The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) in the US has awarded a $36-8m contract for Bombardier Transportation to overhaul 63 MARC III double-deck commuter cars, which have been in service for nearly 17 years.
The contract is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s aim to improve safety, increase reliability and provide passengers with a more comfortable ride.
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The MARC Train Service operates along three commuter rail lines in Maryland, including Penn, Camden and Brunswick.
The Penn Line operates along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor from Perryville to Union Station in Washington, DC, the Camden Line runs from Baltimore’s Camden Station to Union Station, while the Brunswick Line is operated from Martinsburg to Union Station.
MTA administrator and CEO Paul Comfort said: "MTA’s MARC train plays a vital role in connecting people from all parts of Maryland to jobs in our nation’s capital every weekday, and our popular weekend Penn Line service between Baltimore and Washington continues to grow.
"MTA is committed to providing safe, efficient and reliable transit with world-class customer service.
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By GlobalData"Overhauling our MARC III cars is a cost-effective way to improve the safety and reliability of our fleet so we can deliver on those goals to the thousands of commuters, businesses and tourists that depend on MARC Train service every day."
Both the Camden and Brunswick lines operate along CSX freight lines and average weekday ridership on all three MARC lines is about 37,500 riders.
MARC also operates weekend trains on the Penn Line between Martin State Airport and Union Station transporting around 5,500 riders.
Bombardier Americas division president Raymond Bachant said: "Our relationship with the MTA illustrates how a full-service provider can support the wide ranging needs of a vibrant transit system.
"We can deliver new rolling stock, provide fleet maintenance and operations, and refurbish existing equipment to help transit systems get the most value out of their capital investments while providing high levels of safety and comfort for their passengers."
