TRAX adds 29 cars; UTA center expands

MIDVALE — The Utah Transit Authority recently added 29 used light-rail vehicles to its fleet, bringing the total of TRAX vehicles to 69.

UTA can now put more four-car trains onto the system in times of peak demand, like rush hours and big events at the University of Utah and Delta Center.

UTA has solved the problem of where to put the vehicles by using about $6 million it saved from constructing the original north-south line five years ago — and a two-phase extension to the University of Utah and U. Medical Center — to expand its rail service center, or maintenance facility, in Midvale.

"The expansion will allow us to continue to, number one, provide safe reliable service and, two, to also provide that service in the most cost-efficient manner that we can," said UTA rail service general manager Paul O'Brien.

The expansion will be unveiled in a ceremony Saturday, Dec. 4, at 1 p.m. at the service center, 613 W. 6960 South, in Midvale. The ceremony also will mark the five-year anniversary of TRAX.

The expansion was made possible by UTA's purchase of Salt Lake County land just south of its existing facility. The transit authority built a 15,000-square-foot building there and moved its maintenance-of-way department (equipment, track maintenance staff and a small shop) out of the service center and into the new structure.

It also extended its eight storage tracks from one block in length to two blocks in length, providing more room and flexibility in storing TRAX vehicles.

The 94,000-square-foot service center is now dedicated entirely to the cleaning, repair and service of TRAX vehicles.

"It allows us to now move into what we call heavy repair," O'Brien said. "Now that the (40 original) cars have been out there for five years and have accumulated a lot of miles, it's time for us to do more than just a tune-up and an oil change. Now we need to actually do some heavier work on the trucks, motors and gear boxes and things that will keep the cars running for the next 25 years."

UTA chief capital development officer Mike Allegra said the expansion essentially doubles the size of the maintenance facility.

"We've gone from a capacity of a 40-vehicle system to approximately 100," he said, adding that the refurbished maintenance facility should be able to handle the load of two more proposed light-rail extensions.