Two more Rocky Mountaineer rail cars to be rebuilt by Alstom
Rocky Mountaineer has awarded a contract to Alstom Transport to rebuild two additional SilverLeaf cars for Canadian tourist railroad. This represents the 11th and 12th SilverLeaf cars Alstom will rebuild for the railroad with the delivery of cars 9 and 10 to be delivered in March 2019.
Alstom explains that the rebuilding requires the cars to be stripped to their frame and trucks and entirely re-engineered; producing newly refurbished train cars for the Rocky Mountaineer fleet. The modernization work includes installation of oversized dome windows, spacious seats and a new interior, which extends the car’s lifetime by at least 10 years. Alstom also notes that the work also includes a thorough engineering design and review to deliver a quality product that assures a vastly improved customer experience thanks to new systems (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) to increase guest comfort, as well as new flat and curved windows that give guests a 167 percent larger viewing area than before.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the iconic Canadian Rocky Mountaineer. Alstom has rebuilt eight cars thus far, which are in service as part of the fleet, with two others currently being rebuilt and modernized at our facility in Mare Island, Calif.,” said Angelo Guercioni, managing director, Alstom Transport Canada.
Alstom began working on overhauling the Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf cars in 2014. It has since converted eight cars, which also includes mechanical, electrical and rail testing, as well as commissioning.
The company is currently working on several overhaul projects in North America, including the Port Authority Transit Corporation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Maryland Transit Authority. Alstom’s Mare Island facility in Vallejo, Calif., boasts 100,000 sq. ft. of production and warehouse space and a team of more than 100 employees. In addition to overhauling the coaches for the Rocky Mountaineer, the site also supports the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, for Vendor Management Inventory. The Mare Island team is also modifying bi-level coaches for Caltrans, modernizing light-rail vehicles for Los Angeles County Transportation Authority and repairing damaged trains for other customers.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
