United Streetcar
Encyclopedia
United Streetcar, LLC, is a manufacturer of streetcars
, located in the Clackamas
area in the southeastern suburbs of Portland, Oregon
, United States
. It is the only U.S. company building modern streetcars, as distinct from light rail
cars or new replicas of historic streetcars. United Streetcar is a limited liability company
and is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
(OIW), which has been in business since 1944. It was originally reported to have been established in early 2007, after OIW was the successful bidder for a contract to construct a prototype streetcar for the city of Portland, but in 2010 the company clarified that it had been formed in December 2005. The company completed its first streetcar in 2009 and has received orders for additional cars.
system had purchased vehicles built only by foreign manufacturers, possibly due to the absence of any U.S.-based manufacturers of modern streetcars.
In 2005, Congress
approved a federal
transportation spending bill which included a US$
4 million grant to TriMet
for the acquisition, on behalf of the city of Portland
, of a prototype domestically manufactured streetcar. With a goal of fostering the domestic production of modern streetcars, the grant had been added into the $286 billion spending bill by Oregon Congressman
Peter DeFazio
, but did not specify a particular company to be the recipient.
In August 2006, the city of Portland
issued a Request for Proposals for the provision of a prototype low-floor streetcar
compatible with Portland Streetcar's existing fleet. In anticipation of this, OIW signed a "technology transfer agreement" in February 2006 with Škoda
, the Czech
company which had built Portland's first seven streetcars, in order to permit OIW to manufacture a streetcar to the existing Škoda 10T
design but with mostly U.S. components and assembly. Only two formal proposals were received by the city, and after that of the other bidder was "deemed not to have met the minimum requirement", the contract was awarded to Oregon Iron Works, in January 2007. OIW then announced that it had created a new subsidiary, United Streetcar, LLC, to handle streetcar manufacturing. The value of the contract was $3.2 million, with the balance of the special $4 million federal
grant being used to fund the city's costs to administer the grant and oversee the project.
district on July 1, 2009.
Numbered 015 in the Portland Streetcar fleet, it is the first modern streetcar built in the United States since 1952, since the last PCC streetcar
for the San Francisco Municipal Railway
. It uses the Škoda 10T
design, under license from the Czech manufacturer, and is model variant 10T3. The propulsion equipment—the motors and electronic control system—were fabricated by Škoda, but installation took place at OIW’s/United Streetcar’s plant in the United States, and most other components were fabricated by United Streetcar or supplied by other U.S. companies. Overall, the prototype streetcar has about 70 percent U.S. content, enough to make the car's procurement compliant with federal "Buy America" provisions .
As with the earlier, Czech-built versions of the Škoda 10T, the United Streetcar 10T3 is a four-axle, bi-directional, low-floor
streetcar with three doors on each side and wheelchair ramps extending (on demand) from one door per side. It is 66 feet (20.13 m) long and 8 feet (2.46 m) wide and has a maximum speed of 44 mph (70 km/h). In 2010, the company dropped the 10T3 designation in favor of a new model designation, "100", in connection with a decision to use different propulsion equipment in future orders, as described below.
, a U.S. company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. The propulsion system is the high-tech electronic equipment which controls and coordinates the operation of the car's motors and other key operating components. Car 015's propulsion-control system was made by Škoda, whereas all 10 earlier Portland streetcars—even the seven cars built by Škoda—had control systems supplied by ELIN EBG Traction, an Austrian company (and only installed by Škoda). During acceptance testing of car 015 in late summer and autumn 2009, certain (unspecified) problems were encountered, and Škoda and Portland Streetcar were unable to reach agreement on resolving them. This issue, together with a desire by PS, United Streetcar and others to increase further the U.S. content of streetcars built by United Streetcar, led to discussions between Rockwell Automation and the various interested parties in Portland on the possibility and feasibility of Rockwell designing a control system for the United Streetcar design. In April 2010, the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) approved a $2.4-million grant, to be matched by $600,000 in local money, to fund the replacement of car 015's control equipment with new equipment to be designed by Rockwell Automation. The intention is that, if the partnership with Rockwell proves successful, eventually all streetcars built by United Streetcar would use the U.S.-made Rockwell propulsion system. The change will increase the overall U.S. content of the car from around 70% to around 90%, and this was the main factor in gaining federal officials' approval of the $2.4 million in "research funds" needed to allow project to proceed.
Prototype streetcar 015 was transported back to the OIW/United Streetcar factory in May 2010 and is projected to return in July 2011, fitted with the Rockwell system and ready for testing.
supplied by Siemens
, which has a U.S. factory, instead of by Škoda. These will be United Streetcar model "100", and the first car is targeted for delivery in February 2012.
