Pittsburgh Regional Transit will receive $82.8 million in federal funding to help replace its aging light rail fleet, known as the T.
The grant will help the transit authority purchase 45 new 170-foot light rail vehicles. They’ll replace 76 existing 80-foot light rail vehicles, which the transit authority said in a news release have “exceeded their useful design life and reached technical obsolescence.”
“This investment will help us move forward with a new fleet of rail cars that will provide riders with a safer, more accessible, more comfortable, and more reliable experience,” PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman said in the release.
The funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program.
The new vehicles will feature updated propulsion systems and interior designs meant to improve energy efficiency, ride quality and comfort, the transit authority said. PRT officials estimate replacing its existing technology — which is more than 30 years old — with modern vehicles could reduce energy consumption by up to 5% across the light rail network.
“This investment will allow Pittsburgh Regional Transit to replace its aging fleet with modern, longer vehicles, boosting passenger capacity and improving service reliability across Southwestern Pennsylvania,” U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said in a news release.
The grant is a piece of a broader push to replace the authority’s rail fleet. Officials estimate the total cost of that effort will be around $777 million. That price tag includes the costs of new vehicles, station modifications, platform adjustments, facility improvements and other expenses associated with designing and deploying a new fleet.
“Replacing aging rail cars and investing in an updated fleet will help keep the T running on time, reduce maintenance costs and disruptions and provide riders with safer, more dependable service,” U.S. Rep. Summer Lee said.