January 10, 2022
The latest S700 light rail vehicles (LRV) from Siemens Mobility are entering revenue service on Valley Metro in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa beginning January 10, 2022. The new fleet is being introduced gradually into the system after testing is completed, with the first three vehicles entering revenue service this week. They will operate on the current 28-mile system between Northwest Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, connecting riders to jobs, education, and entertainment. The vehicles are designed to provide a state-of-the-art and seamless passenger experience including racks for bicycle transportation, high-capacity air conditioning and CCTV, which keeps operators informed of real-time monitoring of occupancy levels, passenger flow and safety-related incidents.
“Adding new train fleet is a very important part of our light rail system expansion for today and in the near future when two new extensions open in Phoenix,” said Scott Smith, Valley Metro CEO. “We appreciate the strong partnership that we have with Siemens Mobility as they incorporate the vehicle safety and comfort features that we’ve prioritized on our system.”
“This vehicle was designed with passengers top of mind,” said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Mobility in North America. “Together with Valley Metro, we’ve created an LRV that is both safe and convenient while providing the ultimate passenger experience to metro Phoenix riders.”
Based on Siemens Mobility’s popular S700 platform, the light rail vehicles for Valley Metro offer a large interior, energy-efficient LED lighting, and feature heavy-duty air conditioning systems to keep Phoenix area riders comfortable in a climate known to reach temperatures of up to 120 degrees (F). With a focus on safety and the experience of passengers, this fleet also features a new front-end bumper designed to minimize collision impact and limit damage to the vehicle. The new cars for Valley Metro also include a wheel flange lubrication system to reduce wheel-noise when passing through track curves.
Seven of the 11 S700 vehicles ordered from Siemens Mobility have been delivered, with three of those ready for revenue service this week. Manufacturing of Valley Metro’s most recent 14 car order placed in 2020 will start early next year, which when completed, will bring Valley Metro’s total number of Siemens Mobility vehicles to 25.
“On behalf of the 4,000 Siemens Mobility employees in the U.S, we are proud to partner with Valley Metro as we create an LRV made for the riders and desert temperatures,” said Cahill.
Valley Metro joins the more than 35 transit agencies across North America benefiting from Siemens Mobility’s portfolio of rail vehicles, locomotives, components and automation systems. American cities also rely on Siemens to provide traction-power substations and electricity transmission, as well as signaling and control technology for freight and passenger rail and transit systems.
The S700 LRV’s for Phoenix are Buy America compliant and built at the Siemens Mobility rail manufacturing hub in Sacramento, California. Powered by the California sun with two megawatts of solar energy and 2,100 employees, the facility has been in operation for 30 years.
https://www.mobility.siemens.com/us/en.html