Calgary Transit awarded Siemens an order to supply 60 S200 light rail vehicles (LRV), worth approximately $179 million.

The LRVs will be built at the Siemens factory in Sacramento, Calif., and are due to be delivered starting in summer 2015. The full order is to be completed by December 2016. This is the first order for the new light rail generation from Siemens.

The vehicles have been designed especially for the harsh climate conditions typical for Canada. The coupler heaters ensure the vehicles can operate in ice and snow. Cables and connectors have been dimensioned so that they withstand the extreme weather conditions.

The electrically heated windshield, triple-pane side windows with low solar transmittance and improved insulation reduce thermal losses by more than 20% compared to previous models. This also results in reduced power consumption.

Energy-saving operation of the S200 LRVs is ensured by the weight-reduced propulsion system that allows the recovery of braking energy as well as by the LED lighting that requires up to 40% less energy than conventional fluorescent lighting. The S200 LRVs have eight doors that allow barrier-free access for wheelchair users and passengers with baby carriages or bikes.

The vehicles are produced at the Siemens factory in Sacramento where around 80% of the electricity required in production is supplied by a two-megawatt photovoltaic plant. This helps to save about 1,470 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.