Atlanta orders four Siemens streetcars
Written by Douglas John BowenThe S70 streetcars (in depiction) will be built at Siemens’ railcar and locomotive plant in Sacramento, Calif. Major components, including the propulsion system, will be built at Siemens’ manufacturing facility in the metro-Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. The cars will initially run in a loop, bridging the gap between east and west downtown that was formed by the development of the I-75/85 connector. “Siemens S70 streetcar was designed for and will be built right here in the United States,” said Daryl Dulaney, president and CEO of Siemens Industry, Inc. “We look forward to working with the city of Atlanta to provide a safe, efficient, and versatile means to connect within the City that will help residents and visitors get where they need to go now and in the future.”Siemens Industry, Inc. announced Thursday that it will supply Atlanta with four new streetcars under a $17.2 million contract from the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority on behalf of the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. The first car is to be delivered in September 2012 with revenue service beginning in early 2013—the first streetcars to roll in Atlanta since 1949. The order marks Siemens' entry inthe U. S. streetcar market.
The Atlanta Streetcar project will keep the City of Atlanta competitive with other cities by improving our transit connectivity, boosting ourtourism industry, helping local businesses, and building a more sustainable future,” Mayor Reed said.
