Houston Metro eyes Siemens for 19 LRT cars

Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) said Thursday its Board of Directors approved funds to purchase 19 Siemens light rail transit vehicles, Delivery could begin as early as October 2012, METRO said, earlier than originally anticipated. The anticipated cost was not disclosed.

“Last fall we learned that the Utah Transit Authority would not be exercising its option for this block of light rail cars. We know the cars and the manufacturer,” said METRO President & CEO George Greanias. Some modifications might be needed, but the cars meet Buy America requirements and were built in California—a critical issue given METRO’s recent experience in procuring cars through CAF USA, Inc., which was nullified by the Federal Transit Administration because the contract did not adhere to Buy America requirements.

METRO Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia said the board had reviewed critical information about the current operating system, which has no spares or backup units. “Houston needs and deserves a robust system. At the moment we have nothing to pick up the slack when cars are out of service, ” Garcia said.