Also, a contract for $26 million was signed on June 7, 2010 by the city of Tucson, Arizona
and United Streetcar for an order of seven streetcars to be used on a planned new modern streetcar line there. The original announcement was made in May 2009, but the Tucson project was still awaiting FTA
approval at that time. FTA approved the plans in late September 2009 and (jointly with the US DOT
) granted $69 million in early 2010 to help complete the project.
The Tucson cars will be model variant 200, the main difference from model 100 being a more powerful air-conditioning
system.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, located in the Clackamas
Clackamas, Oregon
Clackamas was a census-designated place in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,177 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Portland, Oregon.It is the location of Camp Withycombe, a military base...
area in the southeastern suburbs of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the only U.S. company building modern streetcars, as distinct from light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
cars or new replicas of historic streetcars. United Streetcar is a limited liability company
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
and is a wholly owned subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
Oregon Iron Works
Oregon Iron Works, Inc. is a United States-based manufacturer of complex structural components and systems and specialized vehicles, located in the Clackamas area in the southeastern suburbs of Portland, Oregon...
(OIW), which has been in business since 1944. It was originally reported to have been established in early 2007, after OIW was the successful bidder for a contract to construct a prototype streetcar for the city of Portland, but in 2010 the company clarified that it had been formed in December 2005. The company completed its first streetcar in 2009 and has received orders for additional cars.
History
Oregon Iron Works, a specialized manufacturer of complex structural components and systems, began considering entering the field of streetcar manufacturing in 2004, after realizing that the Portland StreetcarPortland Streetcar
The Portland Streetcar is a streetcar system in Portland, Oregon, that opened in 2001 and serves areas surrounding downtown Portland. It is currently a single line that is almost long and serves some 12,000 daily riders, but a second line is expected to open in 2012.As with the heavier-duty MAX...
system had purchased vehicles built only by foreign manufacturers, possibly due to the absence of any U.S.-based manufacturers of modern streetcars.
In 2005, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
approved a federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
transportation spending bill which included a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
4 million grant to TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
for the acquisition, on behalf of the city of Portland
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
, of a prototype domestically manufactured streetcar. With a goal of fostering the domestic production of modern streetcars, the grant had been added into the $286 billion spending bill by Oregon Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Peter DeFazio
Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazio is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg and part of Corvallis. As Oregon's most senior member of Congress, he is the dean of Oregon's House of Representatives delegation...
, but did not specify a particular company to be the recipient.
In August 2006, the city of Portland
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
issued a Request for Proposals for the provision of a prototype low-floor streetcar
Low-floor tram
A low-floor tram is a tram that has no stair steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. The low-floor design improves the accessibility of the tram for the public, and also may provide larger windows and more airspace....
compatible with Portland Streetcar's existing fleet. In anticipation of this, OIW signed a "technology transfer agreement" in February 2006 with Škoda
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
, the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
company which had built Portland's first seven streetcars, in order to permit OIW to manufacture a streetcar to the existing Škoda 10T
Škoda 10 T
The Škoda 10 T is a three-carbody-section low-floor bi-directional tram, developed by Škoda.The vehicle is four-axled, and is based on the Škoda 03 T, a uni-directional model operating in a few cities in the Czech Republic...
design but with mostly U.S. components and assembly. Only two formal proposals were received by the city, and after that of the other bidder was "deemed not to have met the minimum requirement", the contract was awarded to Oregon Iron Works, in January 2007. OIW then announced that it had created a new subsidiary, United Streetcar, LLC, to handle streetcar manufacturing. The value of the contract was $3.2 million, with the balance of the special $4 million federal
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
grant being used to fund the city's costs to administer the grant and oversee the project.
Prototype vehicle completion
Construction of the prototype streetcar was undertaken at OIW's Clackamas facility (one of two OIW manufacturing facilities). The car was completed in June 2009 and was introduced to the public and the media at a ceremony held in Portland's South WaterfrontSouth Waterfront
The South Waterfront is a high-rise district under construction on former brownfield industrial land in the South Portland neighborhood south of downtown Portland, Oregon, U.S. It is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the United States...
district on July 1, 2009.
Numbered 015 in the Portland Streetcar fleet, it is the first modern streetcar built in the United States since 1952, since the last PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
for the San Francisco Municipal Railway
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
. It uses the Škoda 10T
Škoda 10 T
The Škoda 10 T is a three-carbody-section low-floor bi-directional tram, developed by Škoda.The vehicle is four-axled, and is based on the Škoda 03 T, a uni-directional model operating in a few cities in the Czech Republic...
design, under license from the Czech manufacturer, and is model variant 10T3. The propulsion equipment—the motors and electronic control system—were fabricated by Škoda, but installation took place at OIW’s/United Streetcar’s plant in the United States, and most other components were fabricated by United Streetcar or supplied by other U.S. companies. Overall, the prototype streetcar has about 70 percent U.S. content, enough to make the car's procurement compliant with federal "Buy America" provisions .
