Sure.

Time will tell if they are so wonderful that Frank Wilson, and the METREAUX Board of Directors will even become faithful daily riders.

I'm Sure.

METRO makes me laugh... What about NOW?

Will they have bike racks?  And while the extra doors might help getting in/out of the thing, it does not help the looks of the car.

And how many people can these new cars seat?  Stand?

Who else uses this car?  And will they hold up as well as any other, or at least as well as the S-70's?  Will they be able to run on all METRO LRT lines?  (In NYC, the subway lines of the old IND have differences in the cars because of the IND's wider curves and differences in the gap.)

DomincMazoch said:

"And how many people can these new cars seat?  Stand?"

I found a link to their projects around the world and this link takes you to Houston specific:

http://www.caf.net/ingles/productos/proyecto.php?cod=4&id=630&sec=desc&pais=11

Type of Vehicle

Metric track LRV, two-way with two driving cabs, comprising 5 articulated body sections supported on two end motor bogies and one carrying bogie under the central section.

The LRV floor is low along the whole passenger saloon.

The LRV shall fulfil the ADA American accessibility requirements. To this end secondary hydraulic suspension shall be fitted whereby the height of the accesses to the LRV can be maintained constant, regardless of the passenger load.

In this way, the existing barriers are eliminated along the whole LRV and the entry and exit of passengers from platforms located virtually at the level of the sidewalk is extremely comfortable.

The primary pieces of equipment are roof mounted. The traction equipment is IGBT based and comprises 3-phase motors. The train and traction control is microprocessor based. High performance air conditioning equipment is used for passengers. The cab air conditioning equipment is independent from the saloon units. Electric service brake assisted by hydraulic brake in all bogies. Emergency brake by electromagnetic shoes on all bogies. Resilient wheels, couplers which can be stowed behind the body end, destination signs, flange and track lubrication, etc.

Bogies

The LRV has two motor bogies on the ends and one carrying bogie in the middle.

The bogie frame is made of welded steel plate. The primary suspension is accomplished by steel-rubber springs. Secondary hydraulic suspension. The carbody is directly supported on the bogie on the 2 hydraulic actuators of the secondary suspension.

The end bogies have four longitudinal mounted motors. The motors and gear units are completely suspended from the bogie frame, with a number of interspaced rubber elastic components.

The brake unit consists of one disc per wheel. Brake operation is hydraulic. In the event of an emergency, two electromagnetic rail brakes are used on all the bogies.

Carbodies

Self-supporting structure with CORTEN type steel frame, sidewalls and roof.

Continuous passenger saloon along the whole LRV, with a floor height of 350mm. The interior lining consists of moulded panels made of fibreglass reinforced polyester resin.

Lighting is fluorescent with a longitudinal arrangement on the ceiling.

Traction System

Overhead Line current collection via an electrically driven pantograph.

Double traction inverters, one for each motor end bogie, air cooled via forced convection. Inverters with IGBT Power Electronics.

Dynamic brake, rheostatic with natural convection brake resistor and regenerative with current return to the OHL.

Closed 3-phase, asynchronous type motors with squirrel cage short-circuited rotor.

The LRVs and the Passengers: ADA (American with Disabilities Act) fulfilment

The LRV has been designed to ease access to handicapped persons. The following are design items worthy of mention that improve access:

Visually Handicapped Persons

• Door and handrail chromatic contrast.

• Sound alarm indicating the position of activated doors by means of a remote control.

• Door-closure audio warning.

Persons with Motor Disabilities

• Specific wheelchair, baby pushchair area with access through a distinctively indicated door.

• Priority seats for disabled persons.

• Fixed access steps on the doors for wheelchair access.

• Door unlock buttons within reach of passengers in wheelchairs.

• Stop request press button and alarm intercom in the wheelchair area.

• Door open press buttons within reach of passengers on wheelchairs.

• Secondary hydraulic suspension.

Performance:

Emergency deceleration (m/s2): 2,5

Maximum speed (Km/h): 70

Seating places per car: (without tip-up seats) - 50, (with tip-up seats) - 56

Seating places per streetcar: Total capacity with seated passengers + with 6 p/m2 (without tip-up seats) - 282, (with tip-up seats) - 277

Service deceleration (m/s2): 1,3

Start up acceleration (m/s2): 1.3

Total power (kw): 8x61

Thank's Don G for the specs page.

FIVE articulated body sections.  That means FOUR articulations to the car.  METRO is giving up on the a-bus????????????  OK, CAF will be maintaining the cars for eight years.  But after that?  METRO's bus people say articulations are a headache to maintain.  FIVE sections would create a lot of flexing.

And CorTen steel frames.  Now, did Pullman Standard passenger cars have problems with frames with CorTen?  I think that was a reaction to the stainless steel skin.  This may not be a problem with composite bodies.

Seems the new cars are like the CAF Seville, at the CAF website.

Yes Dominic, it appears to be the Seville model.

Interesting side points:

The Siemens S70 has a max speed of 106km/hr.

The CAF has a max speed of 70km/hr.

50% faster for the Siemens.

The Siemens S70 is 96 feet long with three sections and three supporting bogies.

The CAF is 103 feet long with five sections with three supporting bogies.

The Siemens can handle 241 passengers.

The CAF is 7 feet longer and can handle 275 passengers.

More total weight on the same three bogies for the CAF.

Don G,

Any disclosure on the amount of stray current leakage created by these new vehicles?

METREAUX has circled the wagons on the stray current damage reports.  They filed a lawsuit in Austin against the TX AG to keep the damage reports secret from the public.

I went to the courthouse to get the Seimens' Motion for Summary Judgement (August 10, 2009) seeking to be released from the Texas Medical Center lawsuit.

They claim there is no way they can be touched since METREAUX owns and operates the shoddy system that they rushed to complete.

The taxpayers have to eat the losses again.

METREAUX is again rushing to complete five more unsafe, unreliable urban rail lines, at-grade.

Taxpayers can expect similar liabilities, multipled by a factor of five.

When is enough...ENOUGH!!!

Don G:

Now, can this car handle the extra weight and articulation?

I am concerned about the extra complexity vs the S-70's.

This extra weight may not be good for the track, unless the CAF's have better springing.

This is all a waste of money... By the way does anyone happen to know if the current rail fleet will ever be replaced?