102-527: The Voiture de banlieue à 2 niveaux (English: two-deck commuter car ), shortened to VB2N, is a type of double-deck passenger railcar used on Transilien , the commuter rail network in the Île-de-France region of France . The cars are unpowered and designed to be paired with an electric locomotive. The coaches, built from 1974, are the successors of the Chemins de Fer de l'État 's 1933 built Voiture État à 2 étages . They are currently in use on Line J of
204-461: A structure gauge of 5,500 by 4,880 mm (18 ft 1 in by 16 ft 0 in). China is building numerous new railways in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (such as in Kenya and Laos), and these are being built to "Chinese Standards". This presumably means track gauge, loading gauge, structure gauge, couplings, brakes, electrification, etc. An exception may be double stacking , which has
306-557: A vestibule at each end at platform height. The Sydney double deck commuter trains are 14 ft 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (4,382 mm) high. The Public Transport Corporation in Melbourne ordered a prototype Double Deck Development and Demonstration train in 1991, a modification of the Tangara design used in Sydney. It suffered frequent breakdowns and spent long periods out of use. It
408-415: A "split level" car design, where the doors are located on a middle level, with access into the upper or lower level branching off – with stairs or ramps going both up and down (sometimes this configuration includes a section of seating at the middle level in the entry section, with double levels only in part of the lengths of the car). For low train station platforms, a "two-floor" design with level entry onto
510-439: A 250 m (12.4 ch ; 820 ft ) radius curve. The TGVs , which are 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) wide, fall within this limit. The designation of a GB+ loading gauge refers to the plan to create a pan-European freight network for ISO containers and trailers with loaded ISO containers. These container trains ( piggy-back trains ) fit into the B envelope with a flat top so that only minor changes are required for
612-498: A better view). Double deck cars may not be usable in countries or on older railroad systems with low loading gauge , most notably the majority of the British railway network. In some countries such as the UK new lines are built to a higher than the existing structure gauge to allow the use of double-deck trains in future. Double deck carriages date to at least as early as the second half of
714-403: A common "lower sector structure gauge" with a common freight platform at 1,100 mm (43.31 in) above rail. In addition, gauge C1 provides a specification for standard coach stock, gauge C3 for longer Mark 3 coaching stock, gauge C4 for Pendolino stock and gauge UK1 for high-speed rail. There is also a gauge for locomotives. The size of container that can be conveyed depends both upon
816-655: A composition of double-decker cars. ZSSK operates 19 electric multiple units of Class 671 [2] and 10 push-pull units of Class 951 manufactured by Škoda Transportation . These trains mostly operate services between Žilina and Košice (Žilina – Trenčín, Žilina – Košice, Košice – Prešov and some others) and around Bratislava (between Kúty and Trnava ). As of 2016 some of units 951, usually with locomotive of class 350 (Škoda 55E), are used at international train service on Bratislava ( SK ) – Břeclav ( CZ ) main line. SJ AB operates 43 double-decker EMUs built by Alstom and designated class X40 . The EMU comes in
918-732: A cross-railway bureau double-deck train service is provided between Tianjin and Baoji (via Beijing West railway station ). České dráhy operates 83 electric multiple units of Class 471 manufactured by Škoda Vagonka, which was a subsidiary of Škoda Transportation and locomotive-hauled trains which was also used on the non-electrified routes around Prague . [1] In Denmark , DSB began running Bombardier Double-deck Coaches in 2002. The coaches are used on Regional services on Zealand . In Finland , VR began operating double-deck day cars in 1998. They are Finnish-designed and manufactured by Transtech in Kajaani . Each car has two entrances on
1020-611: A full body, windows, and doors; the same design lowered the floor of the lower storey to keep the center of gravity low. Vidard's carriages had a total height of 13 feet 8 inches (4.17 m) with the head height in the lower part of the carriage only 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m); the carriages had a capacity of 80 persons (third class) in a 2 axle vehicle of 13 tons fully loaded. The first all-steel Chemins de fer de l'État bilevels are an early example of split-level cars. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad placed bilevel Gallery cars in commuter service in