As with the earlier, Czech-built versions of the Škoda 10T, the United Streetcar 10T3 is a four-axle, bi-directional, low-floor
Low-floor tram
A low-floor tram is a tram that has no stair steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. The low-floor design improves the accessibility of the tram for the public, and also may provide larger windows and more airspace....
streetcar with three doors on each side and wheelchair ramps extending (on demand) from one door per side. It is 66 feet (20.13 m) long and 8 feet (2.46 m) wide and has a maximum speed of 44 mph (70 km/h). In 2010, the company dropped the 10T3 designation in favor of a new model designation, "100", in connection with a decision to use different propulsion equipment in future orders, as described below.
Change in propulsion system
In 2010, the city of Portland decided to amend its contract with United Streetcar/Oregon Iron Works, to replace the prototype car's Škoda-made propulsion-control system with a new system to be designed by Rockwell AutomationRockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is a global provider of industrial automation, power, control and information solutions. Brands in industrial automation include Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Software....
, a U.S. company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The propulsion system is the high-tech electronic equipment which controls and coordinates the operation of the car's motors and other key operating components. Car 015's propulsion-control system was made by Škoda, whereas all 10 earlier Portland streetcars—even the seven cars built by Škoda—had control systems supplied by ELIN EBG Traction, an Austrian company (and only installed by Škoda). During acceptance testing of car 015 in late summer and autumn 2009, certain (unspecified) problems were encountered, and Škoda and Portland Streetcar were unable to reach agreement on resolving them. This issue, together with a desire by PS, United Streetcar and others to increase further the U.S. content of streetcars built by United Streetcar, led to discussions between Rockwell Automation and the various interested parties in Portland on the possibility and feasibility of Rockwell designing a control system for the United Streetcar design. In April 2010, the Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
(FTA) approved a $2.4-million grant, to be matched by $600,000 in local money, to fund the replacement of car 015's control equipment with new equipment to be designed by Rockwell Automation. The intention is that, if the partnership with Rockwell proves successful, eventually all streetcars built by United Streetcar would use the U.S.-made Rockwell propulsion system. The change will increase the overall U.S. content of the car from around 70% to around 90%, and this was the main factor in gaining federal officials' approval of the $2.4 million in "research funds" needed to allow project to proceed.
Prototype streetcar 015 was transported back to the OIW/United Streetcar factory in May 2010 and is projected to return in July 2011, fitted with the Rockwell system and ready for testing.
Current orders
In spring 2009, the city of Portland announced that it had chosen United Streetcar for an order of six streetcars for a planned expansion of the Portland Streetcar system to the city's east side, and a $20 million contract for this order was signed in August 2009. In light of Portland's subsequent dissatisfaction with the Škoda propulsion system, the city decided in 2010 to modify the OIW/United Streetcar contract for these six cars, to substitute equipment from ELIN EBG Traction for the originally planned Škoda equipment, which will delay their completion. The cars will receive motorsTraction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
supplied by Siemens
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
, which has a U.S. factory, instead of by Škoda. These will be United Streetcar model "100", and the first car is targeted for delivery in February 2012.
Also, a contract for $26 million was signed on June 7, 2010 by the city of Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
and United Streetcar for an order of seven streetcars to be used on a planned new modern streetcar line there. The original announcement was made in May 2009, but the Tucson project was still awaiting FTA
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
approval at that time. FTA approved the plans in late September 2009 and (jointly with the US DOT
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
) granted $69 million in early 2010 to help complete the project.
The Tucson cars will be model variant 200, the main difference from model 100 being a more powerful air-conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
system.
See also
- Electric Transit, Inc.Electric Transit, Inc.Electric Transit, Inc. was a joint venture between the Škoda group in the Czech Republic and AAI Corporation in the United States which made trolleybuses for the Dayton and San Francisco trolleybus systems, constructing a total of 330 trolleybuses. ETI was formed in 1994, and ownership was divided...
– another joint venture between a US company and Škoda - Streetcars in North AmericaStreetcars in North AmericaElectric streetcars—trams outside North America—once were the chief mode of public transit in scores of North American cities. Most municipal systems were dismantled in the mid-20th century....
- Škoda 03 T
- Škoda 10 TŠkoda 10 TThe Škoda 10 T is a three-carbody-section low-floor bi-directional tram, developed by Škoda.The vehicle is four-axled, and is based on the Škoda 03 T, a uni-directional model operating in a few cities in the Czech Republic...
- Škoda 15 TŠkoda 15 TŠkoda 15T is a 100% low floor tram developed by Škoda for the Transport Company of Prague in the years 2005-2008. The order and subsequent construction was influenced by experiences with operation of the Škoda 14 T in the Prague tram network...
External links
- Oregon Iron Works page on United Streetcar (see infobox above for main website)