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76-1209: Siemens Venture is a type of locomotive-hauled passenger railroad car built by Siemens Mobility for the North American market. The cars are derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. The cars entered service with Brightline in 2018 and with Amtrak Midwest (services funded by Illinois , Michigan , Missouri , and Wisconsin ) in 2022. They have also been ordered by Amtrak for national and other state-supported routes (including those in California , Washington , Oregon , New York , Pennsylvania , Massachusetts , Maine , Virginia , North Carolina , and Vermont ), Via Rail , and Ontario Northland . The Venture cars will also be used on Amtrak’s Airo trainsets. The Venture dates back to 2014 when All Aboard Florida (now Brightline) purchased five trainsets for its new Brightline service along with ten Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives. The passenger cars, named

152-515: A Lincoln Service train. On December 12, 2018, Canada's national passenger rail service operator, Via Rail , announced that it was purchasing 32 Venture trainsets to replace the entire fleet used on its Québec City–Windsor Corridor . The first trainset was delivered for testing in 2021. They are expected to enter service in 2022–2024. In August 2019, the state of Wisconsin used a Federal Railroad Administration grant to purchase six Venture coaches and three cab cars. The six coaches will be added to

228-461: A Siemens Charger SCV-42 diesel-electric locomotive. All seats will be 19 inches wide, with a 2×1 layout in business class and 2×2 in economy class. All cars will be semi-permanently coupled with open gangways, which, compared to the current fleet, are wider and isolated from weather. Some cars have a galley area, allowing for at-seat food and beverage service across both classes. Passenger railroad car The first passenger cars were built in

304-409: A coach and a baggage car , but the combination of coach and post office car was also common. Combines were used most frequently on branch lines and short line railroads where there wasn't necessarily enough traffic to economically justify single-purpose cars. As lightweight cars began to appear on railroads, passenger cars more frequently combined features of two or more car types on one car, and

380-462: A cab car) with a food service area, which would be paired with a Charger locomotive. Via Rail purchased 32 five-car trainsets for its Quebec City–Windsor Corridor . Each trainset will have two business class coaches, two economy class coaches, and one cab control car with economy seating. However, Via Rail says that the configuration is flexible and the railroad may operate shorter or longer trains depending on demand. Each trainset will be paired with

456-560: A capacity of 248 passengers. Premium Service coaches have fifty 21-inch-wide (530 mm) seats in a 2×1 layout, while Smart Service coaches have sixty-six 19-inch-wide (480 mm) seats in a 2×2 layout. Brightline purchased five trainsets for its initial service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Five more trainsets were purchased ahead of the extension of the line to Orlando and additional stations opening in Aventura and Boca Raton. An additional 20 cars were purchased to expand

532-434: A car through a door at the end of the car which led to a narrow platform. Steps on either side of the platform were used for getting on or off the train, and one might hop from one car platform to another. Later cars had enclosed platforms called vestibules which together with gangway connections allowed passengers not only to enter and exit the train protected from the elements, but also to move more easily between cars with

608-498: A choice is given between first- and second-class carriages , with a premium being paid for the former. In some countries, such as the UK, coaching stock that is designed, converted or adapted to not carry passengers, is referred to as "NPCS" (non-passenger coaching stock); similarly, in the US, some maintenance (engineering) stock can be known as "MOW" (maintenance of way). Up until about the end of

684-460: A fast turnaround when changing directions in commuter service. Horizon (railcar) The Horizon is a type of single-level intercity railroad passenger car used by Amtrak , the national rail passenger carrier in the United States. Amtrak ordered the cars to supplement their existing fleet of Amfleet I single-level cars used on shorter distance corridor trains. The design was based on

760-417: A food and drink counter. Lounge cars are an important part of the appeal of passenger trains when compared to aircraft, buses and cars; there is more space to move around, socialize, eat and drink, and a good view. The observation car almost always operated as the last car in a passenger train, in US practice. Its interior could include features of a coach, lounge, diner, or sleeper. The main spotting feature