1122-541: A height limit of 5,850 mm (19 ft 2 in). Metre gauge in China has a gauge of 3,050 mm (10 ft 0 in). Translation of legend: Trains on the Shinkansen network operate on 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge track and have a loading gauge of 3,400 mm (11 ft 2 in) maximum width and 4,500 mm (14 ft 9 in) maximum height. This allows
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#17330849432431224-680: A higher loading gauge. The width of these extra-height cars is covered by AAR Plate D1 . All the Class I rail companies have invested in longterm projects to increase clearances to allow double stack freight. The mainline North American rail networks of the Union Pacific, the BNSF, the Canadian National, and the Canadian Pacific, have already been upgraded to AAR Plate K . This represents over 60% of
1326-528: A larger carbody width of 3,300 mm (10 ft 10 in) from the specifications of passenger rolling stock, and a height of 4,770 mm (15 ft 8 in) per P70-type boxcar specifications. Some of the new railways being built in Africa allow for double-stacked containers, the height of which is about 5,800 mm (19 ft 0 in) depending on the height of each container 2,438 mm (8 ft 0 in) or 2,900 mm (9 ft 6 in) plus
1428-404: A level entry from the platform) is troublesome. Most low-platform 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 either at the (higher) upper floor or at an intermediate level over
1530-661: A more generous loading gauge pressed for neighboring countries to upgrade their own standards. This was particularly true in continental Europe where the Nordic countries and Germany with their relatively generous loading gauge wanted their cars and locomotives to be able to run throughout the standard gauge network without being limited to a small size. France, which at the time had the most restrictive loading gauge ultimately compromised giving rise to Berne gauge which came into effect just before World War I. Military railways were often built to particularly high standards, especially after
1632-409: A network, even if the track gauge is uniform. The term loading gauge can also be applied to the maximum size of road vehicles in relation to tunnels , overpasses and bridges , and doors into automobile repair shops , bus garages , filling stations , residential garages , multi-storey car parks and warehouses . A related but separate gauge is the structure gauge , which sets limits to
1734-405: A normal car, if structure and loading gauges permit, without requiring double the weight to pull or material to build. However, a bi-level train may take longer to exchange passengers at each station, since more people will enter and exit from each car. The increased dwell time makes them most popular on long-distance routes which make fewer stops (and may be popular with passengers for offering
1836-400: A physical structure, sometimes using electronic detectors using light beams on an arm or gantry placed over the exit lines of goods yards or at the entry point to a restricted part of a network. The devices ensure that loads stacked on open or flat wagons stay within the height/shape limits of the line's bridges and tunnels, and prevent out-of-gauge rolling stock entering a stretch of line with
1938-570: A platform height of 1,100 mm (3 ft 7 in) where it is limited by half-height platform screen doors . Above the platform gate height of 1,200 mm (3 ft 11 in) above the platforms, out-of-gauge installations can be further maximized to the Asian standard at 3,400 mm (11 ft 2 in). Meanwhile, the PNR South Long Haul will follow the Chinese gauge and therefore use
2040-464: 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. High platform design (Using outside steps to avoid having
2142-443: A railroad, avoiding other options which have an associated infrastructure cost such as longer trains (which require longer station platforms), more trains per hour (which the signalling or safety requirements may not allow) or adding extra tracks besides the existing line. Double deck trains are claimed to be more energy efficient, and may have a lower operating cost per passenger. A bi-level car may carry up to about twice as many as
