New Rotem Cars for Tri-Rail

I was reading someplace, I forget where, that the current order of Rotem cars about to start to metrolink in LA was combined with an order or an option for Tri-Rail? Can anyone clarify this?

Googling "Rotem Tri-Rail" brought up these results:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 51&t=44563
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/t ... p?id=12023

Note, according to the second link:

The contract includes another option for 14 trailer cars and 10 cab cars to be delivered to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority

I've seen some other sources saying the order was confirmed, others suggest otherwise. Considering the funding issues, I have my doubts if this option was exercised. Mind you, Metrolink's cars are already due sometime at the end of this month, supposedly, and one is already on its way to the States. No word on any TRCX cars.

Don't hold your breath.

-Kurt

does tri-rail really need new cars right now? My guess might be that anyone else wanting to order these new rotem bi-levels could be waiting to see how they perform in metrolink operations. these cars have never been used anywhere before, they could end up being a disaster. No one else is going to place orders for them until they have been proven on metrolink.

does tri-rail really need new cars right now?

I can't speak for the inner departments of Tri-Rail, but on the surface, I wouldn't think so. Ridership hasn't increased, to my knowledge; neither has service (if anything, there have been cutbacks). If TRCX "needs" new cars, I suspect they're considering replacement of the Bombardiers.

-Kurt

I think Tri-Rail is somewhat tight on equipment. The present cars date back and are probably in need of a "mid life overhaul" and they probably need a few cars to fill in the gaps as the original cars are fixed up.
Of course we have to spend a fortune on I-595 to add more lanes when we really need some decent mass transit. Traffic will
be a nightmare on this road starting Monday, February 22nd.
Noel Weaver

the tri-rail cars were bought second hand from toronto, as did dallas, correct? the oldest of the first bi-level cars are pushing 35 years old now.. i think..

superbad wrote:the tri-rail cars were bought second hand from toronto, as did dallas, correct? the oldest of the first bi-level cars are pushing 35 years old now.. i think..

They were purchased new through a joint order with GO Transit, painted in the GO scheme with the idea that they'd sell them back to GO (remember, TRCX was intended to be a temporary fix for the I-95 repairs in the late 1980's). GO never took possession of these cars at any time, and they were not bought used, despite what a few railfan fundamentalists would like you to believe.

-Kurt

I'm not that familiar with Tri-Rail bi-level cars. But I am with TRE bi-level cars.

Purchased used from Go

Purchased new from Bombardier


It's easy to tell the difference, the older Hawker-Siddeley built bi-level cars have rivets. I suggest any argument whether any Tri-Rail bi-levels were purchased used or new can easily be determined by looking at them.....

electricron wrote:I suggest any argument whether any Tri-Rail bi-levels were purchased used or new can easily be determined by looking at them.....

By the difference between the riveted or welded sides? You do realize that there are seven different variants of the now-Bombardier-owned bi-level design, right?

electricron wrote:It's easy to tell the difference, the older Hawker-Siddeley built bi-level cars have rivets.

Tri-Rail didn't order their cars until UTDC had acquired Hawker Siddeley.

-Kurt

Kurt-Trirail wrote:By the difference between the riveted or welded sides? You do realize that there are seven different variants of the now-Bombardier-owned bi-level design, right?

Tri-Rail didn't order their cars until UTDC had acquired Hawker Siddeley.
Kurt

I don't see when the cars were ordered used from Go has any correlation to when Hawker Siddeley was sold. TRE order 12 bi-levels cars built by H-S used from Go in the late 1990s, I assume long after UTDC acquired H-S. And no, I didn't realize there were specifically seven different variants of the bi-level design, although I was aware there were at least four different variants (cab and cabless riveted and welded cars).

Per youtube, Tri-Rail does in fact have at least one of these cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDMYc5QCXjw

Very weird looking.

chrsjrcj wrote:Per youtube, Tri-Rail does in fact have at least one of these cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDMYc5QCXjw

Very weird looking.

Nice find. Thanks for posting. I guess that solves the question. The cab car looks like a P42 made into a coach.Haha

now that even got me off guard. I knew they had options to buy them, but did not know it was actually happening

Saw it twice (about 12 pm and 3 pm) when I went down to Miami today. Both times it was sitting in the yard unused.



Guess its only used during rush hours. Really was hoping I'd get to ride on it but oh well....

at wat time and day do these rotems work i want to travel in them to see hows the feel for it?