MBTA CAF USA Type 10

Type 10 LRV
Rendering of the Type 10 with its final paint scheme
Stock type	Low-floor light rail vehicle
Manufacturer	CAF USA
Assembly	Elmira, New York
Number under construction	102
Predecessor	MBTA CAF USA Type 9
Capacity	400 passengers
Operators	Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority
Lines served	Green Line
Specifications
Car length	114 ft (35 m)
Width	104 in (260 cm)
Low-floor	100%
Entry	Level
Articulated sections	7
Electric system(s)	Overhead line, 600 V DC
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

The Type 10 LRV is a future class of low-floor light rail vehicles, to be manufactured by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) for the MBTA Green Line in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The Type 10 cars are 54% longer than the existing rolling stock of the Green Line, and will be equipped with new safety and accessibility features.

The MBTA ordered 102 Type 10 cars in late 2022, at a cost of $810 million. The cars are expected to enter service in 2027, and will replace the Type 7 and Type 8 cars. The MBTA is marketing the Type 10 as "supercars," due to their new design, longer length, and 100% low-floor design. ^{[1] : 5}

Background

The Green Line is a light rail system in Greater Boston, Massachusetts, serving the city's western and northern inner suburbs via Downtown Boston. The Green Line's four services, the B, C, D, and E Branches, use infrastructure that is descended from the Boston streetcar system, with portions of the system dating back to 1897. The Green Line is one of the most-used light rail systems in the United States, serving over 101,000 passengers per day in 2023. ^[2]

The Green Line's infrastructure and capacity are limited by the system's origins as a streetcar system. A segment of the E Branch on Huntington Avenue still uses street running in mixed traffic, and the system's storage facilities are direct descendants of historic car barns. Terminal stations and storage facilities feature small balloon loops for turning around trains, which constrain the physical dimensions of Green Line cars. At stations outside the central subway, passengers board through the front door of trains and pay the operator, slowing down boarding compared to peer systems. Multiple-car trains have an operator in each car, a rarity among modern light rail systems. ^[3]

The Green Line Extension and the ongoing Green Line Transformation Project have offered the opportunity to address some of the infrastructure limitations of the Green Line. The Green Line Extension project removed the sharpest curve in the system, the 42 ft (13 m) radius loop at Lechmere station. Simultaneously, the Lechmere Viaduct was upgraded to carry heavier trains, paving the way for larger vehicles with more capacity. ^{[4] : 13}

To operate service on the Green Line Extension, the MBTA ordered 24 Type 9 cars from the American branch of Spanish firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles. The order was placed in 2014, and the cars began service in late 2018, ahead of the 2022 opening of the Green Line Extension. The MBTA was satisfied with the Type 9 cars, which were of a similar design to the previous Type 8 cars, but it sought a different design for its next fleet of Green Line cars. ^{[1] : 7}

Concepts

The MBTA considered 7 concepts for new Green Line cars in a 2018 study, taking into account future modifications to the system's sharp curves and weight restrictions. All of the concepts proposed a longer vehicle than the current Type 8/9 cars, with lengths ranging from 100 to 131 ft (30 to 40 m). The MBTA's final concept for the new cars was a 114-foot (35 m) articulated low-floor light rail vehicle made up of 7 segments, riding on 4 trucks, and equipped with 5 sliding doors. ^{[4] : 30–35}

To operate the concept light rail vehicles, the MBTA found that infrastructure modifications would be required at multiple locations in the Green Line system. In addition to the already-planned work at Lechmere, the Park Street, Boston College, and Heath Street stations would need modifications, and the Lake Street and Reservoir yards would have to be reconfigured. The street running section of the E Branch would need to be converted to private right-of-way, which would also be used by buses. ^{[5] [4]}

The design of the Type 10 cars also took into consideration the ongoing project to upgrade the CharlieCard. The upgraded CharlieCard will support proof-of-payment fares, which will allow the Type 10 cars to feature a closed cab for the operator, who will no longer have to process fares. The concept cars were projected to carry the same number of passengers as a 2-car train of Type 8 or 9 cars, but at a shorter length with only one operator. ^{[3] [6]}

The MBTA followed a best value procurement model for the Type 10 cars, and evaluated proposals from CAF, Siemens Mobility, and Alstom. In August 2022, CAF was selected to build the new cars, at a total cost of $811 million. The purchase price includes 102 cars, 2 simulators for operator training, and a 3-year warranty. ^{[1] : 7–9}

Features

The Type 10 cars will be fitted with positive train control equipment, to be used with the future Green Line Train Protection System. ^[7] They are of a 100% low-floor design, and 3 of their 5 doors will feature a bridge plate for accessible boarding. ^{[1] : 5}

Construction

The Type 10 cars will be built at CAF USA's facility in Elmira, New York. The first prototypes are expected to be completed in 2026, and entry into service is expected in 2027. ^[8] The MBTA held a contest to determine the color scheme for the Type 10 vehicles in 2023, which selected a green and dark gray design with a white and green stripe. ^[9]

Services

The Type 10 cars will be used on all four branches of the Green Line, replacing the Type 7 and Type 8 cars. Some Type 9 cars will continue in service on the Green Line, and others will be reassigned to the Mattapan Line. ^[10]

References

1. Peña, Angel; Wolfgang, Bill (August 31, 2022). "RFP No 367F-19 Type 10 Supercar Update and Procurement Award" (PDF). MBTA Capital Transformation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-08-31.
2. O'Hara, Mary Ann; Turners, Pat (August 22, 2024). "History of Funding Update" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. p. 2.
3. Pyne, Ted (May 14, 2018). "Why new Green Line approach makes sense". CommonWealth Beacon. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
4. "Green Line Transformation Program: Future Capacity Study Update" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 7, 2018. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
5. MilNeil, Christian (May 2, 2024). "Huntington Ave. Redesign Will Eliminate Last Mixed-Traffic Segment of the Green Line By 2027". Streetsblog Mass. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
6. Vaccaro, Adam (May 8, 2018). "A $3.5b idea: Boost the Green Line's capacity with new, longer trolley cars - The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
7. Cawley, Gayla (January 20, 2023). "Green Line anti-collision system won't be done until 2025". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
8. Wanek-Libman, Mischa (September 6, 2022). "CAF USA lands MBTA Type 10 'Supercar' order". Mass Transit Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
9. "MBTA Announces New Green Line Car Exterior Paint Design" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. October 16, 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
10. Bhat, Tanisha (June 28, 2023). "Residents object to transfer of 'hand-me-down' Green Line trains to Mattapan line". The Bay State Banner. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

External links

• MBTA: Green Line Program

See also

• MBTA CAF USA Type 9
• Green Line Extension