Last week we shared some good funding news about the new Muni light rail vehicles that will start going into service next year. The first of four initial trains now in production is due to arrive by the end of the year. They’ll be tested before starting service in 2017, and the rest of the fleet will roll out in phases by 2028. Some SFMTA staff joined Mayor Ed Lee, Assemblyman David Chiu, President of the Board of Supervisors, London Breed, our Board Chairman Tom Nolan and SFMTA Director of Transportation, Ed Reiskin yesterday for a tour through the Siemens plant in Sacramento where the new trains are being designed and built.
We've ordered 151 replacement trains that we'll start swapping out for the current Breda trains after we have the 64 expansion trains already operating. With this year’s most recent California Cap-And-Trade’s $45 million grant, 42 of the 64 planned expansion trains are now funded. The 151 replacement trains are already funded as well.
The tour included the first train that will arrive in SF later this year. Left to right: Siemens President Michael Cahill, Lee, Chiu, Breed and Nolan. Photo taken Aug. 29, 2016.