MBTA looks at EMU offerings

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MBTA looks at EMU offerings

June 17, 2020 by Drunk Engineer

Here is an RFI update from MBTA, for a proposed EMU upgrade of their commuter rail:

2020-06-15-fmcb-K-EMU-RFI-update

There is “no consensus” on whether to use lightweight trains vs. FRA-compliant tank-trains.

Posted in transit | Tagged MBTA | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on June 18, 2020 at 1:47 pm | Reply Martin

What’s this all about?
“Stadler indicated that the Caltrain version of their KISS vehicle is not compatible with MBTA’s existing standard high-level platform dimensions”
- on June 19, 2020 at 1:32 am | Reply Adrian
  
  Seems self-explanatory. What part of “not compatible” or “dimensions” is it that you do not understand?
- on June 19, 2020 at 7:45 am | Reply Drunk Engineer
  
  Possibly due to the fact that Caltrain/CHSR higher-than-normal platform is 50.5″ vs MBTA’s 48″.
on June 19, 2020 at 11:16 am | Reply Martin

I was curious as to details of what aspect of KISS can’t be made to work with MBTA. Is 48″ height “lower than normal”

Also, how do manufacturers deal with the platform height alignment? Do they use slightly larger wheels, adjust the suspension, is the car shell designed to allow for a few inches of variance in floor height?
on June 19, 2020 at 2:23 pm | Reply Adrian

Customization … of door height/entry openings and or mechanized bridge plates and/or train or platform-mounted gap fillers, etc. While I haven’t heard of it, wheel diameter or truck (aka bogie) / suspension modifications (within reason) could also work.
- on June 25, 2020 at 11:37 am | Reply Richard Mlynarik
  
  Customization of pretty much what got Stadler going, and keeps them winning contracts large and small.
  
  Even if the customer is a total and complete idiot — like Caltrain, with its multiple levels of doors and no plans to ever have level boarding, and its desire to spend twice as much on its trains as anybody outside the USA spends on Stadler KISS double-deck EMUs — Stadler is quite happy to offer to build what the idiots ask for, and make a profit doing so. And if they make larger profits when idiots are involved versus when competent rail operators are doing the ordering? Who can blame them?
  
  That said, you know MBTA is going to go for the very worst outcome. By definition. Welcome back to then 1950s, forever and ever and ever, with Silverliner-XXX and trap doors, and of course with nose-bleed capital and operating and maintenance costs. AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!
on August 19, 2020 at 6:29 pm | Reply Nathanael

I trust TransitMatters to make sure the MBTA picks something which isn’t mindbogglingly stupid. MBTA is listening to them now.