Media Contact:
Morgan Lyons
or Robin Stringfellow

April 29, 1998

DART Rail fleet doubling

Success of DART Rail prompts new order for 21 more light rail vehicles

Along with 34 LRVs ordered late last year, this latest purchase will more than double the size of the light rail fleet, bringing the total number of LRVs to 95. The price of the contract for the 21 LRVs is $60.21 million. The new vehicles will be built by Kinkisharyo, USA, the manufacturers of DART's current fleet of LRVs. Each of the new vehicles will cost $2.7 million and will be purchased with local and federal funds.

The first of the new cars is expected to be in service on DART's 20-mile rail starter system by June 1999. The 21-vehicle shipment -- and the cars ordered late last year -- will be used on DART's Northeast Corridor extension to Garland and North Central extension to Richardson and Plano.

In March, DART's light rail system set a ridership record carrying an average of 36,300 riders each weekday. DART operates a fleet of 40 electric-powered LRVs. Each of the current and planned LRVs seat 72 passengers with a total standing room capacity of 160 passengers. The rail cars are wheelchair accessible and can carry as many as four wheelchairs.

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