Tuesday, September 16, 2003

By Joe Grata, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

If you noticed a trolley yesterday rumbling over part of the Overbrook light-rail line that's under construction, you weren't seeing things.

In fact, the number of trolleys using the first mile of the 5.5-mile line south of South Hills Junction will grow in coming weeks as the Port Authority begins to "power up" for passenger operations in the Route 51 and Route 88 corridors in another nine months.

"June 2004 is the magic date and we're still on schedule ... a very aggressive schedule," said Steve Banta, the authority's director of rail services.

Yesterday, the authority used a diesel-powered rail maintenance machine for a "dead pull," that is, slowly pulling one of the 85-foot light-rail vehicles over the new tracks for the first time to check various clearances and track gauge.

The test took place in both directions between the junction and Denise stop, using approximately one mile of double track built into the hillside above Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

Oct. 15 is the next milestone for the $500 million project, known as "Stage II" of overall light-rail reconstruction in Downtown and in the South Hills.

That is not only when LRVs are to run on their own, drawing electricity from 650-volt overhead lines, but also when the first tests will be run on new signals, communications and other components being linked to an improved system control center at South Hills Village.

Meanwhile, the Port Authority is keeping its fingers crossed about progress on a $151 million contract to buy 28 new LRVs and rehabilitate the present 55-car fleet that's approaching its 20-year-old mark.

The prime contractor, CAF USA Inc., the American affiliate of a Spain-based rail car builder, has delayed finishing and shipping the prototype LRV on several occasions.

The revised schedule now calls for the vehicle to arrive in Pittsburgh during the last week of October after a three-week journey from CAF's plant near Madrid via ocean freighter and two tractor-trailers.

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