Siemens to Build 27 LRVs

Siemens AG’s train factory in Sacramento has won a $118 million contract from The Metropolitan Council to build 27 light rail vehicles for the Twin Cities’ Metro Transit.

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The Metropolitan Council operates the mass transit system in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and their metropolitan area. It currently has a fleet of 59 Siemens S70 light rail vehicles. The new business follows a $554 million contract Siemens announced in September to build 122 new S70 light rail cars for Sound Transit of Seattle.

The new S70s have more accessibility features for wheelchairs and better passenger flow than the existing models. The first S70 of the new order is expected to be delivered to Minnesota in 2019.

This contract is not expected to lead to new hiring at the Siemens train factory in south Sacramento, a spokeswoman said. However, the Sacramento operation has been growing steadily for several years to about 1,000 employees, she said.

[quote font_size=”18″]“As the manufacturer of one out of every three light rail vehicles in North America, we’re confident that these new vehicles will help continue to enhance mobility for people in and around the Twin Cities,” [/quote]said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rolling Stock in Sacramento.