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BART Maintenance Crew Wins Mechanics' Competition At International Rail Rodeo

CONCORD (KCBS)— A BART maintenance crew has bragging rights after winning the top prize at this year's International Rail Rodeo in Montreal, Canada. That may sound like it involves livestock, but it's actually a competition for top mechanics.

The winning trio of mechanics is well-versed in fixing door jams, a constant problem for BART maintenance crews.

BART General Manager Grace Crunican spoke proudly of her workers who the honors at the American Public Transportation Association's event. She said she understands that customers need to get on the train, but that often times in their attempts they are blocked by the crowds of people who ride BART and the doors get damaged in the process.

BART Maintenance Crew Wins Mechanic Competition At International Rail Rodeo

"The whole train has to empty out" she said. Nonetheless, BART crews accomplished an impressive feat, considering the fleet of trains they work with are 40 years old. Crunican spoke from the Concord maintenance yard and called the trains "beyond old", "ancient" even. Winning mechanic Dan Paris was also on hand in the yard.

He said when he goes to the event; he gets to see the other modern trains including the, "latest and greatest stuff", which he called "simpler" and more "streamlined".

A new fleet of BART trains will go into service in 2017.

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