Brookville to build four Milwaukee Streetcar vehicles

Progressive Railroading

Brookville to build four Milwaukee Streetcar vehicles for $18.2 million

Milwaukee city officials late last week chose Brookville Equipment Corp. to build the city's first four modern streetcar vehicles for $18.2 million.

The city has the option to purchase a fifth vehicle for the lakefront line extension, Milwaukee Streetcar officials said in a press release.

Late last month, Milwaukee received a $14.2 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER VII) grant to build that 0.7-mile extension.

Each 67-foot-long vehicle will be able to hold 150 passengers and have two doors per side. They'll also be equipped to provide access for wheelchairs and bicycles.

4.5 million per car for a trolley ??? you can get a modern 3 car LRV for less.

I really wonder if it is time to develop a standard car design for new systems that is similar in concept to the PCC car. s It seems now that they design the system and then design the (thus very pricey) car around it when designing the system around the car might be more cost effective. I can't imagine that all these brand new systems have unique special conditions that require reinventing the car every time a new system is built.

DutchRailnut wrote:4.5 million per car for a trolley ??? you can get a modern 3 car LRV for less.

in 2012, Portland paid 73m for 18 S70s.

NorthWest wrote:I really wonder if it is time to develop a standard car design for new systems that is similar in concept to the PCC car. s It seems now that they design the system and then design the (thus very pricey) car around it when designing the system around the car might be more cost effective. I can't imagine that all these brand new systems have unique special conditions that require reinventing the car every time a new system is built.

I'm sure they don't. Only reason why there won't be a new generation of PCC anytime soon: it only came about as a last-ditch effort to support both St. Louis Car Company and Pullman-Standard in the streetcar business. Without cars and buses, Brill, St. Louis, and Pullman-Standard would have all gone about their merry ways and kept building their own designs, rather than humbling themselves to work together.

150 people in one 67-foot vehicle? Is it me or does that seem like a lot? That's more passengers per foot than a school bus with 6-across seating and zero legroom.

MEC407 wrote:150 people in one 67-foot vehicle? Is it me or does that seem like a lot? That's more passengers per foot than a school bus with 6-across seating and zero legroom.

It includes standees. Still pretty high though.