Metro Magazine, Feb/March 2018

signed to tie in with future rail service Routes are designed for connectivity to future TEXRail stations TEXRail will provide an excellent opportunity to connect the workforce with better job opportunities along the line How will this plan be funded and what is currently being implemented The Transit Master Plan is fully funded through the FFGA and local funds Work continues across the 27 mile corridor with more than 1000 workers in the field Construction includes laying rail installing new bridges and building new rail stations What is the status of the TexRail project TEXRail is progressing extremely well Construction all along the Cotton Belt corridor is on target for us to begin revenue service on schedule We are planning a special service run on New Years Eve with regular service beginning January 1 2019 Our equipment maintenance facility is nearly completed and we will begin testing our trains in March We have two trains in Texas and the remaining six will be delivered in the coming months Discuss the initial development of the TexRail project Ballard Much of the preliminary work occurred before I arrived in 2014 but we have hit significant milestones in the last few years In 2015 five railroads signed an agreement for TEXRail operations on the Cotton Belt corridor Late in 2016 we received one of the last Full Funding Grant Agreements FFGA from the Federal Transit Administration The 49939 million in federal funds completed the local and federal funding for our 1034 billion commuter rail project In December 2017 we signed a contract for Positive Train Control which will enhance safety and improve communications among all trains on the corridor What key design construction considerations were required for the railcars Bob Baulsir We have nine stations along the route and two of those are existing stations in Fort Worth We currently utilize those stations for Trinity Railway Express service Because of the unique design of the TEXRails Stadler FLIRT we have been modifying those platforms for level boarding to provide easy access for riders with bikes strollers or wheelchairs One of the most complicated components of the project is at what we call the hole in the wall We have three levels of transportation options a highway on top freight trains on the middle layer and TEXRail and the Trinity Railway Express on the ground level Part of the construction involves implementing a double shoo fly to redirect train traffic while we work to prepare for TEXRail What are some key railcar features One of the best features of our diesel multiple unit trains is that we will have a quiet car to give travelers the chance to relax read or catch up on a project The Swiss design is unlike the trains people are used to seeing on the tracks TEXRails sleek and innovative design provides a roomy and comfortable ride Most seats have a pull down 22 mETRO mAGAZINE FEBRUARY MARCH 2018 metro magazine com FORT WORTH TRAIN TECH TEXRail vehicle amenities include work tables lap trays a quiet car level boarding and overhead storage for bags FWTA Stadler FLIRT trains developing U S presence The FLIRT trains for TEXRail will become part of an entire fleet of vehicles in the U S Stadlers latest U S contract involves an order for 16 six car electrical double decker multiple units for the California commuter rail project Caltrain The contract which was signed in August 2016 in San Mateo Calif includes an option for another 96 double decker multiple units and is valued at a total of 551 million These new high performance double decker multiple units have been built to seat a maximum number of passengers and will run between San Francisco and San José in Silicon Valley The first Stadler double decker train will be delivered to the USA in August 2019 and put into commercial use in 2020 after having passed all the required testing Additionally in October 2017 Stadler broke ground on a new 50 million facility in Salt Lake City which will be used to assemble trains for the U S market