuilding now and if it is integrated or not. They want to build a simliar system from Plano to McKinney and perhaps one day onto Sherman Dennison and they have reserved the Right of Way for it. They keep talking about funding it somehow but the membership cities are at max on the sales tax. So thats why I am watching the A-Train developments.
Thats true but McKinney can't hold out forever with the development going on there and cities North are pushing for something. They can't epand 75 much. I still see frieght trains in McKinney on occasion so I think DGNO serves that city still. Allen is pushing for a Northward extension.
It will be interesting to see if the TRE expansion to the South SE of Fort Worth ever happens.
CMStPnP Are they going to stop running at the Carollton Station or are they going to switch onto the DART rail line and continue onto Dallas Union Station
Actually wouldn't it be better for an across platform transfer. DART will probably have more frequent service and the across platform will allow another car (?) added to the regular DART consist and provide for some cleaning of both consists at Carolton Station? Maybe connecting DART service could run limited stop? Would that not benefit both Denton riders and the DART riders? Does DART have the necessary platform length at certain stations and pocket tracks or plans for them for this kind of service to be implemented? As SAM1 points out the extra capacity when not needed is a waste of operating costs.
DMU's are the way to go! Great Britain has known this since the 1950's, and has found them to be the most efficient vehicle for secondary and suburban services.
One comment--they don't seem afraid of using a variety of coupling systems. The Class 160 (?) I rode around 1990 had an unique automatic coupler, which established all connections (brake, electrical, etc) automatically. After connection is made, there was an interesting routine of having a driver power each part of the train in opposite directions to ascertain that a secure connection had been established, before relinquishing control to the front vehicle.
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." Daniel Burnham
Maglev DMU's are the way to go! Great Britain has known this since the 1950's, and has found them to be the most efficient vehicle for secondary and suburban services. One comment--they don't seem afraid of using a variety of coupling systems. The Class 160 (?) I rode around 1990 had an unique automatic coupler, which established all connections (brake, electrical, etc) automatically. After connection is made, there was an interesting routine of having a driver power each part of the train in opposite directions to ascertain that a secure connection had been established, before relinquishing control to the front vehicle.
Hopefully the DCTA will have better luck with the DMU's than Capital Metro has experienced. The start date for the Leander to Austin train is still on hold; in fact, a projected start date has not been determined. The project is more than $30 to $50 million over budget and more than a year late. Part of the problem is that the DMU's will not activate consistently some of Capital Metro's crossing signals and gates.
Yesterday, I noticed a crew had blocked off most of North Lamar Street, which is in North Austin, to work at the crossing on North Lamar.
Interestingly, as I reported last month, the New Mexico Rail Runner, which uses conventional equipment in a push/pull mode, was up and running on time or so I have been told.
"British Rail had a stock of 4,000 diesel rail cars at one point, built in the 1950's and 1960's."* It is inevitable that teething problems are experienced with the first use of a technology in a new environment. But it is good to see that America's fine cities are finally getting rail service akin to what has been available to rural England and Scotland for years.
---------
*Robert Tufnell, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railway Locomotives, p.236; Secaucus, NJ: Chartwell Books, 1986.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.