John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) It has yet to charge its customers a single penny to ride, but D.C.’s Streetcar program appears set to cost the city even more money than expected.
In decoments set to be discussed at a City Council hearing Tuesday, the DC Department of Transportation says there have been problems acquiring spare parts to keep the city’s fleet of six streetcars operational – essentially because one manufacturer is now out of business, and the other is out of the country overseas.
DDOT officials wrote that the long-term parts availability will likely require reverse engineering parts. The agency said it’s exploring a strategy of acquiring vehicles in the future that considers the feasibility of disposal of the current fleet.
Federal Transit Administration guidelines set a streetcar’s typical lifespan at more than 30 years. DC’s oldest cars were built in 2004.
Long-term budget plans call for at least $25 million in new streetcars to be purchased over several years.
Copyright 2018 by WMAL.com. (PHOTO: DC Streetcar)
