Utah, California agencies place joint locomotive order with MotivePower

Purchasing rolling stock can set a transit agency back several million dollars. So, some agencies are teaming up to acquire cars and locomotives. Case in point: Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) recently signed a joint $60 million contract with Wabtec Corp. subsidiary MotivePower Inc. to provide 11 MPXpress® locomotives to each agency.

To be delivered to UTA in 2007 and SCRRA in 2008, the locomotives will be built at MotivePower’s Boise, Idaho, facility. The units will feature higher-horsepower engines, better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared with the agencies’ current fleets. The locomotives also will include microprocessor controls and meet new American Public Transportation Association crashworthiness and safety standards.

The contract includes options for an additional 45 units costing $120 million that could be exercised by UTA, SCRRA, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or Northstar Corridor commuter-rail authority.