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#17330849432432244-568: A railway of a particular gauge is also influenced by the design of the rolling stock. Low-deck rolling stock can sometimes be used to carry taller 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m) shipping containers on lower gauge lines although their low-deck rolling stock cannot then carry as many containers. Rapid transit (metro) railways generally have a very small loading gauge, which reduces the cost of tunnel construction. These systems only use their own specialised rolling stock. Larger out-of-gauge loads can also sometimes be conveyed by taking one or more of
2346-492: A replacement of the État cars. SNCF began running double-deck RER trains in 1982, followed by RATP in 1995. And since 1996, SNCF runs double-deck TGV cars on heavily used high-speed services, such as on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line. Many suburban rail , regional rail and high-speed services are operated by double-deck DMUs , EMUs , coaches and TGV. The TGV Duplex are the fastest double-decker trains in
2448-414: A rounded roof structure, those for W10 to W12 define a flat line at the top and, instead of a strict static gauge for the wagons, their sizes are derived from dynamic gauge computations for rectangular freight containers. Network Rail uses a W loading gauge classification system of freight transport ranging from W6A (smallest) through W7, W8, W9, W9Plus, W10, W11 to W12 (largest). The definitions assume
2550-504: A second story. Most of these cars serve low platforms so they have exterior steps up to the traditional "over-wheel" floor height e.g. US 51 in (1,295 mm). End doors connect at the traditional height of existing rolling stock. Some cars have upstairs end doors as well. Many of these cars also include outside balconies on either the upper or lower level. Upstairs and downstairs connect by interior stairs. These cars can fit most able people, but lack level entry. On almost all these cars
2652-442: A smaller loading gauge. Compliance with a loading gauge can be checked with a clearance car . In the past, these were simple wooden frames or physical feelers mounted on rolling stock. More recently, laser beams are used. The loading gauge is the maximum size of rolling stock. It is distinct from the minimum structure gauge , which sets limits to the size of bridges and tunnels on the line, allowing for engineering tolerances and
2754-411: A two-coach version and a three-coach version. The trains are mainly used in regional trains in the areas around lake Mälaren and in the trains between Gävle and Linköping . It has a maximum speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) and is equipped with wireless internet . Between 1966 and 1990 SJ used DMUs of class Y3 with double-decker end cars and normal cars in between. Due to the distinct humps on
2856-577: Is a refinement of W5, and the W6a changed the lower body to accommodate third-rail electrification. While the upper body is rounded for W6a with a static curve, there is an additional small rectangular notch for W7 to accommodate the transport of 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) ISO containers, and the W8 loading gauge has an even larger notch spanning outside of the curve to accommodate the transport of 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) ISO containers. While W5 to W9 are based on
2958-400: Is currently no uniform standard for loading gauges in the country and both loading gauges and platform heights vary by rail line. The North–South Commuter Railway allows passenger trains with a carbody width of 3,100 mm (10 ft 2 in) and a height of 4,300 mm (14 ft 1 in). Additional installations shall also be allowed up to 3,300 mm (10 ft 10 in) at
3060-481: Is discussed under narrow gauge , below. The body frame may have a maximum height of 4,500 mm (14 ft 9 in) and a maximum width of 3,400 mm (11 ft 2 in) with additional installations allowed up to 3,600 mm (11 ft 10 in). That width of 3,400 mm is only allowed above 1,250 mm (4 ft 1 in) as the common passenger platforms are built to former standard trains of 3,200 mm (10 ft 6 in) in width. There
3162-679: Is generally acceptable as the extra width is above normal platform height, but it means that they can not use the high platforms that Arlanda Express uses ( Arlanda Central Station has normal clearances). The greater width allows sleeping cars in which tall people can sleep with straight legs and feet, which is not the case on the continent. In the Netherlands, a similar shape to the UIC C is used that rises to 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) in height. The trains are wider allowing for 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in) width similar to Sweden. About one third of
Voiture de banlieue à 2 niveaux - Misplaced Pages Continue
