First new BART train rolls toward Bay Area

One of BART’s newly-built trains is now heading home.

The transit agency said Monday that the first newly completed BART train is now on a flatbed truck heading from Plattsburgh, N.Y. to a BART testing facility in Hayward.

Bombardier Transit Corporation, which is building BART’s “fleet of the future,” provided video to the transit agency of the company preparing the shipment of BART’s first new train last week. The 65,500 pound train will travel approximately 3,600 miles to the Bay Area.

BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said in a statement:

“There couldn’t be a better visual to remind the public that crowding relief is on its way at BART than the very first train car arriving for everyone to see.”

Once the new train arrives at BART’s facility, the train, numbered 3001x, will undergo a number of tests for several months before it gets put into service. BART plans to get its first train up and going by December of this year.

Nine more pilot cars is set to arrive this year, according to the transit agency’s website.

BART has touted that the new trains are quieter, more comfortable and providing more space for passengers.

It’s no secret that overcrowding inside BART trains is a problem right now.

BART has ordered a total 775 trains at a cost of $2.5 billion and will arrive between this year through 2021.