The trains will be assembled at the Nippon Sharyo plant in Rochelle,
Illinois, which opened recently to produce double-deck vehicles for
Metra in Chicago, and will be delivered to Smart between October 2013
and May 2014.
Illinois, which opened recently to produce double-deck vehicles for
Metra in Chicago, and will be delivered to Smart between October 2013
and May 2014.
The contract includes an option for up to nine centre cars, which would
be added as ridership grows. Each two-car train will seat up to 158
passengers and will offer level boarding at stations.
The $US 590 million Smart project involves reintroducing passenger
services on the 113km publicly-owned Northwestern Pacific Railroad line
from Cloverdale to Larkspur, where trains will connect with Golden Gate
ferries to San Francisco. The first trains will run in autumn 2014.