836-684: A home in North America on some short and medium distance routes such as Eugene, Oregon , to Vancouver, British Columbia . Another type of tilting train that is seeing widespread use across Europe is the Pendolino . These trains, built by Fiat Ferroviaria (now owned by Alstom ), are in regular service in Italy , Portugal , Slovenia , Finland , Czech Republic and the United Kingdom . Using tilting trains, railroads are able to run passenger trains over

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912-463: A maximum speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) and ride on General Steel Industries GSI-G70 outboard bearing trucks, also found on the Superliner II (which were also built later by Bombardier). The 72 standard coaches could seat between 76 and 82 passengers depending on the seating configuration and 14 accessible coaches could seat 72 and included space for a wheelchair. The entire coach fleet

988-478: A mix of Coach Class and Business Class seating. The initial order for 65 trainsets was later increased to 75 in August 2023, with an option to purchase additional trainsets in the future. There will be 26 six-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets that will include an Auxiliary Power Vehicle (APV). The APV will be the trailer car closest to the locomotive and will include a pantograph, an underfloor transformer to handle

1064-492: A portion of the interior partitioned off for a galley , which is off-limits to passengers. A narrow hallway is left between the galley and one side wall of the car for passengers to use. The remainder of the interior is laid out with tables and chairs to look like a long, narrow restaurant dining room. There are special personnel to perform waitstaff and kitchen duties. Lounge cars carry a bar and public seating. They usually have benches, armchairs or large swivelling chairs along

1140-531: A side corridor to connect individual compartments along the body of the train, each with two rows of seats facing each other. In both arrangements carry-on baggage is stowed on a shelf above the passenger seating area. The opening into the cars is usually located at both ends of the carriage, often into a small hallway – which in railway parlance is termed a vestibule . Earlier designs of UK coaching stock had additional door or doors along their length, some supporting compartmentalised carriages. The compartment coach

1216-719: A single manufacturer and usually of a uniform design (although the dining car on the German ICE 1 has a dome). In the 1960s and 1970s countries around the world started to develop trains capable of traveling in the 150–200 mph range, to rival air travel. One of the first was France 's TGV which entered service in 1981. By 2000, Western Europe's major cities ( London , Paris , Brussels , Amsterdam , Geneva , Berlin , Rome , etc.) were connected by high-speed rail service. Often tilting and high-speed cars are left in "trainsets" throughout their service. For example, articulated cars cannot be uncoupled without special equipment because

1292-521: A way that they either roll or fold out of the way or convert into seats for daytime use. Compartments vary in size; some are large enough for only a bed, while others resemble efficiency apartments including bathrooms. In China, sleeping cars still serve as major travel classes in long-range rail transport. The classes of sleeping cars include hard sleeper (YW) with six bunks per compartment, soft sleeper (RW) typically with four bunks, deluxe soft sleeper (GRW) typically with two bunks. A similar car which

1368-443: Is a car that was normally placed between the train's motive power and the remainder of the passenger train. The car's interior is normally wide open and is used to carry passengers' checked baggage . Baggage cars were also sometimes commissioned by freight companies to haul less-than-carload (LCL) shipments along passenger routes ( Railway Express Agency was one such freight company). Some baggage cars included restroom facilities for

1444-523: Is scheduled to be delivered in 2025 and enter revenue service in 2026 after final commissioning. Illinois , Michigan , Missouri , and Wisconsin have ordered 97 Venture cars for the Amtrak Midwest routes, including the Blue Water , Hiawatha , Illini and Saluki , Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg , Lincoln Service , Missouri River Runner , Pere Marquette , and Wolverine . Of

1520-483: Is similar to a corridor coach but without the corridor. Each compartment is totally separated from the other compartments, with no movement between them. Entry and exit from each compartment is only possible when stopped at a station. "Composite" coaches are also known. These are mixed-class cars featuring both open seating and compartments. One such coach is the Composite Corridor , introduced for British Rail in

1596-618: Is that the passengers were expected to stand for their entire trip. The first passenger cars in the United States resembled stagecoaches . They were short, often less than 10 ft (3.05 m) long and had two axles . A British company developed the first design for sleeping carriages , called "bed-carriages", which were built in 1838 for the London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway . When made up for sleeping,

