Sound Transit approves overhaul of Sounder car fleet

SEATTLE — The Sound Transit board of directors has authorized a $92.7 million overhaul of the railcar fleet used in Sounder commuter rail service.

At its meeting last week, the board approved a contract with a Systra-Brookville Joint Venture to perform the overhaul work, as well as a motion increasing available funding for the overhaul program by $62.5 million. The work will be performed on the 58 Bombardier-built bilevel cars — 18 cab cars and 40 regular coaches — that have been in use since the Sounder service was launched in September 2000.

According to documents accompanying the motion, the cars “are showing signs of wear that are beginning to impact service reliability. By completing this overhaul work now, the agency will extend the life of the vehicles for up to another 20 years and ensure that the reliability of service remains where our customers expect it to be.” The additional funding was needed because the initial estimate was “developed before considerable increases in cost occurred in the industry,” the document says, and reflects that Sound Transit was able to push back the overhaul project because the equipment sees lighter usage than most comparable systems.

The overhaul program calls for five cars to be removed from service at a time, with the first refurbished cars projected to enter service in early 2027. The entire program will take more than six years. A Systra-Brookville Joint Venture will perform the overhaul of 18 cab cars and 40 regular coaches at a Brookville facility in Pennsylvania. Along with rebuilding of wheelsets, couplers, floors, doors, HVAC systems, restrooms, and other features, the cars will receive improvements to their bicycle storage areas, lighting, and the addition of USB power outlets