Urban mobility: Knorr-Bremse wins major order to equip up to 254 Stadler subway cars for Atlanta’s public transport
Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking systems and other rail and commercial vehicle systems, will be equipping the city of Atlanta’s new railway fleet for the Swiss train manufacturer Stadler’s U.S. subsidiary.
Stadler US Inc. is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. This is where Stadler plans to manufacture the new METRO trains for MARTA
- Knorr-Bremse and Stadler US Inc. have concluded a major equipment order for 254 metro rail cars for Atlanta’s public transport operator, MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), including an option for an additional 100 cars
- The long-term contract, valued at a lower double-digit million-euro sum, runs from the beginning of Q1 2022 through 2028. Knorr Brake Company (KBC), the U.S. passenger rail subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse, will deliver the braking systems to Stadler US Inc.
- The trains will operate the entire MARTA railway network and chiefly contribute to offering advanced, state-of-the-art, quick and reliable urban transport for the roughly 5.8 million inhabitants of the U.S. State of Georgia’s capital
According to the long-term contract, Knorr-Bremse’s U.S. passenger rail subsidiary, Knorr Brake Company LLC (KBC), will supply braking systems valued in the lower double-digit million euro range. The project is KBC’s first order for braking systems with major operator MARTA, further strengthening its market position in the North American urban rail segment.
Knorr Brake Company’s headquarters is located in Westminster, Maryland.
“Stadler and Knorr-Bremse have maintained a close and trusted relationship ever since both companies entered the North American railway market”, comments Dr. Jürgen Wilder, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Rail Vehicle Systems division. “Therefore, we are all the more pleased to be able to conclude this long- term original equipment order, which anew underlines our strong position in the urban transport segment.”
“This contract is Knorr Brake Company’s first-ever order for braking systems with MARTA, and we are very proud to be Stadler’s partner of choice to help replace Atlanta’s metro fleet,” adds Jason Connell, President and CEO of Knorr Brake Company. “A robust technical design, light-weight solutions to help enable energy efficiency, and the power of our proven technologies and technical support were among the winning factors in the order’s tender process.”
Technologies within the contract include bogie brake equipment, the Knorr-Bremse PistonSupply Eco (VV80-T) oil-free compressor with dedicated air supply unit inverters designed and produced specifically for U.S. metro applications. Brake controls and wheel slide protection (WSP) dump valves, also a part of the agreement, will interface with the train control and management system (TCMS) via a platform developed by Selectron, Knorr- Bremse’s subsidiary for integrated digital and cyber security solutions.
“Stadler has selected Knorr-Bremse due to their continued outstanding performance and state-of-the-art system design. The MARTA project is one of our largest projects in the U.S. so far. With Knorr as our partner we expect to fulfill our promise to our customer by delivering exceptional, top-of-the-line METRO cars to MARTA,” says Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler US Inc.
While most of the braking components will be produced at KBC’s Westminster, Maryland- based facility, the vehicles will be manufactured by Stadler US Inc. in its new Salt Lake City, Utah plant and delivered to Atlanta to replace existing metro cars. The initial deliveries from KBC are expected in the first quarter of 2022 and will run through the close of 2028.
www.knorr-bremse.com
