Brookville’s Off Wire Tram
The Liberty NXT Streetcars feature a three-section articulated car with more than 70% available low-floor standing area, station-level easy boarding achieved through an automatic load leveling system, seating for 40 passengers and the ability to comfortably transport 120 passengers.
The streetcar is a 70% low-floor design that measures 66.5 feet (20.27 m) in length and can seat 32 passengers; it is also capable of accommodating between 125 and 150 people while fully loaded. Empty, each car weighs 79,000 pounds (35,800 kg). The streetcar rides on Brookville’s Soft-Ride trucks on standard-gauge track, and can reach a top speed of 35 to 44 miles per hour (56 to 71 km/h). The streetcar’s loading gauge varies between 96 inches (2,438 mm), in Dallas, and 104 inches (2,642 mm), in Detroit and Milwaukee.
What is important is this is a North American designed low-floor tram, for the American market. Somewhat pricey today, but the future looks good as Brookville is obtaining more and more orders fro the tram.
Zwei’s only comment is the American anathema towards longer modular cars, which have proven popular on the continent, will cost operators more money in the long term as longer cars are much cheaper to operate than coupled sets of trams.
Brookville delivers first of six off-wire capable Liberty NXT streetcars to Valley Metro’s Tempe Streetcar System
The 72-foot vehicles are part of a $33-million (CAD $41.16 million)contract for the design, build and test of six streetcar vehicles for the three-mile system.
Mar 16th, 2021
BrookvilleThe first of six all new Liberty® NXT Streetcar vehicles from Brookville Equipment Corporation (Brookville) have been delivered to Valley Metro for its Tempe Streetcar System, which is slated to open later this year.
The 72-foot vehicles are part of a $33-million contract for the design, build and test of six streetcar vehicles for the three-mile system, which will connect Tempe residents and visitors, as well as Arizona State University (ASU) students, with current and emerging local destinations.
“We are elated to deliver the first Liberty NXT Streetcar vehicle to our friends at Valley Metro Rail,” said Brookville Vice President of Business Development Joel McNeil. “These vehicles integrate the latest in rail technology systems and are designed and manufactured by an American workforce to provide a long-term transit solution for one of the most prestigious transit agencies in the United States – Valley Metro Rail. We look forward to continuing to support Valley Metro with the delivery of five additional Liberty NXT Streetcar vehicles and assisting their team as they strive towards the monumental achievement of revenue service for this all-new system later this year.”
Like the previous iteration of the Liberty Streetcar, the Liberty NXT Streetcars for Tempe Streetcar will utilize a lithium-ion battery onboard energy storage system (OESS) to traverse sections of the alignment without dependence on an overhead catenary system (OCS). The streetcar batteries will recharge while connected to areas where there is overhead wire.
“It’s an exciting time for us,” said Scott Smith, Valley Metro CEO. “The delivery of the first streetcar vehicle opens up a new chapter for regional transit in the Valley.”
The Liberty NXT Streetcars feature a three-section car body connected by two articulation joints with more than 70 percent available low-floor standing area, station-level easy boarding achieved through an automatic load leveling system, seating for 40 passengers and the ability to comfortably transport 120 passengers.
The Liberty NXT Streetcars also include a crashworthy frame, designed in compliance with ASME RT-1 standards for streetcar vehicles and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) buff strength requirements. The Liberty NXT also complies with Buy America requirements of 70 percent or greater US content.
Did I read this right that the Tempe streetcar system is three miles long? That must be a record for shortest new system anywhere!
Zwei replies: American streetcar planning, 5 km at a time. In the USA, that have a nostalgic wish for streetcars; call it LRT and you have a riot worthy of the Capitol building assault. In the USA, they debate whether having trolley poles or pans as pans seem to communist. it is a different world down south and now politicians want to build MAGLEV’s for regional transit.