The
bilevel car (
North American EnglishNorth American English is the variety of the English language of North America, including that of the United States and Canada. Because of their shared histories and the similarities between the pronunciation, vocabulary and accent of American English and Canadian English, the two spoken languages...
) or
double-decker (British English) increases the passenger or freight capacity of a train without lengthening a train.
Capacity improvement and station length
Once the maximum train length and trains per hour at a station are achieved, then double decker cars are the only way to avoid building new rail lines. This is usually done by putting the lower floor between the wheels, closer to the rails, and then adding an upper floor above. This design fits under more
bridgeA bridge is a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. Designs of bridges vary depending on the function of the bridge and the nature of the terrain where the bridge is constructed.-History:The first...
s,
tunnelA tunnel is an underground passageway. The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon. However, in general tunnels are at least twice as long as they are wide. In addition, they should be completely enclosed on all sides, save for the openings at each end...
s and
power wiresA railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
(
structure gaugeThe structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum size of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum size of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse...
). For cost and safety, this design also minimizes car height (
loading gaugeA loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
) and lowers the center of gravity. There are two basic designs for bilevel cars. High platforms use "split level" design. Low platforms use "two floor" for level entry onto the lower floor. Occasionally a third, very tall "two floors over-wheel" design is used. This is a traditional single floor car "with a second story" design with steps from low platforms up to a traditional floor height.
Platform height and floor height issues
There are four important height measurements above the railhead:
platform heightThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
, traditional
floor heightThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
, downstairs floor height and upstairs floor height.
Platform heightThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
determines the level entry height for wheeled objects, such as luggage, strollers, wheelchairs and bicycles. Platform height is ideally standardized across all stations the train serves. Traditional rail car
floor heightThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
matters for end doors connecting to existing single floor rail cars. Downstairs or lowest floor height is primarily determined by the thickness of the beams connecting the span between the wheels and bogies (trucks) of a rail car. The upstairs floor or highest floor height is above the lowest floor and must fit under bridges and tunnels. Level entry floor height must match the platform height. Hopefully either the traditional or downstairs floor height already matches the platform height. Despite the name "bilevel" or "double decker", for maximum compatibility the rail car will have up to four different floor heights. Using outside steps to avoid having a level entry from the platform is troublesome.
Common High Platform Design
Most
high platformThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
trains have level entry over the
bogieA bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar tracked...
with stairs inside the car for the upstairs and downstairs double decker floors. These cars are designed for high platform rail line, such as all the existing stations with a standardized high platform and the rolling stock end doors that connect to any traditional single floor car and even roof line aerodynamics. There are three floor heights (upstairs, downstairs, and platform levels) in these "split level" cars. The entry level floor area has to be big enough to hold wheel chairs, children push-carts, and even wheeled luggage. This high platform "split level" double decker design is the preferred design in urban and commuter applications, and can be designed to matched to any
rail platform heightThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
. Car roof lines lengthwise are sloped at each end (not flat) for aerodynamic connection to single level cars and the space is unused. Bombardier commuter cars are high.
Common Low Platform Design
Most
low platformThe height of a railway platform varies between railway systems. The height can be expressed as two measurements Train Platform Height and Train Floor Height, both from the top of the rail. There are a very wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights, far more than rail...
double decker trains have level entry onto the lower level of the car, allowing wheelchair access. There are two floor heights (upstairs and downstairs) in these "bilevel" cars. There is a staircase between floors inside the car. Connecting doors between cars are at the (higher) upper floor height and not at the traditional height. These low platform cars use low platform stations across the Western US, because the traditional single floor trains all had exterior entry steps to maximize flexibility (emergency and temporary stops) and minimize infrastructure costs. There are no examples of two floor platforms, so there are no platform doors on the upper floor. Car roof lines lengthwise are flat for connecting doors to the upstairs of bi-level cars. Connecting directly to a single level car causes drag and connecting door problems. Bombardier Amtrak Superliner is tall.
