If you need a reminder that Oak Cliff and downtown will soon be linked by street car, head over to the Houston Street and watch as drivers try to get across the viaduct, which is closed for construction.
Another reminder: DART just announced that it's officially sealed a $9.4 million deal with Pennsylvania's Brookville Equipment Corporation deal to provide two of its Liberty Modern Streetcars to run on the tracks. And they sent along a sneak peek at what they will look like as well.
From DART's press release:
Featuring three passenger compartments, the 66.5 foot-long, 8 foot-wide cars will include over 70 percent low-floor area, providing accessible seating for passengers. The streetcars will run on standard 56.5-inch track gauge and utilize BROOKVILLE's industry-proven soft ride trucks powered by four 99 kW AC traction motors while traveling at a maximum speed of 44 mph.
This will be "the first-ever American designed and manufactured off-wire capable streetcar to be delivered to a U.S. public transit agency," which, whatever exactly that means, sounds quite impressive. And, in case you were wondering, "off-wire capable" means the cars have battery storage, which can get them over the mile of track over the Houston Street Viaduct.
Aesthetically speaking, they're basically stumpy versions of the light-rail vehicles. Very DART-ish. But cute.
