Pittsburgh New LRT Cars

[BrandonTO416]

http://www.portauthority.org/grow/pgPress.asp?#drake

PORT AUTHORITY TO TEST RAILCARS ON DRAKE LINE

Pittsburgh, PA -

Port Authority could begin testing its new and remanufactured light rail vehicles (LRVs) along the previously inactive Drake Line as early as this week, and motorists and pedestrians who cross the line should treat it as active.

Pedestrians are prohibited by law from trespassing in the right-of-way and should cross only at designated grade crossings. Motorists and pedestrians are required to stop, look and listen for LRVs and proceed only when it is safe to do so.

Port Authority recently received the first of 28 new LRVs being purchased as part of its Stage II Light Rail Transit Project, which also includes the remanufacture of the existing fleet of 55. The first of the remanufactured cars is scheduled to arrive in February 2004 and will begin testing shortly thereafter.

By using the 1.4-mile Drake Line, inactive since September 1999, Port Authority will be able to conduct its extensive LRV testing without causing disruptions to service on existing lines.

The Drake Line includes three at-grade crossings, two with Brookside Boulevard and one with Walther Lane, and crossing warning signs exist at those intersections. A stairway connecting Fort Couch Road and the Drake Line will be closed during testing, which continues through 2005.

Nearby residents should also be aware that overhead catenary wires along the Drake Line are already under power.

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[monsoon]

[tocoto]

It would be great to see some pictures of the line once its got the cars running on it.

[Scott]

Do you know anything more about this project?

[Allan]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

[turlough]

this is some pretty good news I'm gald to hear yet another city is updateing it's LRV's

[BrandonTO416]

Sorry for not responding much in the past few days, I was in Atlanta with family for Christmas.

Anyway, I am not sure what kind of cars or where they are getting them from - but this is the first major update since the modernized LRT system started in Pittsburgh back in the early 80's.

As far as history goes, Pittsburgh has had rail transportation non-stop for many years now, but they opened the modern LRT system in the early 80's. It used to be street cars for the most part, but it was a bigger network then the present day LRT system. I only wished they would extend their light rail system out eastward and northward. Pittsburgh is a city that uses its mass transit - downtown has 80,000 workers that use transit that get to the city center; that number is higher then most cities in the nation.

[edmonton mike]

I know that edmonton's LRT/subway cars are being refurbished to fit in with all the new busses above ground. Their exteriors will be changed from white, royal blue, and yellow, to silver and dark blue.

[BrandonTO416]

Sounds like great news for Edmonton as well, the color schemes for the new design sound better.