Sandy residents who ride TRAX to catch FrontRunner could see shorter waits and newer trains as early as 2030, after Utah transportation officials selected a local manufacturer to build at least 10 commuter rail vehicles in a deal valued at $328.3 million. The contract is not yet final.
The Utah Department of Transportation chose Stadler Rail, a Swiss company that operates a manufacturing plant on Salt Lake City's west side, to supply the new diesel-powered trains, according to public procurement records reported by the Salt Lake Tribune on July 20. A state evaluation committee determined Stadler's bid provided "the best value to the state." Stadler was the only company to submit a bid.
UDOT spokesperson Mitch Shaw told the Tribune the agency does not discuss procurement contracts still in process. Stadler spokesperson Charlotte Thalhammer said the two sides are still meeting to work out specifics and won't know the exact vehicle type for another couple of months.
What it means for Sandy riders
Sandy does not have a FrontRunner station. Residents connect to the commuter rail line by riding the TRAX Blue Line to Murray Central or Salt Lake Central. The upgrade matters because FrontRunner is already at 90% capacity during peak hours, according to UTA's FrontRunner 2X fact sheet, and trains run only every 30 minutes at rush hour and every 60 minutes at other times.
Once the new trains and 26.1 miles of added double track are complete, peak service would jump to every 15 minutes and all-day service to every 30 minutes, according to the FrontRunner 2X project website. UTA projects ridership will increase 53%.
Timeline and funding
The trains are one piece of the $3.2 billion FrontRunner 2X project, which also calls for double-tracking in 11 sections and a new maintenance facility. The funding split: $2.1 billion in anticipated federal grants and $1.1 billion in local dollars. The project timeline on UTA's website assumes federal grant approval in 2027, with construction running through 2030.
State officials told the Tribune they don't expect the new tracks and trains to begin service for at least four years from July 2026. Train manufacturing, delivery, and testing alone is expected to take about three years, according to the FrontRunner 2X project website.
The Tribune reported the likely vehicle is Stadler's FLIRT model, a multiple-car train with on-board diesel engines rather than a separate locomotive. The FLIRT can also be built as a diesel-battery hybrid. Similar trains already run on commuter routes in Dallas and San Bernardino County, California. The current FrontRunner trains have been in service since the line opened in 2008.
A draft purchasing contract gives the state the option to order up to 40 additional trains beyond the initial 10, plus a driver training simulator.
FrontRunner runs 83 miles from Ogden to Provo and keeps nearly 14,000 cars off Utah highways each weekday, according to UTA data.
Residents can sign up for project updates at frontrunner2x.utah.gov. No public meetings for the FrontRunner 2X project are currently scheduled.
