FrontRunner 2X Advances Double Track and 10 New Trains

USA: Utah’s FrontRunner 2X project has entered the FTA Engineering phase, with plans for 11 double-track sections and 10 new trainsets across the Ogden–Provo commuter rail corridor.

The Federal Transit Administration said on August 7 that FrontRunner 2X has advanced into the Engineering phase of its Capital Investment Grants program. The agency anticipates a $1.28 billion CIG commitment once financial, technical and legal requirements are completed, subject to annual appropriations by Congress.

The broader project scope includes one realigned track segment, a new infill station with 325 parking spaces, a new vehicle maintenance facility and signal upgrades. Once complete, FTA says FrontRunner train availability, frequency and capacity will increase by at least 60% along the 82-mile corridor serving 16 stations.

Double tracking expands from 26% to 58%

The official FrontRunner 2X project map labels planned double-track and realignment work from Clearfield and Woods Cross through the Salt Lake City area, Murray and Draper, then south toward Lehi, American Fork, Vineyard, Orem and Provo. In total, the project team says 11 sections of double track and one realignment will be added.

That physical change matters because the line currently runs on a single track over the majority of its length. Strategic double tracking gives trains more places to pass in opposite directions without waiting for a shared track to clear.

The project team says the share of double-tracked railway will rise from 26% to 58% after the planned work is completed. The August 7 FTA announcement, however, marks entry into Engineering rather than completion of those track works.

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Ten new trains are planned, but the final design is not set

Rolling stock is the second major supply element. FTA’s latest announcement describes the project as including 10 new diesel multiple unit trainsets. The official FrontRunner 2X project FAQ also confirms a 10-train procurement, while saying the process for determining the train type is underway and the final design has not yet been determined.

According to the project team, vehicle selection will consider fuel efficiency, platform compatibility and cost. The future trains are also expected to be ADA compliant and include passenger restrooms and Wi-Fi. Each train must be built and pass inspections before approval for use.

The two official statements therefore define the fleet requirement more clearly than the final specification: 10 new trainsets are part of the project scope, while the project FAQ still leaves the final vehicle design open. Together with the double-track program, the fleet expansion forms the operational core of FrontRunner 2X as the project moves through federal engineering and funding requirements.