Transit Briefs: KC Streetcar, Trinity Metro, Tyler Area MPO

KC Streetcar

Kansas City’s long-anticipated KC Streetcar Main Street Extension has officially entered its critical testing phase, marking a major milestone in the project’s journey toward passenger service. For the first time since 1957, streetcars will travel along Main Street through Midtown and to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

This extensive testing phase is essential to ensuring the safety, reliability, and readiness of the new streetcar route, the KC Streetcar Authority noted. Testing begins with clearance checks and progresses to fully integrating all new systems. This phase of testing will be followed by extensive operator training, covering every aspect of the streetcar’s operation on the new extension.

“This is an exciting chapter in Kansas City’s transit history,” said KC Streetcar Authority Executive Director Tom Gerend. “This is one step closer to achieving Kansas City’s vision of connecting communities through equitable and efficient public transit.”

The integrated testing process began last week with clearance testing. During that phase, a specially designed cart was used to replicate the streetcar’s “dynamic envelope,” ensuring sufficient clearances along the entire route, including platforms, overhead traffic signal mast arms, and nearby signage. With these verifications complete, streetcars are then introduced to the route, operating under full electrical power to conduct comprehensive functional evaluations.

Over the coming months, comprehensive testing of vehicles, tracks, substations, and systems will take place along the extension. Key testing components include platform interface, train control system validation, train to wayside communication (TWC) interface, track switch operations, ride quality checks, speed tests, and more.

Trinity Metro

Trinity Metro is preparing for its TEXRail expansion south of downtown Fort Worth by approving approximately $3.19 million on preconstruction services and needed equipment for commuter rail, according to a Fort Worth Report article.

According to the report, Trinity Metro’s board of directors on Jan. 21 approved funding for $300,820 to extend preconstruction services to October 2025. The project—not to exceed more than $2 million—will provide “more time to complete stakeholder coordination and third-party agreements, as well as secure additional funding to move the project forward,” according to a Trinity Metro staff report.

Funding for six contracts will come from Trinity Metro’s 2025 capital budget with more funds to be considered from proposed future budgets, according to the Fort Worth Report.

“A 2.1-mile TEXRail expansion is planned into the Near Southside district to a new station in the Fort Worth Medical District. The project also includes the purchase of four new TEXRail trains and a rail yard expansion. New track will be built within existing railroad rights-of-way land owned by Union Pacific (UP) and the Fort Worth & Western Railroad, as well as additional properties acquired from the city of Fort Worth, Texas Department of Transportation and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center. Groundbreaking on the project could occur in late 2025, Trinity Metro President and CEO Richard W. Andreski told the Fort Worth City Council Jan. 12,” according to the report.”

The Trinity Metro board also approved funding for $522,072.33 with a 10% contingency of $52,207.23 to complete the final design of the expansion of the Mahaffey Maintenance Facility, the railyard that will house the four new TEXRail trains, according to the Fort Worth Report. The contract with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., for a total amount not to exceed $574.279.56, calls for a completion of the final railyard design within a year and includes staff salaries for assigned workers, an audited Federal Acquisition Regulation overhead rate and a profit percentage of 10% for the prime contractor and 8% for subcontractors.

In addition, the transit agency also approved a $945,176.58 supplemental agreement with Bowman Engineering & Consulting for engineering designs for signals and communications systems. The revised amount is not to exceed about $12.8 million.

Trinity Metro also approved funding for a five-year train control software services contract with Herzog Technologies Inc. to “strengthen fiber optic service on the agency’s infrastructure since major outages have been reported within the last two years,” according to the report. “To bolster the system, a secondary fiber optic line will be installed with a cellular backup and supporting software at various TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express commuter rail locations. That contract is set for a cost of $418,512.27, plus a 5% contingency of $20,925.61, for a total cost not to exceed $439,437.88 as part of a $7.5 million contract. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), which co-owns the Trinity Railway Express with Trinity Metro, will pay $16,962 for its portion of the service.”

The agency, according to the Fort Worth Report, also approved $498,749.40 to amend its contract with Wabtec Railway Electronics to purchase positive train control kits for four new TEXRail trains. That contract includes hardware, program management support and installation validation. The amendment calls for the revised total amount not to exceed $12.1 million.

Trinity Metro will also spend about $440,000 for the purchase of capital spare parts for Trinity Railway Express locomotives, part of a $880,000 contract shared with DART. That contract is with Progressive Rail Locomotive Inc.

In related news, Trinity Metro in November announced the addition of four new Stadler DMU FLIRT vehicles to its fleet, with delivery expected in 2027.

Tyler Area MPO

Tyle City Council members on Jan. 21 voted to approve a $150,000 light rail and trolley study with Kimley-Horn, according to multiple news reports.

The study, which will be conducted by the Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as part of the 2024-2025 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), with the goal to determine the possibility of future rail transport services, comes in relation to the proposed I-20 Rail Corridor project, “a multi-state and organization effort to analyze the possibility of connecting the Dallas-Fort Worth area to the Northern Louisiana area through passenger rail services,” according to a KLTV report.

“The study will reportedly focus on short-term and long-term rail service possibilities, including limited trolley service on existing rail lines and long-term connections to a proposed high-speed rail service along the I-20 corridor,” according to a CBS 19 report.

“The Light Rail Study will help us modernize transportation options in the Tyler area, allowing more connectivity and sustainable development,” said MPO Director Michael Howell.