Siemens delivers 16 light rail vehicles to Charlotte, N.C.

Siemens Transportations Systems Inc. has completed the final shipment of a 16-vehicle light rail order for the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) LYNX blue line. The Siemens S70 light rail vehicles will operate on a line covering a 10-mile distance from central Charlotte to the Interstate 485 expressway. The S70, Siemens' 70% low-floor light rail vehicle, is capable of speeds up to 65 mph and features room for 236 passengers as well as wheelchair accommodations. The S70 car shells are constructed of low-alloy, high-tensile steel with a composite fiberglass covering, producing structural efficiency and reducing energy consumption during operation. Siemens' manufacturing facility in Sacramento, Calif., constructed the car shell and completed the final vehicle assembly. The S70 LRV is currently in use in Houston and San Diego, Calif.