NCTD unveils first Siemens DMU train

The North County Transit District (NCTD) unveiled the first of twelve Siemens Transportation Systems (STS) Inc. Desiro Classic DMU (diesel multiple units) trains during a ceremony at its vehicle maintenance facility in Escondido, Calif. The trains, which are Siemens’ first DMUs to arrive in the U.S., will be used for NCTD’s Sprinter line and link customers to existing and planned rail and bus lines over 22 miles of track when it begins service in December 2007. STS’ Desiro units are manufactured in Germany and feature a lightweight, aluminum bodyshell construction and European design, with modular interior configurations. The units’ drive system features dual 420 hp turbocharged, intercooled six-cylinder diesel engines, as well as a five-speed automatic transmission with integrated torque converter and retarder. It travels at a top speed of 55 mph and can run in two unit sets.