Uncommon Very Tall Design
There are several very tall bilevel cars (e.g. Colorado Rail has or 6033 mm). They typically are described as a traditional rail car with a second story. Most of these cars serve low platforms so have exterior steps up to the traditional "over-wheel" floor height (e.g. US . End doors connect at the traditional height of existing rolling stock. Some cars have upstairs end doors as well. Upstairs and downstairs connect by interior stairs. These cars can fit the most able people, but lack level entry. Some cars are self-propelled Multiple Units so using traditional floor heights appears fixed. In towed cars it is possible to lower the downstairs floor between the wheels/bogies so that level entry is possible with more than 500 mm of added headroom and interior steps from that floor to the traditional floor.
Containers
Similarly, one may also have bilevel cargo transport. In
intermodal freight transportIntermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
, many modern types of
containerContainerization is a system of intermodal freight transport using standard intermodal containers that are standardised by the International Organization for Standardization...
well cars cars are designed to accommodate "double-stacking." Where passengers and freight rail use the same lines, containers may have required increasing the lines structure gauge. But passengers and freight are usually separated. Containers are wide and tall or sometimes tall. Therefore double stack freight is 17, 18 or above well car floor height.
Alternatives
The alternatives to double decker cars are usually explored first, before going double decker.
- Add cars to existing trains: this works until platform and siding capacity has been used. Until that occurs, lengthening trains is preferable to changing the loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
and structure gaugeThe structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum size of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum size of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse...
of the rail line. Longer cars (without changing structure gauge) does not add much, because cars are often required to be narrower to negotiate curves. In countries with larger structure gauges for freight traffic (such as the United States) this is often less of a concern.
- More trains: increase the frequency of trains scheduled. This added flexibility compared to the same capacity via bilevel cars is generally very popular with passengers. However, it may cause congestion on the rail line, eventually preventing more capacity from being added in this way.
- Changing seating: fitting more (smaller) seats into the same space and/or decreasing the pitch (distance between seats) on existing vehicles.
- Track amplification: building additional rail lines and platforms is expensive and often requires land acquisition and service disruptions.
If freight service has increased the structure gauge, and the rail line needs to minimize "per car" maintenance and staffing costs double deckers can pay for themselves more quickly than buying single floor cars of equal capacity. Wheelchair accessibility laws encourage level entry solutions frequently provided by double decker rail cars. Profitability is encouraging double decker rail cars adaptation before many alternatives.
Manufacturers
Australia
In 1964, Tulloch Limited built the first double decker trailer cars for use in
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
. They ran with single deck electric motor cars. The first prototype double deck motor car was built by
ComengThe Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Unit's and Trams.- History :...
in 1969 and production versions entered service in 1972. All
CityRailCityRail is an operating division of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter, 'intercity' and regional rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest...
electric commuter trains in
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
are now double deck. They all have two doors per side per carriage, with a vestibule at each end at platform height. Well-known examples of these trains are the
TangaraThe Tangara is a class of electric multiple unit operated by CityRail in and around Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Tangara comes in two subclasses - suburban sets known as "T sets", and outer-suburban sets known as "G sets"...
and
Millennium trainThe Millennium train or M Set is a class of electric multiple unit operated by CityRail in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of CityRail's newest members of the fleet and was the first "4th generation train" on the network...
s. The Sydney double deck commuter trains are high.
The
Public Transport CorporationThe Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1989 to manage the responsibilities of the State Transport Authority and the Metropolitan Transit...
in
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
ordered a prototype
Double Deck Development and DemonstrationThe 4D was a prototype double deck electric multiple unit train built for the Public Transport Corporation of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. It remains the only double deck train ever to have run in Melbourne.-Design:Built by A Goninan & Co...
train in 1991. It suffered frequent breakdowns and spent long periods out of use. It was finally withdrawn in 2002 and scrapped in 2006.
Canada
Several regional commuter rail operators used bi-level cars in their fleet.
GO TransitGO Transit is an interregional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada, currently operated by the provincial crown agency Metrolinx. It primarily serves the conurbation referred to by Metrolinx as the "Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area" with operations extending to several communities...
's passenger fleet are all
Bombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier Inc.. Bombardier Transportation is the world’s largest company in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany....
Bi-level cars. Others include:
- West Coast Express
West Coast Express is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and...
- Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport or is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des...