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1672-497: Is typically [2+2], while the hard seat in China has [3+2] arrangements. The seating arrangements and density, as well as the absence or presence of other facilities depends on the intended use – from mass transit systems to long distance luxury trains. Some cars have reclining seats to allow for easier sleeping by passengers not traveling in a sleeping car. In another variant, "closed" coaches, "corridor" coaches or "compartment" cars have

1748-664: Is used. It contains several cell compartments with minimal interior and commodities, and a separate guard compartment. Usually the windows are of nontransparent opaque glass to prevent prisoners from seeing outside and determine where they are, and windows usually also have bars to prevent escapes. Unlike other passenger cars, prisoner cars do not have doors at the ends of the wagon. Like baggage cars, railway post office (RPO; US term) cars or travelling post offices (TPOs; British term) were not accessible to paying passengers. These cars' interiors were designed with sorting facilities that were often seen and used in conventional post offices around

1824-488: Is via a complimentary prepackaged snack box. The cab-control cars, once delivered, will provide additional space for passenger seating and checked baggage. Brightline has received 10 Venture trainsets consisting of four cars: three with economy seating (branded "Smart Service") and one with business class seating (branded "Premium Service", formerly "Select"). Each trainset has two Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives, one on each end. Each trainset currently has

1900-584: The San Joaquins service, the California Department of Transportation has ordered seven Venture trainsets with seven cars each: five coaches, one café car, and one cab-control car. The San Joaquins do not provide business class seating. Per each trainset, the cab-control car and two other cars will each only have one vestibule , while the remaining four cars will each have two. Two coaches per set will have built-in wheelchair lifts for compatibility with

1976-458: The Amtrak Express brand, eventually introducing rolling stock like material handling cars, Roadrailers . Amtrak mostly exited the express business in 2003, now only using extra space in baggage cars on trains. In some countries, such as Russia, convicts are transported from court to prison or from one prison to another by railway. In such transportation a specific type of coach, prisoner car,

2052-533: The Amtrak Midwest branding. In 1988, Amtrak and Bombardier signed a contract for 104 Horizon cars, based on the Comet railcar, built for use on commuter railroads. The Horizon cars allowed Amtrak to add capacity to its fleet quickly since it was adapted from a proven design, and Bombardier Transportation was already in full production of Comet II railcars. Amtrak was also able to finance the Horizon cars privately, making them

2128-529: The Comet railcar used for commuter railroads , but with modifications to make them more suitable for intercity service. Bombardier Transportation built 104 cars from 1988 to 1990 in two basic types: coaches and food service (café) cars. The first Horizon cars entered revenue service in April 1989. The majority of the fleet was assigned to the short-haul (300 miles or less) intercity routes out of Chicago that operate under

2204-529: The trucks . The coach is the most basic type of passenger car, also sometimes referred to as "chair cars". Two main variants exist. In one variant, an " open coach " has a central aisle; the car's interior is often filled with row upon row of seats as in a passenger airliner . Other arrangements of the "open" type are also found, including seats around tables, seats facing the aisle (often found on mass transit trains since they increase standing room for rush hour), and variations of all three. Seating arrangement

2280-440: The " horse cars " that were used to transport racehorses. Express cars carry high-value freight in passenger consists . These cars often resembled baggage cars, although in some cases specially-equipped boxcars or refrigerator cars were used. In the United States, the majority of these cars were operated by Railway Express Agency (REA) from 1918 to 1975. Following REA's bankruptcy, Amtrak took over express type shipments under

2356-435: The 1930s, these had an open-air platform at the rear, the "observation platform". These evolved into the closed end car, usually with a rounded end which was still called an "observation car". The interiors of observation cars varied. Many had special chairs and tables. The end platforms of all passenger cars changed around the turn of the 20th century. Older cars had open platforms between cars. Passengers would enter and leave

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2432-429: The 1940s with technology that would enable the axles to steer into a curve, allowing the train to move around the curve at a higher speed. The steering axles evolved into mechanisms that would also tilt the passenger car as it entered a curve to counter the centrifugal force experienced by the train, further increasing speeds on existing track. Today, Talgo trains are used in many places in Europe and they have also found

