ANTIOCH (BCN) — BART officials on Thursday unveiled the agency’s new trains for service between Pittsburg/Bay Point and Antioch, which is expected to start in the winter of 2017/2018.
The eight new trains are different than the Fleet of the Future trains, which BART is working to put into service on other parts of its system. The Diesel Multiple Unit trains were chosen to bring BART to the eastern Bay Area counties in a cost-effective way, according to BART officials.
The 10-mile extension to Antioch will cost $525 million or 60 percent less than a conventional BART extension to the area.
The eight vehicles are expected to arrive by December, a year before mandated state testing for safety and functionality.
The trains will be able to move about 2,400 people per hour during peak periods and boast six digital signs each, automatic audio announcements, arrival and destination signage and modern climate control, BART officials said.
The new trains are reported to be the most environmentally friendly of any diesel-powered trains.
“We’ve been working on the arrival of BART to this part of the Bay Area for years, so it’s both thrilling and a bit surreal to finally be here aboard these amazing new vehicles,” BART Director Joel Keller said in a statement.
The average travel time between the Pittsburg and the Antioch stations is expected to be seven minutes and three minutes between the Pittsburg and the Pittsburg/Bay Point stations.
BART officials in April showed off its Fleet of the Future trains to reporters and said they hope to have 10 in place this year.
The fleet will consist of 775 cars, which they hope will be in service no later than end of 2021.
The design of the Fleet of the Future cars is slightly different than the trains currently in use.
Each car will have designated parking for bicycles, raised seats so dogs and luggage can fit underneath and three instead of two doors per car.
Each car will have one or two fewer seats and somewhat narrower seats, leaving more room for passengers to stand during rush hour.