Tour operator
Rocky MountaineerRocky Mountaineer Vacations is a tour company founded in 1990, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who operate vintage trains over numerous sightseeing routes in Western Canada.-Background:...
also uses bi-level cars.
Ontario Northland's
Polar Bear ExpressThe Polar Bear Express is a Canadian passenger train operated by the Ontario Northland Railway in Northern Ontario. While designated as a passenger train, the Polar Bear Express also carries specialized equipment including a canoe car , boxcars for snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles, chain cars ...
operates a domed car that has two levels, but it is not technically a bi-level car.
AMT also operated Canadian Vickers bi-level cars and currently ordering
Bombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier Inc.. Bombardier Transportation is the world’s largest company in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany....
Multi-level cars.
Finland
In
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
,
VRVR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland, and formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995. Its most important function is the operation of freight and passenger rail services...
began operating double-decker sleeping cars on 1 February 2006. The two-bed cabins on the upper deck have toilets and showers while cabins on the lower deck use shared ones. VR also operates double-decker
InterCityInterCity is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe...
trains with at seat
power suppliesPower supply is a reference to a source of electrical power. A device or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output load or group of loads is called a power supply unit or PSU...
for
laptopA laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile use and small and light enough to sit on one's lap while in use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device , speakers, and often including a battery, into a single...
s.
France
The
Chemin de Fer de l'ÉtatThe Chemins de fer de l'État , often referred to in France as the réseau de l'État , was an early French railway company.-History:...
in
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
ran
voitures à 2 étagesThe Voiture État à 2 étages, or approximately translated État double-deck passenger car, were a class of double-deck carriages built for the Chemin de Fer de l'État of France.-Origin:...
double-deck suburban coaches from 1933. Its successor, the
SNCFSNCF is a French public enterprise. Its functions include operation of rail services for passengers and freight, and maintenance and signalling of rail infrastructure owned by Réseau Ferré de France . It employs about 180,000 people...
, has been running VB2N double decker coaches since 1975, VB2N were introduced from 1975 as a replacement of the État cars.
Since the late 1980s, SNCF has been running double-deck
RERThe RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre subway and a pre-existing set of regional rail lines. Within the city of Paris, the RER is as an express network with multiple connections with the Paris Métro...
trains.
SNCFSNCF is a French public enterprise. Its functions include operation of rail services for passengers and freight, and maintenance and signalling of rail infrastructure owned by Réseau Ferré de France . It employs about 180,000 people...
runs
double-deck TGVThe TGV Duplex is a French high-speed train of the TGV family, operated by SNCF, the French national railway company. It is unique among TGV trains in that it features bi-level carriages. The Duplex inaugurated the third generation of TGV trainsets, and was specially designed to increase capacity...
cars on heavily used
high-speedHigh-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions include 200 km/h and faster — depending on whether the track is upgraded or new — by the European Union, and above 90 mph by the United...
services. Many suburban,
regionalSuburban commuter railroad or commuter railway a passenger rail transport service between a city center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis. Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds varying from 50 to...
and
high-speedHigh-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions include 200 km/h and faster — depending on whether the track is upgraded or new — by the European Union, and above 90 mph by the United...
services are operated by double-deck
DMUsA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
,
EMUAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using electricity as the motive power.- Types :...
, coaches and TGV. The French loading gauge dictates that the double-deck cars have a maximum height of 4200 mm or 13'-9.35".
Hong Kong
MTRMTR, or Mass Transit Railway, is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. The MTR first began service in 1979 and officially merged with the Kowloon Canton Railway on 2 December 2007, still bearing the same name in English. The network includes 211.6 km of rail with 150 stations,...
and formerly
KCRCThe Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon-Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
operates double decker carriages with the
KTTktt is a type of train set used by the MTR Corporation Limited in Hong Kong on the cross-boundary service to Guangdong route...
train sets. These cars were manufactured in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by
Kinki Sharyois an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...
T1 (T1C), T2 (T2A, T2B).
Japan
In Japan, double decker trains are used either to show better scenery, or to increase seat capacity.
For scenery viewing
The first Japanese double decker train appeared in 1904. It was Type 5 train of Osaka City Tram, once operated by
Osaka Municipal Transportation BureauOsaka Municipal Transportation Bureau is an organization of transportation in Osaka City, Japan. The organization operates municipal subways, city buses, and New Tram...