2508-524: The 1950s, the passenger travel market declined in North America, though there was growth in commuter rail . Private intercity passenger service in the U.S. mostly ended with the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak took over equipment and stations from most of the railroads in the U.S. with intercity service. The higher clearances in North America enabled a major advancement in passenger car design, bi-level ( double-decker ) commuter coaches that could hold more passengers. These cars started to become common in

2584-416: The 1950s; though such coaches existed from early pre-grouping days, at the end of the 19th century. In India, normal carriages often have double height seating, with benches (berths), so that people can sit above one another (not unlike a bunk bed). In other countries, true double decker carriages are becoming more common. The seats in most coaches until the middle of the 20th century were usually bench seats;

2660-582: The 19th century, most passenger cars were constructed of wood. The first passenger trains did not travel very far, but they were able to haul many more passengers for a longer distance than wagons pulled by horses . As railways were first constructed in England , so too were the first passenger cars. One of the early coach designs was the "Stanhope". It featured a roof and small holes in the floor for drainage when it rained, and had separate compartments for different classes of travel. The only problem with this design

2736-418: The 97 cars, 68 are built as married pairs (two cars semi-permanently coupled with open gangways), while the remaining 29 are single (unmarried) cars with traditional gangways . Half of the married pairs (17) have a café car and an economy coach, while the remaining 17 have a combination business class/economy class coach and an economy-only coach. The business class and café cars have two vestibules each, while

2812-474: The Amtrak Airo, for intercity routes that operate over its Northeast Corridor . The trainsets will be built in three configurations, tailored to the capacity and propulsion needs of the routes over which they will operate. All trainsets will include an ALC-42E Charger locomotive on one end of the consist and a cab control passenger car on the opposite end. Onboard, there will be a car with a food service area and

2888-505: The Amtrak Midwest pool while the three cab cars will be used exclusively for Hiawatha trains. In April 2021, Amtrak announced that they would order 83 trainsets to replace the aging Amfleet I fleet and Metroliner cab cars. The contract was signed in July 2021 and includes 20 years of after-delivery service and support. On October 13, 2023, Siemens unveiled their Venture car prototype for

2964-546: The NTSB recommended be replaced "as soon as possible" after the 2017 Washington train derailment . Until the Venture trainsets arrive, Amtrak has been using its Horizon fleet on the route. Each trainset will consist of five coaches and one cab car. Trains will also have a café for food service along with coach and business class seating. They will be paired with a Siemens Charger , of which WSDOT already owns several. The first trainset

3040-933: The Northeast Corridor's 25 kV , 12.5 kV and 12 kV AC traction power systems, a four-quadrant chopper , and two powered trucks . In electrified territory, the APV will draw power from overhead lines, through the transformer and fed to the four traction motors in the car, and via a DC link cable, to the four traction motors in the locomotive. These trainsets will be used on the Carolinian , Downeaster , Keystone Service , Palmetto , Pennsylvanian , and Vermonter . There will also be 32 eight-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets, similarly configured, for use on Northeast Regional trains, including through trains to Virginia and Springfield, Massachusetts. Amtrak will also purchase 17 six-car battery-diesel hybrid trainsets, where

3116-721: The US and Canada resembled a roofed porch area. Larger windows were installed at the observation end on these cars as well. At this end of the car, there was almost always a lounge where passengers could enjoy the view as they watched the track rapidly recede into the distance. Often called "sleepers" or "Pullman cars" (after the main American operator), these cars provide sleeping arrangements for passengers travelling at night. Early models were divided into sections, where coach seating converted at night into semi-private berths. More modern interiors are normally partitioned into separate bedroom compartments for passengers. The beds are designed in such

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3192-585: The United States in the 1960s, and were adopted by Amtrak for the Superliner design as well as by many other railroads and manufacturers. By 2000, double-deckers rivaled single level cars in use around the world. While intercity passenger rail travel declined in America, ridership continued to increase in other parts of the world. With the increase came an increased use of newer technology on existing and new equipment. The Spanish company Talgo began experimenting in

