NCTD orders 11 rail cars for Coaster commuter-rail service

The North County Transit District (NCTD) last week awarded Bombardier Transportation a $43 million contract to supply 11 BiLevel commuter-rail cars for the Coaster service in San Diego.

The additional rail cars will position NCTD to increase service frequencies and begin state of good repair replacement of current legacy coaches and cab cars, Bombardier officials said in a press release.

Increased frequencies will result in 42 trains per day, nearly doubling current service, officials said.

Under the contract, NCTD also has an option to purchase up to 27 additional cars.

The new cars will be built at Bombardier’s manufacturing site in Thunder Bay, Canada. Deliveries are scheduled to take place in the fall of 2022. After testing and commissioning, the cars will begin to enter service that winter.