First MARTA train car being transferred to land in New Orleans

This is the moment the first Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority train car was transferred to land in New Orleans after its departure from France. The trains for MARTA’s Rapid Transit track were manufactured by Société Franco-Belge. Surprisingly, the trains were not manufactured in the United States. Although the train was not completed in the U.S. many of the components were manufactured in the U.S. The firm was given 54.2 million dollars to build 120 rail cars. MARTA staff worked closely with the manufacturer of the trains. Since the first railcar order, there have been three other different models in service and a new one set to be running in 2023. The original train cars were created from extruded aluminum and the second batch of train cars was created with stainless steel. Each has aimed to maintain the aesthetic of the original train cars. The trains have evolved, incorporating new technology and improved safety features over time. Each time a new train cart was desired MARTA would issue a request-for-proposal which allowed the selection of the best technology and manufacture. The system uses two rails to guide the train along the tracks and a third electrified rail to power the trains AC motors. The delivered trains underwent extensive testing at the manufacturing plant and in Atlanta on the rails. The original cars were seventy-five feet long. The train cars were controlled by a centrally controlled system. All cart positions and speeds were communicated to the central control and all vehicles could be controlled by the central control.

Works Cited:

marta0149, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Digital Collection, Georgia State University Library. 

Stupich, Martin. “Crane Lifting a MARTA Car.” Atlanta History Center, Atlanta History Center, 2006, http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/Stupich/id/8.