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For Immediate Release: May 20, 2009
Lewisville, TX - The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) and Stadler Bussnag AG, a Swiss company, have reached an agreement for the purchase of eleven GTW 2-6 Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) for use as the next generation rail fleet for DCTA’s 21-mile corridor from Denton to Carrollton. DCTA Board was on hand yesterday to witness Jim Witt, DCTA President and Klaus Potocnik, Head of Project Management, Deputy CEO sign the $73,764,069 contract. Vehicle construction will commence in September 2010 and the first vehicle is schedule to arrive in Lewisville 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.
Each GTW 2/6 can seat 96 passengers and has a total capacity of 200. Luggage racks, bike racks and space for wheelchairs are provided. The vehicle is 70% 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 over 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,” stated Potocnik “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,” stated Scott Neeley, Executive Vice President of Rail Development.
A central element of the 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 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,” announced Charles Emery, DCTA Board Chairman and member of the Regional Transportation Committee.
“This is the last piece of the A-train puzzle,” stated Emery. “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 more information about DCTA and its services, please call 972-221-4600 or visit www.dcta.net.
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