N.C.'s CATS looking to add 6 Siemens S70 streetcars

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) recommended the city buy six modern Siemens S70 streetcars for the second phase of the Gold Line, The Charlotte Observer reports.

If the City Council approves, CATS would spend $41 million on the streetcars, which would replace the green and yellow replica trolleys currently in use. The S70 streetcars are hybrids, which can operate for a short period on battery power, so the city won’t have to build overhead wiring on some parts of the line.

The first phase of the streetcar project opened last summer, with the second phase set to add 2.5 miles to the line and open in August 2020. For the full story, click here.