3268-575: The United States, the so-called "chair car" with individual seating became commonplace on long-distance routes. With the 1930s came the widespread use of stainless steel for car bodies. The typical passenger car was now much lighter than its carbon-steel cousins of old, though still much heavier than nineteenth-century wooden cars. The new "lightweight" and streamlined cars carried passengers in speed and comfort to an extent that had not been experienced to date. Aluminum and Cor-Ten steel were also used in lightweight car construction, but stainless steel

3344-789: The Venture, were derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. They were built at the Siemens factory in Florin, California , starting in July 2015. The first trainset was completed in December 2016. Public operations began on January 13, 2018. In November 2017, a coalition of states with state-supported Amtrak routes ordered 137 Venture railcars through its contractor Sumitomo Corporation . The order included seven trainsets for California and 88 cars for Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri ( Amtrak Midwest ) as married pairs and single coaches. The Ventures were

3420-419: The backs of these seats could be adjusted, often with one hand, to face in either direction so the car would not have to be turned for a return trip. The conductor would simply walk down the aisle in the car, reversing the seat backs to prepare for the return trip. This arrangement is still used in some modern trains. A dining car (or diner) is used to serve meals to the passengers. Its interior may be split with

3496-702: The café/club configuration could seat up to 32 people around dining tables and 19 people in business class seating. The 10 cars in the dinette configuration could seat up to 48 people around dining tables. As of November 2020 , the Horizon coach cars primarily are used on trains based out of Amtrak's Chicago division including the Illinois Service ( Carl Sandburg , Illini , Illinois Zephyr , Lincoln Service & Saluki ), Michigan Services ( Blue Water & Wolverine ), Hiawatha and Missouri River Runner . Additionally, several Horizon cars are assigned to Amtrak's Los Angeles division for use on

3572-454: The classic heavyweight combine fell out of use. A control car (also known as a Driving Trailer in Europe and the UK) is a passenger car which lets the train be run in reverse with the locomotive at the back. It is common on commuter trains in the US, Canada and Europe. This can be important for serving small towns without extensive switching facilities, end train stations, dead-end lines, and having

3648-498: The coalition's second passenger railcar order; the first order of Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Rail Cars was canceled after the prototype, built by Sumitomo's subcontractor, Nippon Sharyo , failed a buff strength test in August 2015. The first three Venture cars entered testing in February 2020. They were originally planned to enter revenue service in July 2020 but were delayed, not making their first run until February 1, 2022, on

3724-577: The early 1800s with the advent of the first railroads, and were small and little more than converted freight cars. Early passenger cars were constructed from wood; in the 1900s construction shifted to steel and later aluminum for improved strength. Passenger cars have increased greatly in size from their earliest versions, with modern bi-level passenger cars capable of carrying over 100 passengers. Amenities for passengers have also improved over time, with developments such as lighting, heating, and air conditioning added for improved passenger comfort. In some systems

3800-400: The economy coaches have one. This arrangement—unique among Venture operators—allows trains to be sized to meet the travel demands of individual routes and allows business class seating and cafe cars to be added or removed. Among the 29 single cars are three cab cars with economy seating for exclusive use on Hiawatha trains. Amtrak has made a firm order for 75 trainsets, which it will brand as

3876-437: The ends of the car. Early American sleeping cars were not compartmented, but by the end of the 19th century they were. The compartments in the later sleepers were accessed from a side hall running the length of the cars, similar to the design of European cars well into the 20th century. Many American passenger trains, particularly the long distance ones, included a car at the end of the train called an observation car. Until about

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3952-487: The first railcars the railroad was able to purchase without securing federal funding. Bombardier delivered the cars between 1989 and spring 1990, from its Barre, Vermont assembly plant in two basic types: 86 coaches and 18 food service cars. The first Horizon cars entered revenue service in April 1989. In 1994, Amtrak considered ordering a further 23 Horizon cars to replace the troublesome gas-turbine Turboliner trainsets used on New York's Empire Corridor service, but

4028-399: The foot of the bed was extended into a boot section at the end of the carriage. The cars were still too short to allow more than two or three beds to be positioned end to end. Britain's Royal Mail commissioned and built the first travelling post office cars in the late 1840s as well. These cars resembled coaches in their short wheelbase and exterior design, but were equipped with nets on

