UTA auctioning historic Comet train cars to make way for future improvements

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SALT LAKE CITY — Simply six months in the past, the Utah Transit Authority decommissioned its 50-year-old Comet automobiles that had been in service since Frontrunner took its inaugural run in 2008.

Now, these quieter, extra comfy, leather-seated historic automobiles are on the market.

UTA is auctioning the cars as a result of frequent mechanical and reliability issues. And whereas the company had meant to maintain the Comet automobiles for particular occasions or days with sudden ridership spikes, it’s not possible to maintain them round, James Larson, a spokesman with the Utah Transit Authority, stated Monday. He stated they’ve been monitoring ridership ranges in preparation for the public sale and stated present ridership could be accommodated with three-car FrontRunner trains.

As a result of the Comet automobiles have been refurbished and transported utilizing federal funds, they can’t be donated. To not point out, as a way to apply for federal grants to buy $12 million value of latest rail automobiles, UTA must eliminate these previous ones.

“It’s arduous to take a position what patrons might be prepared to pay for the Comet automobiles,” Larson stated, including that UTA not too long ago auctioned off some retired buses that offered for a “truthful market worth as a result of provide shortages.”

The auction began Monday morning and can proceed by way of Nov. 1, based on UTA. A $750 deposit is required to make a bid with TNT Public sale Inc., positioned at 2353 N. Redwood Street, which is dealing with public sale companies for UTA. Choose-up and transport of the automobiles can be as much as the patrons.

UTA acquired its fleet of 25 Comet automobiles from the New Jersey Transit for $35,000, previous to the launch of FrontRunner in 2008. All the automobiles have been constructed by Pullman-Commonplace within the early Seventies. After the fleet of automobiles was acquired, UTA spent $400,000 refurbishing them — less expensive than the $2.2 million spent for the newer automobiles on the practice.

As elements for the Comet automobiles are not manufactured and are tougher to search out, UTA determined in April to save lots of the as much as $800,000 spent yearly to maintain the Comet automobiles going.

On the time, UTA stated eradicating the Comet automobiles would make FrontRunner extra accessible, because the previous, single-level automobiles required steps to get inside.

Of the 25 on consignment by way of federal funding, Larson stated, eight of the Comet automobiles might be offered for elements and the remaining might be offered as is to the best bidders.

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