OCEAN CITY – A committee tasked with researching tram models that will replace the aging Boardwalk fleet has brought two refurbishment options to the table as the deadline to determine what fuel source should be added to the new tram facility on 2nd Street and St. Louis Avenue looms.
In a Transportation Committee meeting Tuesday, Public Works Director Hal Adkins explained that the Tram Replacement Committee – composed of representatives from the finance, budgeting, procurement, engineering and transportation departments – is exploring two additional options that would rehabilitate the town’s existing fleet.
The first option would be to refurbish both the motor coaches and trailing units of all eight trams. The second option would be to refurbish the trailing units, but replace the motor coaches.
If city officials choose this option, Adkins said the process would take multiple years to complete, as trams would be needed to service the Winterfest of Lights production during the holiday season.
“As much as I would like to send them all away and get them done, I can’t do it,” he said. “It would have to be in increments of two at a time.”
Transit Manager Mark Rickards said the committee has yet to explore the costs of refurbishing the existing fleet, but added they would be meeting again later this month to discuss it.
The four existing options will be to replace the entire fleet with gasoline, diesel or electric powered trams or to take no action at all.
At last month’s meeting, Rickards shared estimations for the costs of replacing the fleet. A gasoline model similar to the one already in use will cost between $1.7 million and $1.8 million. A diesel model will cost approximately $2.2 million and an electric model will cost between $4 million and $4.5 million.
With additional timing, safety, and capacity issues to consider, Adkins said the Tram Replacement Committee has yet to make a recommendation on a specific option. Adkins has placed a 60-day parameter for making a decision on the Boardwalk tram fleet.
He explained that in order to move the trams to a new location on 2nd Street and St. Louis Avenue by next spring, crews would have to start constructing the building in October.
Adkins said officials are close to selecting an architectural engineering firm to design the building, but explained that decisions on the Boardwalk tram replacement was a time-sensitive issue.
“At some point in that design process I need to make a determination on whether I’m putting a 1,000-gallon fuel tank down there or electrical charging stations,” he said. “So that’s where we are headed.”
Although the selection of a fuel source would need to be complete in the next 60 days, Adkins said he had until late summer to place an order for replacing the trams by next season, if that is the action city officials take.
Mayor Rick Meehan, chair of the Transportation Committee, agreed that something should be done to address the aging fleet.
“I think all options need to be looked at,” he said. “I think it’s obvious we need to take some action, or begin to take some action.”
Councilman Tony DeLuca questioned if there was a need to take immediate action on the trams, but Adkins said the committee was taking precautions for the future.
“I hear you loud and clear when it comes to a need versus a want,” Adkins said. “I just don’t want to push it so far that mid-season I’m blowing motors out of these and revenue plummets and your service level plummet.”
Rickards said this season will be the fleet’s 13th year of operation.
“The original lives of those are seven years, but because we use them seasonally, we extend that out,” he said. “On our current ones we are at the useful life. The rust underneath the body of both the trailers and the power units is substantial.”
Both Meehan and DeLuca suggested to Rickards that the committee create a list of all the proposed options, costs, paybacks, useful life projections and expected revenue if officials decide to raise the price on tram rides.
“There are a lot of moving parts here to analyze,” Councilman Dennis Dare said.
