Sound Transit (www.soundtransit.org), which runs the transport system in Seattle and the Central Puget Sound area in the US state of Washington, has placed an order with German industrial giant Siemens (/www.siemens.com) for 30 additional S70-type light rail vehicles (LRVs). With this order, Sound Transit is exercising an option that was part of a contract signed in 2016.

The original contract was for 122 LRVs; this new order will bring the total to 152. The trains will be built at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, California, and the first LRV is expected to arrive in early 2019.

Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff said: “These additional vehicles will ensure that we are ready to launch services on two light-rail extensions in 2024. The new vehicles will have a more spacious interior, with extra room for passengers. They will also have more space for luggage, hooks for up to four bicycles per vehicle and an energy-efficient LED lighting system.”

Sandra Gott-Karlbauer, CEO of Siemens Urban Transport, said: “Light-rail systems play an essential role in helping cities to reduce congestion, spur economic development and manage population growth. We provide tailor-made transportation solutions for cities around the world.”