Kansas City Streetcar #811 arrives in city

Kansas City’s newest streetcar, #811, arrived in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 17. 

Steetcar #811 is the fifth streetcar to arrive to support operations for the Main Street and Riverfront Extensions, ultimately connecting the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) to Berkley Riverfront. The KC Streetcar vehicles are picking up the numbering where it left off with the 801-806 streetcar series. The new vehicles are numbered 807-814.  

CAF USA, the manufacturer of Streetcar 811, along with Silk Road Transport, delivered KC Streetcar vehicle #811 more than 1,000 miles from Elmira, N.Y., to Kansas City. The Kansas City Police Department assisted with traffic control during the delivery and unloading of KC Streetcar #811. Once on-site, the streetcar was offloaded onto the tracks located along 2nd St. just east of Oak Street and transported to the Kite Singleton Vehicle Maintenance Facility, located at 600 East 3rd St.  KC Streetcar notes streetcar #811 will undergo shop testing for several weeks before it starts testing on the tracks and anticipates the remaining new streetcars will arrive in Kansas City by the end of the year.  

In addition to the arrival of #811, KC Streetcar #807 is approaching certification for passenger service. Streetcar #807 will be the first of the new streetcars to operate on the downtown route with passengers. KC Streetcar notes streetcars #808 - #810 are performing various tests and test runs both during services hours and overnight, most of which have been on hold during the track tie-in construction at Pershing Road and Main Street. KC Streetcar says the tests will resume when streetcar service resumes. The tests include checks of the braking systems, interior systems such as vehicle leveling, sensors, door mechanisms, onboard digital signage and announcements and more.  

As with the original streetcar fleet (801-806), KC Streetcar notes each new streetcar is a bi-directional vehicle approximately 77 feet long, weighs 78,000 lbs. and has a maximum rider capacity of 150 people. The streetcars offer level boarding at all streetcar stops, making it easier for bike riders, wheelchair users and strollers to board and disembark from the streetcar.  

KC Streetcar says new streetcars have a variety of new features like new interior displays showing next stop arrivals, an enhanced on-board video surveillance system and other system upgrades, including exterior lights, air compressors, train-to-wayside communication system and an advanced driver assist system.