San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and Stadler Set to Establish Arrow Passenger Service in Redlands

January 23, 2018

Stadler has been awarded the contract for a total value of USD 31.4 million to design and manufacture three (3) two-car FLIRT diesel-electric multiple-unit trains, with an option for three more for the Redlands Passenger Rail Project in the United States. The contract for the future Arrow service in Redlands marks the eighth in the United States for Stadler.
The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) issued a notice to proceed to Stadler US, Inc. to design and manufacture three (3) two-car FLIRT, an acronym for Fast Light Innovative Regional Train, diesel-electric passenger trains for the Redlands Passenger Rail Project (RPRP), with an option for three additional vehicles. The USD 31.4 million contract builds upon Stadler’s recent successes designing commuter trains for the US market. The new trains will operate on a nine-mile commuter route with five stations from the San Bernardino Transit Center to the University of Redlands, with service expected to begin in 2021.
Stadler’s design of the FLIRT vehicles allows for operation of a mixed fleet, including freight trains, by meeting the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Alternative Vehicle Technology (AVT) compliance. In addition, the vehicle’s Clean Diesel engines are low-emission, conforming with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) strict Tier 4 Final standards. The engines are installed in a separate midsection, which allows the FLIRT to offer exceptionally quiet passenger compartments and a large proportion of low-floor area. The trains will be manufactured in Stadler’s new state-of-the-art US facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, thereby meeting Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) “Buy America” requirements.
SBCTA requested that the vehicles are scalable, allowing the option to easily add an additional passenger car as required, and flexible, allowing for the implementation of zero emission propulsion technologies as they become appropriately suited for the service. While the 159’ long FLIRT is capable of travelling at speeds of as high as 124 mph and service speed of 99 mph, Arrow service will operate at speeds of 45 mph and below. In addition, these trains will be outfitted with Positive Train Control, enhancing the overall safety of the new service. Running on specially designed air suspension, the vehicles ride exceptionally smooth. With 116 seats and standing room for 118 additional passengers in each carriage, the three carriages combined will provide room for up to 234 passengers per train.
About SBCTA
Serving more than 2.1 million residents of San Bernardino County, the SBCTA is responsible for cooperative regional planning and furthering an efficient multi-modal transportation system countywide. The SBCTA administers Measure I, the half-cent transportation sales tax approved by county voters in 1989, and supports freeway construction projects, regional and local road improvements, train and bus transportation, railroad crossings, call boxes, ridesharing, congestion management efforts, and long-term planning studies.
About STADLER
Stadler has been building trains for 75 years. The system provider of rail vehicle construction solutions is headquartered in Bussnang in Eastern Switzerland, and has a workforce of over 7000 based in various production, service and engineering locations across Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belarus and the United States. Service locations are also being operated in countries including Algeria, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the UK. Stadler provides a comprehensive range of products in the heavy and urban transport segments: High-speed, intercity, regional and commuter rail trains, metro and underground trains, light rail and streetcars. Additionally, Stadler also manufactures main-line locomotives, shunting locomotives and passenger carriages, including the most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in Europe. Stadler is the world’s leading manufacturer in the cog rail vehicle industry.
Media contacts:
SBCTA
Tim Watkins
Chief, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
Telephone: 909.884.8276
Mobile: 909 723 7720
E-mail: twatkins@gosbcta.com
Stadler US, Inc.
Dawn Bailey
Communications & PR Manager
Telephone: 801 854 7771
Mobile: 385 210 6546
E-mail: dawn.bailey@stadlerrail.com