MARTA’s new train cars passed a critical round of testing this week, hitting top speeds while operating on their own power and bringing the agency ever closer to putting the long-awaited cars into revenue service.
Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt, who was on board for the testing late Sunday night, said it was a fantastic experience. The new trains deliver a smoother ride than railcars in operation today, snaking along the curves in the tracks effortlessly.
“We were at top speed on the rail, and I was able to walk from the front all the way to the back without being jostled,” Hunt told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s editorial board on Tuesday during a wide-ranging interview in which he gave updates on the new train cars and other major capital projects.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
“It’s an extremely quiet, extremely smooth ride,” he said.
The CQ400 railcars debuted last January but have been in testing ever since, with additional cars arriving in Atlanta at a steady clip throughout the year. The fourth set arrived just before Thanksgiving, shipped from Utah, where Stadler, the Swiss rail company hired to deliver MARTA’s new railcars, has based its U.S. headquarters.
The new cars are sleek and sport a futuristic look. Each train is four cars long, all connected by an open gangway that lets riders walk from one end to the other. Stadler officials have said there’s no other train like it running in North America.
There’s a whole host of tests MARTA and Stadler must run before service starts, and evening riders may have caught a glimpse of the new trains during some of those tests. During a load test last month, the cars were filled with sandbags to simulate passengers. Another test has simulated hot and cold weather conditions.
Credit: MARTA
Credit: MARTA
Hunt said there were gawkers on the platform every time the train pulled into a new station during the latest text. They had to stop eager people from hopping on.
“They were very, very excited about wanting to ride,” he said.
Hunt, who was appointed as the agency’s interim head in August after former chief Collie Greenwood’s sudden resignation, told the editorial board that he is laser-focused on project delivery, which he said is key to winning back public trust and support.
At the time of Greenwood’s resignation, which was prompted by immigration issues facing the Canadian citizen, MARTA was facing pressure from the business, political and civic communities over mounting service, reliability and safety concerns.
“I think there’s lots of opportunities for us to deliver on a project, build more trust and deliver on another project,” Hunt said.
The train cars are one of the big projects Hunt says MARTA is on track to deliver in 2026. MARTA is also preparing to implement a new bus network, the first redesign of its network since the agency was created. The new routes are expected to give three times as many residents access to a bus with 15-minute headways.
Other key projects advancing include the Summerhill Rapid A-Line, the region’s first bus rapid transit route, the installation of new fare gates with tap-to-pay capabilities and continued renovations at Five Points station.
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hunt said MARTA must increase ridership, something it’s struggled with since the pandemic more than most U.S. transit agencies. Getting riders back won’t happen without improving the rider experience and their feelings of safety, cleanliness and reliability, he said.
“Our commitment to becoming the number one transit agency for customer service is our guiding light right now,” he said.
In addition to the major capital projects underway, MARTA is also preparing for the upcoming legislative session. One of its top legislative priorities is getting the sales tax extended.
The one-cent sales tax levied in Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties is the transit agency’s largest source of revenue. It’s set to expire in 2057, but MARTA is seeking to extend that deadline to help secure better bond rates and make MARTA projects more competitive for federal funding that requires a local match.
Hunt said early conversations with legislators have gone well.
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