Wabtec to Improve MARTA Passenger Comfort

Wabtec Corporation announced a contract to supply heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units for 56 new Stadler trains that will be operated by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

The systems will provide passengers with a comfortable commute.

“We are proud to be supporting the fleet renewal for Atlanta’s public transit system and expand our transit operations in the United States,” said Pino Cordini, Managing Director for Wabtec’s Transit segment. “Our service-proven HVAC system will improve the passenger experience by providing a comfortable cabin environment on MARTA trains regardless of extreme seasonal temperature.” 

Under this contract, Wabtec will provide 336 HVAC units, as 224 will be installed in passenger cars and 112 units in driver cabins. 

The flat, double-sided roof units are designed to be mounted in the middle of cars and have air handling on each side. This design provides additional cooling and heating capacity. 

The HVAC order represents the latest chapter in Wabtec’s collaboration with Stadler and marks the first subway order with the car builder in the U.S. In the updated agreement, initially signed in 2019, Stadler will supply 56 CQ400 trainsets with four cars each. The trains will be assembled at the Stadler plant in Salt Lake City. 

“Public transport projects in U.S. cities are increasing,” added Cordini. “Wabtec is proud to leverage its global expertise help deliver safe, comfortable transit systems to the metro Atlanta region.”

The MARTA rail network consists of four heavy rail lines. The Blue and Green lines travel east-west, while the Red and Gold lines form a north-south axis. With 38 stations spread across 48 miles (77 km) of lines, the rail line carries 217,000 passengers a day.