. The tram car, however, soon took away its second floor, due to the complaints by residents along the line, concerning their privacies.
The first double decker heavy rail train, the Kintetsu 10000 series, appeared in 1958. The series, nicknamed "Vista Car", became popular trains used for
limited expressA limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.- Japan :...
services. Its successors are still used by Kintetsu. The idea of Vista Car is said to come from
Vista Dome CarA dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...
in United States. The first double decker
high-speed railHigh-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions include 200 km/h and faster — depending on whether the track is upgraded or new — by the European Union, and above 90 mph by the United...
in the world was
JNR, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...
100 Series ShinkansenThe is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1984 and 1991 for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen high-speed lines. The earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series was retired from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line in September 2003...
used from 1986. The train was purely introduced to improve its luxury. The upper floor of the train was used for
Green carFirst class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
accommodation and a
dining carA dining car or restaurant car , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
.
Other double decker sightseeing trains include the
JR Shikoku, commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan.Shikoku Railway's headquarters are in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture....
5000 series,
JR HokkaidōThe is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaidō, Japan. The company will introduce Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008....
KiHa 183 series, Keihan 8000 series,
JR CentralThe is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as ....
371 series, and
Odakyū 20000 series RSEThe Odakyū 20000 series RSE EMU is used on the Odakyu Electric Railway, in the Tokyo area of Japan.-Lines used:The 20000 RSE operates mainly between Shinjuku Station and Numazu Station. On weekends, some trains operate between Shinjuku Station and Hakone-Yumoto Station.-External links:*...
.
A similar kind of trains are largely single decker trains with vehicle cockpit domes on the "second floor", to allow the better front view. This kind of trains include
Panorama Caris a trainset series operated by Nagoya Railroad, including the . Like the Romancecar trains of Odakyu Electric Railway, they are designed to be tourist oriented limited express trains, although they also operate on services....
s by
Meitetsu, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the most famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
,
RomancecarThe is Odakyu Electric Railway's name for its limited express luxury tourist services south-west of Tokyo, to mountain resorts such as Gotenba and Hakone, and beaches such as Numazu and Enoshima. Service started in 1957 with the 3000 series SE trainset, it broke the world speed record for a...
s by Odakyū, and
Mount Fuji Limited Express by
FujikyūThe is a Japanese private railway line in Yamanashi Prefecture, between Ōtsuki Station, Ōtsuki and Kawaguchiko Station, Fujikawaguchiko. This is the only railway line operates; the company's major business field is leisurely accommodations, such as Fuji-Q Highland and golf courses...
.
For increased capacity
The first Japanese double decker trains built to increase its capacity were
211 seriesThe is a suburban EMU introduced in 1985 by Japan National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company and Central Japan Railway Company in Japan.-Overview:...
and
113 seriesThe is a Japanese suburban EMU introduced in 1963 by Japan National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company Central Japan Railway Company , West Japan Railway Company , and Shikoku Railway Company .-Variants:* 113-0 series* 113-800 series* 113-1000 series* 113-1500 series*...
, both by
JR Eastis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese.-History:...
, 1989. These trains were
Green Cars (Japanese for
first class carsFirst class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
), needing more seats than standing spaces. JR East also introduced an experimental
415 seriesThe is a suburban EMU operated by JR East, JR Kyushu and JR West in Japan.The 415 series is descended from the following types.* 401 series* 403 series* 421 series* 423 series-History:...
double decker car with normal class seats on the
Jōban LineThe is a rail line in Japan and is part of the East Japan Railway Company system. It begins in Taitō-ku in Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends in Iwanuma in Miyagi Prefecture. However, trains continue north on the...
in 1991, and the
215 seriesThe is a bilevel suburban EMU type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Kantō region of Japan.-History:The first trainset was delivered in March 1992, and entered service from 4 April 1992 on Tōkaidō Main Line daytime Acty rapid services and evening Shōnan Liner services...