3264-506: Is now used by 14 different railway operators across North America, including all three of Canada's commuter rail systems. All train services operated by GO Transit and West Coast Express use Bombardier BiLevel coaches , while Montreal's Exo trains use a mix of Bombardier Bilevel, Bombardier MultiLevel and various single-level coaches. The private rail tour company Rocky Mountaineer uses bilevel full-length dome cars built by Colorado Railcar. The first bilevel train for China Railways
3366-466: Is relatively spacious as height is restricted although adults may walk standing up. All coaches have toilets apart from both end carriages. Next stop is announced vocally and visually. Speed is limited to 140 km/h (87 mph). The VB 2N equipment was retired starting in 2019, as Île-de-France Mobilités and SNCF replaced them with newer equipment. Since early 2019, the VB ;2N trains on
3468-515: Is still the maximum height and truck center combination and the circulation of AAR Plate C is somewhat restricted. The prevalence of excess-height rolling stock, at first ~18 ft (5.49 m) piggybacks and hicube boxcars , then later autoracks , airplane-parts cars, and flatcars for hauling Boeing 737 fuselages, as well as 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) high double-stacked containers in container well cars , has been increasing. This means that most, if not all, lines are now designed for
3570-472: Is that they permit double decker passenger carriages. Although mainly used for suburban commuter lines, France is notable for using them on its high speed TGV services: the SNCF TGV Duplex carriages are 4,303 millimetres (14 ft 1 + 3 ⁄ 8 in) high, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland feature large numbers of double decker intercity trains as well. Great Britain has (in general)
3672-417: The 215 series double-deck EMUs for Home Liner services in 1992. JR East also introduced E1 Series Shinkansen and E4 Series Shinkansen for its Shinkansen Lines; the trains are doubled decked to increase their capacities. This includes JR West 285 series EMUs for Sunrise Izumo / Sunrise Seto and JR East E26 series cars for Cassiopeia services. In 2012, a prototype double-decker rail carriage
3774-653: The American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War showed the importance of railroads in military deployment as well as mobilization . The Kaiserreich was particularly active in the construction of military railways which were often built with great expense to be as flat, straight and permissive in loading gauge as possible while bypassing major urban areas, making those lines of little use to civilian traffic, particularly civilian passenger traffic. However, all those aforementioned factors have in some cases led to
3876-783: The Deccan Express , although double-decker service on these routes was later discontinued. In 1979 the Flying Ranee , a passenger train between Surat and Mumbai Central on the Western Railway became the first superfast train to use double-deck cars. The first Air-Conditioned double-decker service was introduced in 2011 on the Howrah – Dhanbad Double Decker Express between Howrah station in West Bengal and Dhanbad Junction in Jharkhand which
3978-730: The Ferrovie dello Stato have found themselves having to quickly increase the capacity of their services with Carrozze Due Piani Tipo 1979 based on French VB2N (see it:Carrozza Due Piani ). Today, double-decker coaches are also in use by private railway companies Ferrovie Nord Milano and Ferrovie del Sud Est . The types of double-decker train is circulating today in Italy are: Rock ( Caravaggio ) , Vivalto , TAF , TSR . In Japan, double-decker trains are used either to show better scenery, or to increase seat capacity. In Tokyo area commuter trains, double-decker cars are generally used as Green Cars ,
4080-633: The Green Line (known as the Tremont Street subway ) was constructed in 1897 to take the streetcars off Boston 's busy downtown streets. When the Blue Line opened in 1904, it only ran streetcar services; the line was converted to rapid transit in 1924 due to high passenger loads, but the tight clearances in the tunnel under the Boston Harbor required narrower and shorter rapid transit cars. The Orange Line
4182-621: The Hung Hom and Lo Wu stations from January to May 1998, before the electrification of Guangzhou–Shenzhen railway . The "Ktt" cars have lower bottom floor than the ordinary single-deck cars serving on the same pair of tracks. In India , the Sinhagad Express was the first train to operate with double-decker carriages, followed by other trains on the Mumbai - Pune route like the Deccan Queen and
Voiture de banlieue à 2 niveaux - Misplaced Pages Continue
