Fairmount Line Discussion

Here's what METRA is up to. Perhaps an innovative solution for the Fairmount Line?

https://metra.com/newsroom/metra-buying ... uLU7UH9wZ0

So, roughly $10M per "BEMU", including spares. Only 2-car trains, and each battery power car only pulls one additional trailer (to be ordered later) and only seating for 56 per car. The press release says they are already making battery "Flirts" for Europe. Low boarding, and single-level - presumably the MBTA wants bi-level high-boarding. Requires 20-30 minute dwell time to charge from 20% to 80%, during which it is tying up valuable platform space. Range is 45-65 miles; Worcester for example, is about 45 miles.

I wonder, what is the crew size for a 2-car Metra train?

It sounds like they still have pantographs, so they could be used during and after conventional electrification.
Standard floor height is 57 cm (227⁄16 in), but 78 cm (3011⁄16 in) high floors are also available for platform heights of 76 cm (2915⁄16 in).

Here is the manufacturer's brochure https://www.stadlerrail.com/en/flirt-akku/details/. Yup, catenary, can run on electricity & charge it's batteries. Of course the T will have to order something completely different and more expensive. Does stadler make FRA compliant equipment?

Soliciting bids on battery EMUs:

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... ail-route/

Contract Duration
The term of the contract is from contract execution until June 30, 2026. The contracted vendor will
initiate the project and ensure that it can be transitioned to another vendor at any date following
June 30, 2026, with such transition to be conducted at the MBTA’s discretion

Does Keolis' contract expire on June 30 2026? Good luck getting FRA compliant rolling stock manufactured and accepted within two years. Imagine the finger pointing if the MBTA picks another operator to take over for Keolis while this procurement is in progress and there are delays or quality issues

Determination of Other Interested Vendors
The intent of this posting is to determine if there are other interested and qualified vendors. Any
such vendors must submit documentation demonstrating an offer that delivers comparable or
better service performance and benefits to the riders of the MBTA.

So this is a turnkey proposal by Keolis that reads like the MBTA has already decided to accept but they are required to go through the motions of soliciting competitive bids. Do we know who the preferred BEMU vendor is? Level boarding or bilevel? Level boarding would be preferred for this route. It's been 30+ years since the T has operated RDCs - one of the advantages was the smaller crews than push-pull allowed the railroads to lose less money on their passenger service. Minimum axle requirements?

I'm under the impression that MBTA is not soliciting BEMUs, but is soliciting proposals for operating the Fairmount line with BEMUs as was submitted to the MBTA under their innovations proposal process, which does require that accepted innovations be put out as RFPs.