EMUs for
Home Lineris the generic name given to limited-stop commuter train services operated by railway companies in Japan, which require the purchase of a supplementary or in addition to the base fare ticket. The supplementary ticket guarantees passengers a seat on board...
services in 1992. JR East continues to use double deckers, including
E217 seriesThe is a suburban EMU type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Kantō region of Japan.Introduced in 1994 to replace the 113 series EMUs running on the Sōbu Line and Yokosuka Line, it was the first outer-suburban train type in Japan to feature four pairs of doors per side on car...
for
Sōbu Line (Rapid)is the express railway service on the Sōbu Main Line between Tokyo and the east coast of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs through the cities of Funabashi and Chiba. As well as the rapid train there are limited expresses and the Narita Express among others...
and
Yokosuka LineThe is a rail line of JR East.The line is 73.3 km long from Tokyo Station to Kurihama Station, is of 1,067 mm gauge and is double-tracked between Tokyo and Yokosuka...
,
E231 seriesThe is an EMU used for commuter and outer-suburban services operated by East Japan Railway Company and manufactured by Tokyu Car Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and also at JR East's factory at Niitsu, Niigata Prefecture....
for
Tōkaidō Main Linethumb|right|Tōkaidō Main LineThe is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tokyo Station and Kobe Station. It is 589.5 km long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
,
Utsunomiya LineThe is the 159.9 kilometre portion of the JR East Tōhoku Main Line. It runs from Ueno Station to Kuroiso Station.The line is proposed for extension to Tokyo Station via the Tohoku Through Line, currently under construction....
(
Tōhoku Main LineThe is a 631.3 km long railway line operated mainly by the East Japan Railway Company, although a small segment in the north is now operated by the Iwate Ginga Railway Company and Aoimori Railway...
),
Takasaki LineThe is a 74.7-kilometre railway line that runs from Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama, Japan to Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company ....
, and
Shōnan-Shinjuku LineThe is a railway service in Japan which commenced in December 2001 connecting the cities of Maebashi, Takasaki, Utsunomiya, Saitama, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Odawara...
, and
E531 seriesThe is an electric multiple unit used by East Japan Railway Company in Japan. It was introduced by JR East on 9 July 2005 to replace the aging 403 and 415 series EMUs running on the Jōban Line from Ueno station in Tokyo...
for the
Jōban LineThe is a rail line in Japan and is part of the East Japan Railway Company system. It begins in Taitō-ku in Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends in Iwanuma in Miyagi Prefecture. However, trains continue north on the...
.
In Japan, however, double decker commuter trains are relatively fewer than those used in Europe or North America. This is because Japanese commuter trains can be much more crowded than Western counterparts. Therefore, they generally need more standing spaces than seats. Also, Japanese train cars are 20 m long or less, and it is technologically difficult or inefficient to have more than 2 doors on each side of double deckers that size. Japanese crowded trains, however, generally need 4, 5, or 6 doors on each side to make smooth boarding and alighting.
JR East also introduced
E1 SeriesThe is a Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in Japan. Introduced in 1994, they were the first double-deck trains built for Japan's Shinkansen...
and
E4 SeriesThe is a high-speed shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in Japan. They were the second series of completely bi-level Shinkansen trainsets to be built in Japan The is a high-speed shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. They were...
for its Shinkansen Lines. Unlike 100 Series in the past, these trains, nicknamed "Max", all consist of double decker cars, and are purely made to increase their capacities. In that sense, these trains are similar to TGV Duplex in France. There are also some double decker
sleeping carThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured for...
s made to increase their beds or compartments, like
CityNightLineCityNightLine is a Swiss night train service. CNL has right of passage grants in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark...
trains in Europe. This includes
JR West, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū.-History:JR West was incorporated as a business corporation on April 1, 1987 as part of the breakup of government-owned Japanese National Railways...
285 series EMUs for
Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise SetoThe and are two overnight train services that connect Tokyo and cities in the western part of Japan. They are operated jointly by Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company .-Operation:...
and JR East E26 series cars for
CassiopeiaThe is a luxury overnight limited express train service in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It runs between Ueno Station in Tokyo and the city of Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaidō. The one-way journey lasts approximately 16½ hours.Going from Ueno to Sapporo, trains call...
services.
