Stadler to supply eight FLIRT trains to Cotton Belt Project
Stadler will assemble and build eight FLIRT diesel multiple unit trains (DMUs) and design an Equipment Maintenance Facility (EMF) as part of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Cotton Belt Regional Rail Project. DART awarded the company a $119-million contract and anticipates passenger service commencing by the end of 2022.
Stadler explains that the self-propelled DMUs meet both tier 4 EPA emissions standards and Federal Railroad Administration Standards. Each train set consists of four units, plus a power pack in the middle, which houses the power unit. The company says this setup includes four powered axles and eight unpowered axles and puts the trains at approximately 267 feet in length.
The Stadler-designed trains will have a capacity for 240 seated passengers, 225 standing passengers and will be fully compliant the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To ensure safety for all guests, Stadler plans to install a comprehensive CCTV system on each train. In addition, the trains are to be equipped with an automatic passenger counting system, which can count the number of passengers boarding and alighting the train at each stop, can detect huddling of passengers in certain areas of the train, as well as blockages of boarding areas.
In addition to supplying the DMUs, Stadler will provide input and past experiences to Urban Engineers, an engineering company that is contracted for the design services for the planned EMF.
Stadler trains currently operate at three other locations in Texas including CapMetro, Denton County Transportation Authority and TEXRail.
“After completing several projects in Texas already, Stadler is honored to now also supply DART with new state-of-the-art trains. We are proud that DART has chosen our FLIRT and know that we will be able to deliver a product that satisfies the customer to the highest degree,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler US Inc.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Stadler US, Inc. on the design and specifications of our new Cotton Belt regional rail project trains,” said John Rhone, DART vice president of Capital Design and Construction. “Their focus on technology innovation and design promises to provide our customers with the safe and enjoyable ride they’ve come to expect from DART.”
The Cotton Belt line includes 10 total stations, as well as interchanges with the DART light-rail Orange, Green and Red lines, the TEXRail commuter line to Fort Worth and local bus services. In December 2018, DART awarded a design-build contract for the project to Archer Western Herzog JV with Jacobs named as the project’s principal design consultant earlier this year. The project, which is expected to improve mobility, accessibility and system linkages to major employment, population and activity centers, has also been approved for a $908 million Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan.
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.
