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2/23/2024
Metra and Metrolink are both planning purchases of zero-emission vehicles.
Chicago commuter railroad Metra is purchasing eight zero-emission, battery-powered trainsets from Stadler. The commuter railroad will be one of the first transit agencies in the nation to operate this technology, Metra officials said in a news release.
"This purchase demonstrates [our] commitment to cleaner power, to quieter trains and to thinking outside the box as we plan for our future,” said Metra CEO/Executive Jim Derwinski.
Metra's contract with Stadler Rail includes a $154 million base order for eight two-car, battery-powered trainsets, including engineering, training and spare parts, with options costing up to an additional $181.4 million for eight more trainsets and up to 32 trailer cars.
Metra will receive a $100 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help fund the purchase.
Through its Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, the FTA also recently announced it will provide the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority a $317 million grant to buy up to 200 new rail cars to replace older rail cars and a $241 million grant to the Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Transit Administration to buy 52 new light-rail vehicles.
Meanwhile, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) is providing a $59.3 million grant to Metrolink to purchase two, zero-emission rail vehicles.
AQMD's board also approved up to $87.4 million from a contingency grant award list to help Metrolink replace 12 earlier-generation locomotives with lower-emission Tier 4 locomotives, according to a news release.
In 2017, Metrolink became the first U.S. passenger-rail service to operate Tier 4 locomotives, which meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s strictest emission standards, Metrolink officials said.
“We continue to explore emerging technologies that will help us reduce our environmental footprint because it’s the right thing to do,” said Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle. “In 2012, we pushed for Tier 4 locomotives because we knew the impact that reducing our emissions would have on the communities we serve."