Sweden
SJ ABthumb|230px|right|SJ Electric Multiple Unit at NykopingSJ AB is a government-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2000, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar , when the former government agency was divided into six separate government-owned limited...
operates 43 double decker
EMUAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using electricity as the motive power.- Types :...
s of class X40. The EMU comes in a two-coach version and a three-coach version. The trains are mainly used in the areas around lake
MälarenLake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. The lake drains, from southwest to northeast, into the Baltic Sea through Södertälje kanal, Hammarbyslussen, Karl Johanslussen and Norrström...
and in the trains between
GävleGävle ['jɛ:vlə] is a city, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County in Sweden. It has 68,700 inhabitants in 2005. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland , as it received its charter in 1446 by Christopher of Bavaria.-History:It is believed that the name Gävle...
and
LinköpingLinköping [ˈlɪnɕøːpɪŋ] is a city in southern Sweden, with 97,428 inhabitants in 2005. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 140,367 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
.
Switzerland
Double deckered commuter trains are used by the
Zürich S-BahnThe Zürich S-Bahn system is a network of rail lines within the ZVV area The Zürich S-Bahn system is a network of rail lines within the ZVV area The Zürich S-Bahn system is a network of rail lines within the ZVV area (geographically, within the entire canton of Zürich, portions of the cantons...
. Two types of trains are used, an older type consisting of an electric locomotive with double decker cars, and Electric Multiple Units (DMU or EMU) where the motors are on-board the car. From 2010 onwards, a third type – the
Stadler DOSTOThe Stadler DOSTO is a bilevel car electric multiple unit commuter train developed by Stadler Rail of Switzerland....
– is scheduled to enter service.
The Swiss Federal Railways also operate the
IC 2000The IC 2000 is a double-decker train in Switzerland and is run by Swiss Federal Railways.When it debuted in 1997, it was the first double-decker train in use on a nationwide scale...
double decker passenger coaches in most of Switzerland.
United Kingdom
In the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, and countries with a similarly small
loading gaugeA loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
, the railway system cannot accommodate double-deck trains. A modest attempt at double decking was made in 1948 on the
Southern RailwayThe Southern Railway , was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England and Kent...
with the two trains of the
Bulleid 4DDConceived by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway's Dartford commuter route, the two 4DD electric multiple units were the only double-deck trains to run on the main line railway network in Britain. Whilst common in Europe and North America the restrictive railway loading gauge in the United...
class. Although innovative, with stepped compartments, where the bottoms of the upper seats are above the heads of the people on the lower level, but the feet of the people above are not, see, the loading gauge severely restricted their use and they were removed from service in 1971.
USA
Passenger cars are manufactured by
BombardierBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
, Kawasaki,
Colorado RailcarColorado Railcar now US Railcar a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock, railcars and diesel multiple unit commuter vehicles. Both products come in single- and double-level versions.-History:The company was first organized as Rader Railcar...
, IC2000, and several others.
Bombardier and Kawasaki manufactured most of the High platform "split level" commuter rail cars in the North East United states.
Bombardier made the
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
SuperlinerThe Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
Low platform "two floor" rail cars for the Western US area.
Colorado Railcar make
DMUA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
and IC2000, of Switzerland, make
EMUAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using electricity as the motive power.- Types :...
, where the Multiple Units are self-propelled cars, much like subway cars. Colorado Railcar cars are very tall cars for low platforms with steps entry to a normal floor and an upstairs. The IC2000 cars are strictly low platform design.
Other designs, including
rolling stockRolling stock is the collective term that describes all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
made by
Colorado Railcar ManufacturingColorado Railcar now US Railcar a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock, railcars and diesel multiple unit commuter vehicles. Both products come in single- and double-level versions.-History:The company was first organized as Rader Railcar...
,
BuddThe Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry. The company's headquarters are in Troy, Michigan. It was founded in 1912 by Edward G...
, Pullman-Standard,
BombardierBombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...
and others, have the entrance on the lower deck rather than an intermediate level.
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
SuperlinersThe Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
are double-decker cars of this variety, with the entrance a step or so up from the lowest station platform level, or at the level of slightly higher platforms, and allow passage from car to car at upper-deck level.
The northeastern US can accommodate split level (double deck) cars only if they are no higher than . These double deckers run on the
Long Island Rail RoadThe Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York that has been classified as a Class II railroad by the Surface Transportation Board. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, servicing around 81 million passengers each year, and...
