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Siemens Snatches Streetcar Contract in Atlanta

One of the biggest suppliers of mass transportation vehicles in the world, German producer Siemens was awarded yet another prized contract to hang on the wall. The city of Atlanta put Siemens in charge with manufacturing four new streetcars, in a contract valued at $17.2 million.

Work of the four new vehicles will begin at Siemens' facilities in Sacramento and Alpharetta, with the first unit to be delivered in September 2012. The moment of delivery would mark a significant step both for Siemens and for the city: the new streetcars will be the first to enter operation since 1949, while marking the first time Siemens will be deploying such vehicles in the US.

The models to be deployed in Atlanta are based on the Siemens S70 light rail vehicle platform, a platform developed in the US and already used in Houston, Charlotte, San Diego, Portland and Salt Lake City. The four units will become part of the broader program set in motion by the city of Atlanta to improve traffic in the city and which calls for improving accessibility to key business destinations and event venues.

"The Atlanta Streetcar project will keep the City of Atlanta competitive with other cities by improving our transit connectivity, boosting our tourism industry, helping local businesses, and building a more sustainable future," Mayor Kasim Reed said when announcing the signing of the contract.

"Our agreement with Siemens will ensure that we have modern, world-class vehicles along the route to serve Atlanta residents and visitors for years to come."
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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