4284-579: The Shinkansen of Japan, have all adopted a loading gauge of 3,400 mm (11 ft 2 in) maximum width and can accept the maximum height of 4,500 mm (14 ft 9 in). The maximum height, width, and length of general Chinese rolling stock are 4,800 mm (15 ft 9 in), 3,400 mm (11 ft 2 in) and 26 m (85 ft 4 in) respectively, with an extra out-of-gauge load allowance of height and width 5,300 by 4,450 mm (17 ft 5 in by 14 ft 7 in) with some special shape limitation, corresponding to
4386-542: The Transilien Line J are gradually being replaced by the Z 50000 "Francilian" single-level electric multiple unit (EMU) trainsets. Starting in 2021, the VB 2N trains on the Transilien Line N are scheduled to be replaced by new Regio 2N (Z 57000) double-deck EMU trainsets. Additionally, starting in 2022, some of the Transilien Line J traffic between Paris and Mantes-la-Jolie will be shifted to an extension of
4488-485: The dome cars used on some long-distance services. These coaches include two levels over part of the length of the vehicle. The Ontario Northland Railway operates a bilevel dome car on its Polar Bear Express service with two levels along the entire length of the vehicle. The Bombardier BiLevel Coach was originally designed by Hawker-Siddeley Canada for the GO Transit commuter rail network in southern Ontario . It
4590-624: The 1940s and 1950s, the American passenger car loading gauge was increased to a 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) height throughout most of the country outside the Northeast, to accommodate dome cars and later Superliners and other bilevel commuter trains. Bilevel and Hi-level passenger cars have been in use since the 1950s, and new passenger equipment with a height of 19 ft 9 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (6.03 m) has been built for use in Alaska and
4692-453: The 19th century has condemned it to the small infrastructure dimensions of that era. Conversely, the loading gauge s of countries that were satellites of the former Soviet Union are much larger than the TSI specification. Other than for GB+, they are not likely to be retrofitted, given the enormous cost and disruption that would be entailed. A specific example of the value of these loading gauges
4794-473: The 19th century. In France several hundred voitures à impériale with seats on the roof were in use by the Chemins de fer de l'Ouest , Chemins de fer de l'Est and Chemins de fer du Nord by 1870, having been in use for over 2 decades; the upper deck was open at the sides with a light roof or awning covering the seats. In the 1860s M.J.B. Vidard introduced two-storied carriages on the Chemins de fer de l'Est, with
4896-736: The 25B series (zh) , 25Z series (zh) and 25K series (zh) . Most bilevel cars in China were built by Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Works , while some bilevel coaches were built by Changchun Railway Vehicles . The types of bilevel cars including bilevel hard seat (SYZ), bilevel soft seat (SRZ), bilevel hard sleeper (SYW), bilevel soft sleeper (SRW), Bilevel dining car (SCA) and bilevel soft seat-baggage combine car (SRZXL). Bilevel coaches are mainly used for regional services in China, like Kunming – Dali – Lijiang intercity trains in Yunnan and Shijiazhuang – Qinhuangdao express train in Hebei . Additionally,
4998-565: The Argentine National Government subscribed to a framework agreement to start the national designing and construction of bi-level electric trains. This was decided due to the overwhelming and increasing number of passengers using the 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) gauge urban Sarmiento Line , serving the centre and east of Greater Buenos Aires . The first prototype was released in 2005, but mass-production only started in mid 2008. In 2013, these coaches were retired from
5100-616: The Canadian Rockies. The structure gauge of the Mount Royal Tunnel used to limit the height of bilevel cars to 14 feet 6 inches (4.42 m) before it was permanently closed to interchange rail traffic prior to its conversion for the REM rapid transit system. The New York City Subway is an amalgamation of three former constituent companies, and while all are standard gauge , inconsistencies in loading gauge prevent cars from
5202-598: The Chicago area in 1950. These were successful, and led to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway introducing long-distance Hi-Level cars on Chicago– Los Angeles El Capitan streamliner in 1954. In 1968, the four experimental double-deck power cars entered service in Sydney , Australia , enabling the first fully double-deck Electric Multiple Unit passenger train in the world. The double-deck design usually includes lowering