4104-470: The individual cars share trucks. This gives modern trains a smooth, coherent appearance because all the cars and often the engines share a similar design and paint scheme. Traditionally the passenger car can be split into a number of distinct types. The most basic division is between cars which do carry passengers and "head end" equipment. The latter are run as part of passenger trains, but do not themselves carry passengers. Traditionally they were put between

4180-399: The locomotive and the passenger-carrying cars in the consist , hence the name. Some specialized types are variants of or combine elements of the most basic types. Also, the basic design of passenger cars is evolving, with articulated units that have shared trucks, with double-decker designs, and with the "low floor" design where the loading area is very close to the ground and slung between

4256-535: The low-platform boarding used at stations on the San Joaquins routes. The Venture cars began early service on the San Joaquins in December 2023, without café or cab-control cars — this equipment is expected to arrive later in 2024. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) plans to use unstaffed vending machines to provide food service, though presently, the only food service available on Venture sets

4332-531: The meals were prepared. The introduction of vestibuled cars , which for the first time allowed easy movement from car to car, aided the adoption of dining cars, lounge cars, and other specialized cars. In the early 1900s, safety concerns led the railroad industry to transition from wood to steel construction. Steel was heavier but this transition took place simultaneously with a transition to higher-powered locomotives. The Pennsylvania Railroad began building all-steel passenger cars in 1906 due to concerns about fire in

4408-425: The mid-19th century, trains grew in length and weight. Passenger cars, particularly in America, grew along with them, first getting longer with the addition of a second truck (one at each end), and wider as their suspensions improved. Cars built for European use featured side door compartments, while American car design favored what was called a train coach, a single long cabin with rows of seats, with doors located at

4484-557: The multilevel semiprivate berths of old. Now that passenger cars were lighter, they were able to carry heavier loads, but the size of the average passenger that rode in them didn't increase to match the cars' new capacities. The average passenger car could not be made any wider or longer due to side clearances along the railroad lines, but they generally could get taller because they were still lower than many freight cars and locomotives. The railroads soon began building and buying dome and bilevel cars to carry more passengers. Starting in

4560-542: The new Amtrak Airo equipment. Most Siemens Venture cars (except those for Amtrak Midwest ) are configured as semi-permanently coupled trainsets with open gangways between cars and standard couplers on the ends for connecting the trainset to locomotives or other railway equipment. Amtrak has ordered eight six-car Venture trainsets for the Amtrak Cascades . They are replacing the Talgo Series VI trainsets, which

4636-605: The order was never placed. The design of the Horizon cars was adapted from the Comet I , a single-level commuter coach designed and built by Pullman-Standard in 1970–1973 for the Erie Lackawanna Railroad and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). Bombardier acquired the rights to the design of the Comet car from Pullman and in 1982 built the second generation Comet II cars for New Jersey Transit . Bombardier made several modifications to make them more suitable for intercity service. They are designed with

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4712-606: The same tracks at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible. Amtrak continued to push the development of U.S.-designed passenger equipment even when the market demand didn't support it, ordering a number of new passenger locomotive and car types in the 1980s and 1990s. However, by 2000 Amtrak went to European manufacturers for the Amtrak Cascades ( Talgo ) and Acela Express trains, their premier services. These trains use new designs and are made to operate as coherent "trainsets". High-speed trains are made up of cars from

4788-455: The same protection. Dining cars first appeared in the late 1870s and into the 1880s. Until this time, the common practice was to stop for meals at restaurants along the way (which led to the rise of Fred Harvey 's chain of Harvey House restaurants in America). At first, the dining car was simply a place to serve meals that were picked up en route, but they soon evolved to include galleys in which

4864-544: The sides of the car. They often have small tables for drinks, or may be large enough to play cards. Some lounge cars include small pianos and are staffed by contracted musicians to entertain the passengers. These cars are often pulled in addition to the dining car , and on very long trains in addition to one or more snack or café cars. Café cars , such as the Amtrak café cars , are simpler, lacking window-facing seats, instead, rows of tables with facing pairs of bench seats, split by

4940-426: The sides of the cars to catch mail bags while the train was in motion. American RPOs , first appearing in the 1860s, also featured equipment to catch mail bags at speed, but the American design more closely resembled a large hook that would catch the mailbag in its crook. When not in use, the hook would swivel down against the side of the car to prevent it from catching obstacles. As locomotive technology progressed in

