More cars for West Coast Express
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Updated: July 03, 2009 9:52 AM
Seven new West Coast Express cars will be built and ready for use at the end of September 2010 at the cost of $28.1 million.
This will add to the current fleet level of 37 cars (plus six locomotives). When all the trains are delivered, each will have one additional car, allowing for approximately 150 more passengers on each trip or 750 more people a day. The remaining two cars will be used as spares.
The cars will be built by Bombardier's plant in Ontario, and the first two cars are expected to be delivered by July 31 next year.
The contract was approved by Translink earlier this year.
“This is another significant move forward as we work to ensure the livability of the Metro Vancouver region,” says TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast. “In conjunction with TransLink’s Golden Ears Bridge, people on both sides of the Fraser River will have more alternatives to private vehicles for their commuting.”
"These additional cars will help us deal with current capacity issues and maintain our award-winning customer service levels for the Northeast Sector," adds Doug Kelsey, CEO of BC Rapid Transit Company, which operates West Coast Express.
Up to $9 million of the costs will come from the federal government's Building Canada Fund. Trankslink and the province will be splitting the rest.
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