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#17330849432435304-427: The Class I rail network. The old standard North American passenger railcar is 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) wide by 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) high and measures 85 ft 0 in (25.91 m) over coupler pulling faces with 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m) truck centers, or 86 ft 0 in (26.21 m) over coupler pulling faces with 60 ft 0 in (18.29 m) truck centers. In
5406-555: The Committee on the question of the diameter of the underground tubes containing the railways has been distinctly in favour of a minimum diameter of 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)". After that, all tube lines were at least that size. Sweden uses shapes similar to the Central European loading gauge, but trains are allowed to be much wider. There are three main classes in use (width × height): The Iron Ore Line north of Kiruna
5508-680: The Dutch passenger trains use bilevel rail cars . However, Dutch platforms are much higher than Swedish ones. The American loading gauge for freight cars on the North American rail network is generally based on standards set by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Mechanical Division. The most widespread standards are AAR Plate B and AAR Plate C , but higher loading gauges have been introduced on major routes outside urban centers to accommodate rolling stock that makes better economic use of
5610-665: The RER E line which will be equipped with Z 58000 " RER NG " double-deck EMU trainsets. Two other series of French trainsets were derived from the VB 2N: [REDACTED] Media related to SNCF VB 2N coaches at Wikimedia Commons Bilevel rail car A bilevel car ( American English ) or double-decker coach ( British English and Canadian English ) is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity (up to 57% per car in extreme cases). The use of double-decker carriages, where feasible, can resolve capacity problems on
5712-911: The Red and Purple lines) was opened in 1993 and was designed to handle high-capacity heavy rail transit cars that would operate underground. Shortly after the Red Line began operations, the LACTC and the SCRTD merged to form the LACMTA , which became responsible for planning and construction of the Green , Gold , Expo , and K lines, as well as the D Line Extension and the Regional Connector . Major trunk raillines in East Asian countries, including China, North Korea, South Korea, as well as
5814-721: The Swiss company Stadler on the route Moscow—Domodedovo Airport and Moscow—Vnukovo Airport. Subsequently, from November 2019, the trains were transferred to the Odintsovo—Sheremetyevo Airport route (Odintsovo-Belorussky railway Station in the MDC mode). On 9 December 2018, the tenth double-decker train left Izhevsk for Moscow. Since 3 December 2019, the Karelia branded train (Petrozavodsk-Moscow-Petrozavodsk) has been running with an updated composition of double-decker cars. Since 9 December 2019,
5916-672: The Transilien network. They were previously used on RER lines C and D , Transilien lines H and K as well as services between Gare de l'Est and Tournan station , which became the RER E . Since 2012, the VB 2N trains have been shifted from busier RER and Transilien lines to less busy routes on Transilien network as new equipment comes online, most notably the single-level Z 50000 and double-deck Regio 2N (Z 57000) trainsets. The VB 2N trains are scheduled to be retired. The VB 2Ns are designed to be used in push-pull mode, although
6018-453: The UIC Gauges definitions defining Kinematic Gauges with a reference profile such that Gauges GA and GB have a height of 4.35 m (14 ft 3 in) (they differ in shape) with Gauge GC rising to 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) allowing for a width of 3.08 m (10 ft 1 in) of the flat roof. All cars must fall within an envelope of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) wide on
6120-458: The bogies. In the former case, connecting directly to a single level car causes drag and connecting door problems. In the western USA, cars are of the upper-level-connection type. They use low-platform stations, 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
6222-433: The bottom floor to below the top level of the wheels, closer to the rails, and then adding an upper floor above. Such a design will fit under more bridges , tunnels and power wires ( structure gauge ). For cost and safety, this design also minimizes car height ( loading gauge ) and lowers the centre of gravity. Depending on train station platform heights, three designs can be used for entry – high platforms require use of
