UK train manufacturer sends second set of Class 230 battery stock to the US
Vivarail, a British rolling stock manufacturer, has sent a second set of battery train stock across the Atlantic, as the US looks set to break new ground with the “Pop-Up Metro” concept. Two cars were recently shipped to Baltimore to join their sisters in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania. The intention is to lease the trains for use in under-utilised lines across the US to pursue “Pop-Up Metro” routes, offering lower cost, lower risk, faster starts of rail-based transit services in the Americas.
Henry Posner III, Chairman of Vivarail shareholder Railroad Development Corporation, said: “There’s a lot of excitement about the possibilities that our Pop-Up Metro proposition brings to the Americas.
“With two trains we are now positioned to act on multiple opportunities at the same time. This is critical in positioning Pop-Up Metro as an alternative for the industry at a time when both rail access and decarbonisation have become national priorities. It also helps that the trains are stylish and comfortable.”
Steve McBride, Managing Director of Vivarail, said: “We’re incredibly proud that the technology we created in the UK is leading the way for battery-powered train operations in the Americas. This opens up a new market for Vivarail’s technology and shows that battery-power is a viable and efficient solution to decarbonise the railway.”
Vivarail was founded in 2012 by UK entrepreneur Adrian Shooter and US railway investment and management company Railroad Development Corp. Based in Southam, the company aims to become a world-class innovator and provider of zero-emission mobility solutions for the benefit of future generations across the globe. Vivarail has built trains for Transport for Wales, South Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.
In 2021, the company provided a demonstration train at COP26 and its train became the first emission-free train to go over the Forth Bridge. Vivarail is working with Great Western Railways to deliver the first UK battery train in regular passenger service on the Greenford West Ealing route later this year. It will include another ‘first’ which will be the installation of an automatic fast charging facility.
