Dallas Dart Rail

Super Light Rail Vehicle Facts

 

DART is updating its fleet of 115 light rail vehicles (LRVs) by inserting a new, low-floori insert between the existing section of the vehicle, adding seating capacity and improving access through level boarding. The newly modified vehicles began service on June 23, 2008.

 

Kown as Super Light Rail Vehicles (SLRVs) because of the greater length and added passenger capacity, the SLRVs will seat approximately 100 passengers compared to 75 on the current vehicles. Standing passengers nearly double the capacity.

 

The SLRVs feature level boarding, which will allow passengers with disabilities – plus people with strollers, bicycles, and the like – to step or roll direcrly onto the trains without using mechanical lifts. This, in turn, enables faster and safer boarding and deboarding.

 

Key Points

Super Light Rail Vehicles (SLRVs) seat approximately 25 more people than the standard DART Light Rail Vehicle (which seats approximately 75 and has capacity for up to 150 passengers seated and standing).

The SLRVs will allow passengers with disabilities – plus people with strollers, bicycles, etc. – to step or roll directly onto the trains without using mechanical lifts.

Each of DART’s 115 light rail vehicles will be converted into SLRVs with the addition of the low floor rail car insert.

The first SLRVs will begin revenue service in Summer 2008. The $190 million light rail vehicle conversion is scheduled for completion before the end of 2010.

To support level boarding, Dart’s existing station platforms are being raised approximately seven inches. This effort will take approximately two years.

The SLRV and level boarding projects will be completed in support of the DART rail Green Line project, a 28-mile $1.8 billion project which will open in stages starting in September 2009 and will be completed in December 2010.