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#17330849432436324-668: The branded train "Sura" (Penza—Moscow—Penza) runs with an updated composition of double-decker cars. from 25 December 2019, the train No. 28 "Tavria" Moscow — Simferopol was appointed with a composition of double-decker cars. Since 25 December 2019, trains No. 737-742 Moscow–Bryansk have been running with an updated composition of double-decker cars. Since 12 October 2020, the Murmansk — Saint Petersburg train No. 21/22 has been running with an updated composition of double-decker cars. Since 16 October 2020, train No. 743/744 Moscow—Smolensk has been assigned with
6426-439: The cars are not powered, there is a control car at one end of the train so that the locomotive does not have to run around its train at the terminus. Passenger space is divided in two levels. Each end of coach is a vestibule from which two separate sets of stairs lead to the upper and lower-decks. The walkway and seating on the lower deck is situated below platform level to gain space and avoid unnecessary height. The upper-deck
6528-621: The cars with better accommodations than the regular commuter cars. The first Japanese double-decker train appeared in 1904. It was Type 5 train of Osaka City Tram. The Kintetsu Railway 20100 Series EMUs were built in 1962 and designed for school excursion. Sightseeing trains that feature double-decker carriages include the JR Shikoku 5000 series , Keihan 8000 series , JR Central 371 series , and Odakyu 20000 series RSE . The first JNR/JR double-decker trains were 200 series Shinkansen and 100 series Shinkansen, for Shinkansen lines. JR East introduced
6630-581: The current (or "classic") rail network loading gauge as well as the HS2 line. The "classic compatible" trainsets will cost £40 million per trainset whereas the HS2-only stock (built to European loading gauge and only suitable to operate on HS2 lines) will cost £27M per trainset despite the HS2-only stock being physically larger. It was recognized even during the nineteenth century that this would pose problems and countries whose railroads had been built or upgraded to
6732-468: The endcars it was nicknamed "the camel". Loading gauge A loading gauge is a diagram or physical structure that defines the maximum height and width dimensions in railway vehicles and their loads. Their purpose is to ensure that rail vehicles can pass safely through tunnels and under bridges, and keep clear of platforms, trackside buildings and structures. Classification systems vary between different countries, and loading gauges may vary across
6834-468: The ends (instead of the two electric double doors in the middle) and were designed for low platforms. For 2020, a public tender was launched by Trenes Argentinos to recover these double-decker coaches, for inter-urban and long-distance services, equipping them with reclining seats, USB inputs and other amenities. In 1964, Tulloch Limited built the first double-decker trailer cars for use in Sydney . They ran with single deck electric motor cars . After
6936-426: The extent that bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure can encroach on rail vehicles. The difference between these two gauges is called the clearance . The specified amount of clearance makes allowance for wobbling of rail vehicles at speed. The loading gauge restricts the size of passenger coaches, goods wagons (freight cars) and shipping containers that can travel on a section of railway track. It varies across
7038-793: The first bilevel cars in 1974 for interurban lines. After the revolutions in Eastern Europe, the German reunification the new founded national railway company Deutsche Bahn took over the DR bilevel cars and started to order high numbers of bilevel cars for regional and interurban traffic. MTRCL and formerly KCRC operate double-decker carriages with the KTT train sets on its cross-boundary route between Kowloon and Guangzhou . These cars were manufactured in Japan by Kinki Sharyo . The "Ktt" cars were used to serve between
7140-451: The following measures: The loading gauge on the main lines of Great Britain, most of which were built before 1900, is generally smaller than in other countries. In mainland Europe, the slightly larger Berne gauge (Gabarit passe-partout international, PPI) was agreed to in 1913 and came into force in 1914. As a result, British trains have noticeably and considerably smaller loading gauges and, for passenger trains, smaller interiors, despite
