KC Streetcar Fleet Nearly Complete

Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
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Kansas City’s sixth and final streetcar, no. 806, is schedule to arrive on the property Aug. 26. Manufactured by CAF USA, Inc., 806 is the second of two new streetcars added to the KC Streetcar Authority system, which launched operations with four vehicles (801-804) in May 2016. No. 805 joined the fleet in May 2019.

Car 806 will undergo final assembly and shop testing for several days before it begins testing on the main line in late August. Testing will primarily be conducted during the overnight hours when the KC Streetcar is out of service. Main line tests include system propulsion, braking, communications, and a 300-mile “burn-in test” to verify reliable operation of all vehicle doors and systems. The vehicle is expected to be ready for revenue service in early fall.

“People are riding the KC Streetcar in record numbers,” said KC Streetcar Authority Executive Director Tom Gerend. “This past July, we saw the highest streetcar ridership to date, with more than 265,826 passenger trips, bringing our total ridership to more than 7 million trips. The expansion of our fleet from four to six streetcars will support increased service frequencies and capacity in order to respond to the existing demand.”

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