An international Swiss company will design Project Connect’s all-electric light rail vehicles, Austin Transit Partnership announced in a July 15 press release. The vehicles’ design will mark the first of its kind in the U.S.
Stadler was chosen to design 21 light rail vehicles for Project Connect based on the company’s technical and design approaches. Stadler has completed four previous transportation projects in Texas, according to a press release. ATP oversees Project Connect, a voter-approved initiative aimed at establishing Austin’s light rail system and expanding transportation infrastructure.
Lindsay Wood, executive vice president of engineering and construction for ATP, said the organization received four proposals, but ultimately chose Stadler due to their popular CITYLINK design, which includes 100% low floors to ensure accessibility to all passengers.
Courtesy of Austin Transit Partnership
“Not only from a disability standpoint, but really just [for] all riders,” Wood said. “Whether you’re a parent with strollers or just people of all different kinds of abilities, removing as many obstacles as possible … easy to use for everybody regardless of their unique abilities.”
The vehicle will also include large windows to integrate surrounding environments and a five-car length for increased rider capacity, according to the press releases.
Jens Steger, head of sales and business development for Stadler’s North America division, said the company’s prior experience in Texas informed its design of the vehicles. The company integrates heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in their designs to accommodate the Texas heat. The company is currently in discussion with ATP to include window tints to further reduce sun exposure.
Wood said that to properly handle the high volumes of pedestrians, ATP used virtual reality to assist in the early designs of the UT station near the West Mall. She said students using virtual reality helped ATP test out the accessibility of the station.
“We’ll continue to find those opportunities as design advances to make sure that we’re ultimately building a user experience that people are excited about and a service that people want to use,” Wood said.
The contract with Stadler signifies the conclusion of ATP’s 18-month procurement process and allows construction to begin in 2027 as planned. The newly announced partnership with Stadler comes months after the quick procurement of contractors for a maintenance facility with Kiewit Building Group Inc. and railway construction by Austin Rail Constructors.
“Together with Austin Transit Partnership, we are helping shape a new era of transit in one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler’s North America division, in a press release.