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4/18/2019
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) rail car fleet is nearly exceeding its useful life and is due for replacement, according to LTK Engineering.
Under contract with GCRTA, LTK Engineering conducted a preliminary rail-car replacement study to determine the estimated life remaining in the GCRTA light- and heavy-rail fleet, according to a GCTA press release.
LTK concluded that GCRTA's heavy-rail fleet should be replaced within five years and the light-rail fleet within 10 years.
The entire fleet’s lifespan is beyond any benefits of continued system upgrades due to structural loss from corrosion, lack of readily available spare parts and the cost of rehabilitation, according to LTK.
“[GC]RTA’s rail system is safe, but we are well past the point of incurring the ever-increasing costs of continually upgrading the fleet and repairing the rail cars. Those costs far exceed that of purchasing a new fleet,” said GCRTA Interim Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Floun’say Caver.
While both fleets have had some mid-life rehabilitation, each fleet is exceeding the acceptable 30-year useful life for rail cars in their respective categories, LTK officials said.
LTK recommends procurement of 34 heavy-rail car to begin in 2020, and 24 light rail vehicles to begin in 2025. The estimated cost for replacement is $3 million per heavy- rail car, or $102 million total, and $4 million per light-rail car, or $96 million in total.
This recommendation would reduce the number of rail cars in GCRTA’s fleets by 6 heavy rail vehicles and 10 light rail vehicles. This is due to greater equipment reliability and fewer maintenance requirements.