Maryland Board of Public Works approves contract for MARC locomotives

The Board of Public Works approved the Maryland Department of Transportation's contract to purchase eight new diesel locomotives for MARC Train service.

The $58.1 million contract was awarded to Siemens Industry, Inc., and will enable the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to enter into a cost-effective cooperative purchasing agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to replace older electric locomotives. By entering into this intergovernmental agreement, Maryland can purchase the locomotives at a volume discount.

“Approval of this contract will enable us to replace older locomotives, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of MARC for the thousands of commuters, businesses and tourists that depend on this vital train service every day,” said MTA Administrator Paul Comfort. “This cooperative agreement also will enable us to purchase these eight new locomotives at a lower cost and save taxpayers money.”

MARC currently operates 32 diesel locomotives and 10 electric locomotives. The eight new diesel locomotives will replace older electric ones that have either reached the end of their useful life or have been prone to mechanical breakdowns, creating service reliability issues. The proposed cost for each locomotive is approximately $6.4 million, with the remaining contract costs covering cab signaling, spare parts, tools, cameras, training and manuals.

Purchasing diesel locomotives also was necessary since MTA was informed last year that Amtrak no longer will maintain MARC’s electric locomotives effective July 2016. Amtrak, which has maintained MARC’s electric fleet since 1983, is retiring its electric fleet and no longer will carry the parts to maintain these locomotives. MTA will maintain its electric locomotives beginning in July 2016 until the new diesel fleet arrives in the fall of 2017.