Two cars were shipped to Baltimore on April 9, where they will join their sisters in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania, later this month for testing and demonstrations.
The intention is to lease the trains for use on underutilized lines across the US to pursue “pop-up metro” routes, which could offer lower cost, lower risk, and faster starts of rail-based transit services in the Americas.
Henry Posner III, chairman of Vivarail’s shareholder Railroad Development Corporation, said, “There’s a lot of excitement about the possibilities that our pop-up metro proposition brings to the Americas.
“With two trains we are now positioned to act on multiple opportunities at the same time. This is critical in positioning pop-up metro as an alternative for the industry at a time when both rail access and decarbonization have become national priorities. It also helps that the trains are stylish and comfortable,” he added.
Steve McBride, managing director of Vivarail, continued, “We’re incredibly proud that the technology we created in the UK is leading the way for battery-powered train operations in the Americas. This opens up a new market for Vivarail’s technology and shows that battery-power is a viable and efficient solution to decarbonise the railway.”
Founded in 2012, Vivarail aims to become a world-class innovator and provider of zero-emission mobility solutions for the benefit of future generations across the globe. The firm has built trains for Transport for Wales, South Western Railway and West Midlands Trains. In 2021, it provided a demonstration train at COP26, and its train became the first emission-free train to go over the Forth Bridge.
Vivarail is also working with Great Western Railways to deliver the first UK battery train in regular passenger service on the Greenford West Ealing route later this year. It will include another first which will be the installation of an automatic fast charging facility.
Engineering company Sella Controls has just been awarded a contract from Vivarail for the supply of its Tracklink III readers and beacons for the battery charging trial.