5016-470: The trailer car closest to the locomotive will have batteries to supply electricity to traction motors in the locomotive when operating around New York Penn Station , eliminating the need for third rail propulsion on the Adirondack , Empire Service , Ethan Allen Express , and Maple Leaf . As of February 2024, 28 cars were in production, with one prototype car substantially completed. For use on

5092-586: The train crew, so many baggage cars had doors to access them just like any other passenger car. Baggage cars could be designed to look like the rest of a passenger train's cars, or they could be repurposed box cars equipped with high-speed trucks and passenger train steam and air connections. A special type of baggage car came equipped with doors on one end to facilitate transport of large pieces of equipment and scenery for Broadway shows and other productions. These "theatrical" baggage cars were assigned theatrical names (i.e. Romeo and Juliet ), and were similar to

5168-562: The trainsets. They will be extended to five-car sets in 2024 and six-car sets in 2025. Brightline has said that it plans to eventually expand the trainsets to ten cars. In December 2022, the Government of Ontario and Ontario Northland announced a CA$ 139.5 million investment to reinstate the Northlander passenger service between Timmins and Toronto . The government announced that it had ordered three, three-car trainsets (two coaches and

5244-530: The tunnels it was building to access Manhattan's Pennsylvania Station, which opened in 1910. Other railroads followed because steel cars were safer in accidents. During a transition period, some railroads put steel frames underneath wooden cars. By the 1920s, passenger cars on the larger standard gauge railroads were normally between 60 ft (18.3 m) and 70 ft (21.3 m) long. The cars of this time were still quite ornate, many of them being built by experienced coach makers and skilled carpenters. In

5320-530: The world. The RPO is where mail was sorted while the train was en route. Because these cars carried mail, which often included valuables or quantities of cash and checks, the RPO staff (who were employed by the postal service and not the railroad) were the only train crews allowed to carry guns. The RPO cars were normally placed in a passenger train between the train's motive power and baggage cars, further inhibiting their access by passengers. A colonist car or emigrant car

5396-403: Was a special sleeping car designed to take immigrants from ocean ports to settlement areas in western North America at the cheapest possible fare. They offered simple sleeping berths and a cooking area for immigrants who were expected to bring their own food and bedding. A combine is a car that combines features of a head-end and a regular passenger car. The most common combination is that of

5472-481: Was at the tail end of the car – some more modern US designs had walls of the car usually curved together to form a large U shape, and larger windows were installed all around the end of the car; earlier designs had square ends with an observation open deck (preserved stock in Southern Africa, Oceania and many countries elsewhere.) Before these cars were built with steel walls, the observation end of heavyweight cars in

5548-406: Was later rebuilt to be accessible, with cars now seating between 68 and 72 passengers depending on the seating configuration. The 18 food service cars were configured in either a café/club (table seating on one end of the car and business class seating on the other) or dinette (all table seating) configuration. Both configurations have a food service counter in the middle of the car. The 8 cars in

5624-437: Was sectioned off into compartments, much like the coaches that were still in widespread use across Europe. Pullman's roomettes, however, were designed with a single traveller in mind. The roomette featured a large picture window, a privacy door, a single fold-away bed, a sink and a small toilet. The roomette's floor space was barely larger than the space taken up by the bed, but it allowed the traveller to ride in luxury compared to

5700-472: Was the preferred material for car bodies. Stainless steel cars could be and often were, left unpainted except for the car's reporting marks that were required by law. By the end of the 1930s, railroads and car builders were debuting car body and interior styles that could only be dreamed of before. In 1937, the Pullman Company delivered the first cars equipped with roomettes – that is, the car's interior

5776-516: Was usually found in DMUs , EMUs , and locomotive -hauled passenger trainsets . They also generally intermediate cars within the consist and sometimes have driving control facilities . They may carry auxiliary equipment (E.g. the braking system, air conditioning, etc.) where space is limited. Although passengers generally are not allowed access to the baggage car, they were included in a great number of passenger trains as regular equipment. The baggage car

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