:
http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/lirr/: and on
New Jersey TransitThe New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the state of New Jersey, United States, and Orange and Rockland counties in New York...
:
http://www.njtransit.com/: (contact
Bombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier Inc.. Bombardier Transportation is the world’s largest company in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany....
:
http://www.bombardier.com/index.jsp) due to the size of the
loading gaugeA loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
(i.e.
bridgeA bridge is a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. Designs of bridges vary depending on the function of the bridge and the nature of the terrain where the bridge is constructed.-History:The first...
s,
tunnelA tunnel is an underground passageway. The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon. However, in general tunnels are at least twice as long as they are wide. In addition, they should be completely enclosed on all sides, save for the openings at each end...
s, etc. are too low). The designs found on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit are based on a 1930s
PullmanThe Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
Sleeping CarThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured for...
design for the Pennsylvania Railroad called a Duplex Sleeper. This design provided 24 Roomettes on two levels with the lower level depressed between the trucks. This idea was copied in 1947 for the Long Island Rail Road, making use of a standard
P-70Wang Fei may refer to:*Faye Wong, with Chinese name Wang Fei, a Beijing-born pop singer**Faye Wong **Faye Wong *Wang Fei , guqin player of Chinese descent...
that was electrified. The new cars have the entire center sill lowered to the minimum level between the trucks, providing a depressed floor on that level. The upper level is stacked on top between the trucks. At each end, the a common floor is located in the normal position, with four doors on each side, two of which can be reached only at high level platforms, while the other two are in the normal Vestibular position, with stairs to reach low level platforms. Similarly the
structure gaugeThe structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum size of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum size of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse...
of the
Mount Royal TunnelThe Mount Royal Tunnel is a railway tunnel located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It connects the city's Gare Centrale/Central Station, located downtown, with the north side of the Island of Montreal and Laval, passing through Mount Royal. Since 1995, the only trains using the tunnel are commuter...
limits the height to 14'-6" or 4420 mm
http://www.emdx.org/rail/DeuxMontagnes/Tunnel/CoupeTunnelDouble.gif.
The double deck cars operated by
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
's
MetraMetra is a regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States and surrounding suburbs...
regional railSuburban commuter railroad or commuter railway a passenger rail transport service between a city center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis. Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds varying from 50 to...
service are known as "gallery cars" as there is an open space between the two sides of the upper deck, allowing ticket collectors to check tickets on both levels from the bottom level. Chicago does not have the loading gauge problems that affect most eastern USA cities (although ex-Metra cars operate on
MARCMARC , prior to 1984 Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract by CSX...
in
Baltimore, MarylandBaltimore is an independent city and the largest city in the state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore City in order to distinguish it from surrounding...
), so all Chicago's commuter rail
rolling stockRolling stock is the collective term that describes all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
is full size bi-level, and many of
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
's
SuperlinerThe Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
trains to the western USA originate from Chicago.
The first bi-level gallery cars were introduced by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad in 1950.
Other countries
In the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, there are two types of double-deck trains, the DDM and the DD-IRM, also called Regiorunner: see
Trains in the NetherlandsThe following are current and former trains in the Netherlands.-Steam locomotives:* Arend: was the first train in the Netherlands and pulled the first train between Amsterdam and Haarlem in 1839....
. The DD-IRM, is an example from the Netherlands, of High platform (
split levelSplit Level were a Christian rock band from Ireland, whose career began in the mid-1980s and stretched into the 2000s.-History:Split Level first began their career in the mid-1980s, playing local Christian gatherings and festivals in Ireland. A song of theirs appeared on a 1985 Word Records...
) double decker cars. It is one step up from the station
platformA railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
to the entrance, and from there seven steps up
stairsStairs may refer to:People:* Scott Kannberg , guitarist of Pavement* A. Edison Stairs , New Brunswick politician* Denis Stairs , engineer, Montreal businessman...
or four steps down
stairsStairs may refer to:People:* Scott Kannberg , guitarist of Pavement* A. Edison Stairs , New Brunswick politician* Denis Stairs , engineer, Montreal businessman...
