10 new BART railcars approved for service

California’s Public Utilities Commission approved 10 new railcars for San Francisco’s BART, which could be in service as early as Friday evening’s commute, SF Gate reported.

The new cars, manufactured by Bombardier at its Plattsburgh, N.Y. facility, have three doors on each side, automated announcements, video monitors that will show maps, train location, and upcoming stations, and spring-loaded bike clamps.

The 10 new cars could go into service Friday evening, after a short ribbon cutting ceremony and inaugural ride with veteran BART employees, elected officials, and some passengers who rode the first BART trains in 1972, a BART spokesperson told the news outlet.

BART has a $2.6 billion contract with Bombardier that requires delivery of about 150 new cars every year until its fleet of 669 cars is replaced, and increased to 775 cars, by 2022.