July 5, 2000
Light rail is recovering more than 40 percent of its operating costs from the fare box. That's ten percent higher than TRAX had projected when the trains began running almost eight months ago.
But the trains are not without some "bugaboos."
News Specialist Ed Yeates says expect some changes on board, next year.
When a piece of equipment called a relay failed in a Trax train this morning, the next train down the line had to double up. Passengers were squeezed inside like sardines.
PAUL O'BRIEN, UTAH TRANSIT AUTHORITY: "IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING ACTUALLY. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE MORE CARS AND BETTER SERVICE, BUT WE'RE QUITE FRANKLY MAXED OUT. WE ARE RUNNING EVERYTHING WE CAN."
Because Trax has no surplus cars, one train down even for a few hours can create a major headache.
But Paul O'Brien says take heart. Even though Seaman's trains have an excellent track record and breakdowns have been few and far between over the past eight months, new trains now on the assembly line will have major improvements.
New air conditioning systems will replace these older units which haven't been working too well.
Bi-fold doors which can stall a train are out too! Doors on the new trains take on a European look and will work much better.
"THEY'RE ACTUALLY SLIDING DOORS. THE DOORS WILL POP OUT JUST SLIGHTLY FROM THE CAR AND SLIDE ALONG THE SIDE."
ED YEATES, EYEWITNESS NEWS: "ANOTHER CHANGE IN THE NEW TRAINS. INSTEAD OF FACING EACH OTHER AS PASSENGERS DO NOW, EVERYONE WILL FACE ONE DIRECTION."
Some passengers have complained about the face-to-face seating arrangement and lack of knee room. New seating will also prevent excess wear from those who insist on putting their feet on the seat in front of them.
Trax employees in the maintenance center are also coming up with their own ideas and inventions, like a shampooing rack for cleaning seat pads and backs. The rack prevents train delays and guarantees a dry seat the next morning.
Eight months and getting better. O'Brien says that's where Trax is going. The first new train, incidentally, arrives a year from now.
O'Brien says the new trains will also use a different kind of electric motor, which is more efficient and uses less electricity.