.
In
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
several lines of
CercaníasCercanías is the name given to the commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas. In Catalonia and Valencia, however, the term is replaced by Rodalies , while the bilingual designation Cercanías - Aldirikoak is used in the Basque Country.Operated by the national rail company Renfe,...
(
RenfeRenfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .-History:The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
's commuter rail service) use double-deck trains. Bombardier's double-deck rail cars in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
are also used extensively on suburban trains by the
DBDeutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
. The same rail cars serve some of the routes on the
Israel RailwaysIsrael Railways is Israel's government-owned national railway company and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban railway passenger and freight traffic in the country. It utilizes the standard gauge in all its lines. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain from...
network, hauled by diesel locomotives.
In
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
, the
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
-
HashtgerdHashtgerd is a city in Tehran Province of Iran located 68 km west of the city of Tehran. It is the capital of Savojbolagh County. The city consists of Old Town Hashtgerd, which has been continuously settled for millennia, as well as a newly planned and rapidly growing industrial city.Over 8,850...
suburban commuter line is served with electric push-pull hauled trainsets with double decker carriages manufactured by
Wagon ParsWagon Pars is an Iranian train manufacturing company established in 1974 in Arak.It started manufacturing different types of rolling stocks in 1984 with the joint investment of Iran Development and Renovation Organization and the Islamic Republic of Iran Rail Road organization.Wagon Pars annual...
in Iran.
In
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
, the
Kowloon-Canton Railway CorporationThe Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon-Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
uses double-deck cars, named "
Kttktt is a type of train set used by the MTR Corporation Limited in Hong Kong on the cross-boundary service to Guangdong route...
", on its cross-boundary route between
KowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong, comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
and
GuangzhouGuangzhou East Railway Station serves the city of Guangzhou, China. It is located at Tianhe District, Guangzhou.There is a passport checking area accommodated within the station for passengers travelling between Guangzhou and Hong Kong....
. In January to May 1998 the "Ktt" cars were used to serve between the Hung Hom and Lo Wu stations. The "Ktt" cars have lower bottom floor than the ordinary single-deck cars serving on the same pair of tracks.
Gallery cars
Because of the two levels being separate on most cars, there is a physical limitation on the conductor, as it is difficult for him to verify, collect payment and sell tickets to such a large concentration of passengers in one car on each level, owing to the sometimes short distance between stops.
A solution came in the form of the design of the "gallery" car, which featured upper levels, which were really
mezzaninesIn architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony...
running along both sides of the car, with an open area between the mezzanines. This enables the conductor(s) walking along on the lower level to easily reach up and punch or validate tickets of the passengers seated on the mezzanine level.
Passengers can place their tickets in clips along a lengthwise panel, located slightly above the conductor's head and within easy reach. The conductor can then quickly check tickets and move to the next car.
Another advantage of bilevel gallery cars is the relatively low first step of the vestibule entrance to the car, which is above the head of the rail. The advantage of this is that commuter rail operators do not have to spend funds on building high-level platforms; a low-level platform is all that is necessary, at a far lower cost. This can be a major disadvantage as well, as many commuter rail systems prefer high-level platforms as they can decrease loading and unloading times substantially, and greatly improve access to trains for the disabled.
Such cars are used by
MetraMetra is a regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States and surrounding suburbs...
in and around
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
CaltrainCaltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. It is currently operated under contract by Amtrak and funded jointly by the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transit District, and Santa Clara Valley...
, and
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
's
Agence métropolitaine de transportThe Agence métropolitaine de transport or is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des...
. They provide high capacity (155 to 169 passengers each). Chicago's commuter rail system is currently receiving new versions of these cars and
CaltrainCaltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. It is currently operated under contract by Amtrak and funded jointly by the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transit District, and Santa Clara Valley...
, the San Francisco area commuter rail authority, has recently overhauled its fleet.
Virginia Railway Express (VRE)The Virginia Railway Express is a commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow, Virginia.Service to...
and
MARC TrainMARC , prior to 1984 Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract by CSX...
in Maryland are also owners of gallery cars in the Washington DC Area. Many of the gallery cars these commuter railroads use are ex-Metra cars.
External links