CAF to provide streetcars to Seattle, Kansas City

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has awarded a $50 million contract to Spanish manufacturer CAF to supply 10 streetcars.

The agreement covers the supply of spare parts, special tools and testing equipment, CAF officials said in a press release. SDOT also has the option to purchase 10 additional streetcars and spare parts.

Based on CAF's Urbos platform, the new streetcars will be equipped with an onboard energy storage system, which enables the units to operate without overhead catenary wires.

SDOT this month is slated to break ground on a new 1.2-mile streetcar line, The Seattle Times reported in late September.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) has received approval to purchase two additional streetcars from CAF. The agency currently operates a four-streetcar fleet.

The order is valued at $10 million. KCATA made the decision to buy the additional units as ridership continues to grow on the Kansas City Streetcar.

CAF operates a plant in Elmira, New York, and has supplied rail vehicles for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the Sacramento Regional Transit District and the Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh.

The company also is working on rail cars for Amtrak, CAF officials said.