Portland selects CAF USA for 15 battery-powered Urbos trams

Battery-powered Urbos trams will be supplied by CAF USA. They are for passenger service on the Portland Streetcar system. The Portland Transportation Bureau selected the company to manufacture and deliver 15 vehicles.

Battery-powered Urbos trams for the Portland Streetcar system

The new trams will use hybrid batteries. They will run on a new overhead-wire-free section of the network. That section will open as the NS line extends to Montgomery Park in northwest Portland. The expansion will bring wireless operation to the system for the first time. It is also intended to improve reliability across the wider network. The new fleet is also intended for fleet replacement and the extension’s wireless operation.

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“Replacing 25-year-old vehicles with brand-new trams will improve the comfort, safety, and reliability that riders enjoy and sets the stage for the next 30 years of success,” said Dan Bower, executive director of Portland Streetcar and the city’s project manager for this procurement.

The supplier has now been selected. The process moves into the next stage. Vehicle specifications, costs, delivery schedules and other key details will be determined there. In the coming weeks, negotiations will begin. Representatives of the City of Portland, Portland Tram and CAF will begin negotiations.

CAF USA to build Urbos trams in Elmira

CAF USA will manufacture the Urbos trams at its railcar plant in Elmira, New York. That facility has supplied rail vehicles worldwide. It also produced modern trams for Kansas City, Cincinnati and Omaha.

“Urbos trams are reliable and have a proven track record in operation worldwide, offering modern amenities for passengers, and for Portland we will integrate special features, such as the ability to operate wirelessly, using battery technology where necessary,” said Felix Fernandez, CEO of CAF USA.

Fleet replacement and Montgomery Park extension timeline

The incoming Urbos fleet will replace the original trams built in the Czech Republic. Those vehicles entered service in 2001. They are nearing the end of their service life. Several other vehicles will also be replaced because of age or damage.

Portland Streetcar began operating in 2001. The initial section ran between NW 23rd Avenue and Portland State University. Later projects extended service to South Waterfront, Central Eastside and Lloyd District. Service also reached Lower Albina and now Montgomery Park in northwest Portland. Construction on this project is expected to begin in 2028. Commercial operation could start by 2030 with the arrival of the new CAF trams.

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