Quote:
Originally Posted by orulz
Although the Stadler KISS are under a waiver in California, it is likely that it would meet the FRA CEM standards with a few relatively minor changes (different type of glass, emergency egress configuration, etc)
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Not so fast there, what you state was true but not now. DCTA GTWs met every old FRA regulation - the sole exceptions being associated with buff strength - with the new Crash Energy Management (CEM) alternate regulations replaced.
CapMetro's GTWs had European standard glass, seating, and others vs meeting the old FRA regulations - but are presently going through the effort to make all of their GTWs, pre DCTA and post DCTA versions, to match the DCTA GTWs. All subsequent Stadler trains built for the US market are fully FRA compliant, alternate only using CEM vs meeting the older buff strength standard.
So the KISS trains being built by Stadler for Caltrain will have US vendor supplied safety glass and seats, etc. meeting even the older FRA regulations for those items. It took Stadler time and money to find these US vendors so as to meet the new FRA alternate compliance regulations, time and money working with the FRA, with Texas and California transit agencies and their Congressmen and Senators working behind the scenes to get the regulations changed.
The new metro style trains being built for Atlanta will also meet all the FTA regulations when it comes to glass and seats and etc. because Stadler has vendors in its American supply chain that can build these items to FTA and FRA regulations.
They might be an European train manufacture using European based designs, but they have been modified to incorporate stuff meeting American regulations as much as possible - basically all except buff strength.