7242-523: The former BMT and IND systems ( B Division ) from running on the lines of the former IRT system ( A Division ), and vice versa. This is mainly because IRT tunnels and stations are approximately 1 foot (305 mm) narrower than the others, meaning that IRT cars running on the BMT or IND lines would have platform gaps of over 8 inches (203 mm) between the train and some platforms, whereas BMT and IND cars would not even fit into an IRT station without hitting
7344-607: The former Eastern Division , the cars are limited to 60 feet (18.29 m), while on the rest of the BMT and IND lines plus the Staten Island Railway (which uses modified IND stock) the cars may be as long as 75 feet (22.86 m). The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's (MBTA) rapid transit system is composed of four unique subway lines; while all lines are standard gauge, inconsistencies in loading gauge, electrification, and platform height prevent trains on one line from being used on another. The first segment of
7446-399: The increase of truck centers, the decrease of width is covered by AAR Plates D1 and D2 . Listed here are the maximum heights and widths for cars. However, the specification in each AAR plate shows a car cross section that is chamfered at the top and bottom, meaning that a compliant car is not permitted to fill an entire rectangle of the maximum height and width. Technically, AAR Plate B
7548-653: The initial system. It is composed of two heavy rail subway lines and several light rail lines with subway sections; while all lines are standard gauge, inconsistencies in electrification and loading gauge prohibit the light rail trains from operating on the heavy rail lines, and vice versa. The LACTC-planned Blue Line was opened in 1990 and partially operates on the route of the Pacific Electric interurban railroad line between downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach, which used overhead electrification and street-running streetcar vehicles. The SCRTD-planned Red Line (later split into
7650-428: 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 height 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
7752-505: The line and replaced with new CSR Electric Multiple Units , though it remains unclear if the Emfer trains will be moved elsewhere in the country. In 2010, Emprendimientos Ferroviarios and Trenes de Buenos Aires presented non-engined double-decker coaches for a 100 km (62 mi) diesel interurban link between Buenos Aires and Mercedes city. Attending to different technical needs, the new coaches have only two simple non-automatic doors in
7854-486: The lower floor is used. Occasionally a third, very tall "two floors over-wheel" design is used. This is a traditional single floor car "with a second story" design which, when using a low platform, requires steps up to a traditional floor height and then internal stairs up to the upper floor. There are four important height measurements above the railhead: platform height , traditional floor height , downstairs floor height and upstairs floor height. Platform height determines
7956-659: The lower level of the middle section, allowing level entry from station platforms at the modern Finnish standard height of 550 mm (21.7 in). The end sections of each car – and the inter-car connections – are at mid-level. VR introduced its first double-deck 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. Double-deck driving-trailers were introduced during late 2013 and restaurant cars in early 2014. The double-deck cars are designed for running at higher speeds than ordinary passenger cars – up to 200 km/h (124 mph), although
8058-420: The most restrictive loading gauge (relative to track gauge) in the world. That is a legacy of the British railway network being the world's oldest, and of having been built by a plethora of different private companies, each with different standards for the width and height of trains. After nationalisation, a standard static gauge W5 was defined in 1951 that would virtually fit everywhere in the network. The W6 gauge
8160-423: The motion of rail vehicles. The difference between the two is called the clearance . The terms "dynamic envelope " or "kinematic envelope" – which include factors such as suspension travel, overhang on curves (at both ends and middle) and lateral motion on the track – are sometimes used in place of loading gauge. The railway platform height is also a consideration for the loading gauge of passenger trains. Where
8262-423: The network, such as auto carriers , hi-cube boxcars , and double-stack container loads . The maximum width of 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) on 41 ft 3 in (12.57 m) ( AAR Plate B ), 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m) ( AAR Plate C ) and all other truck centers (of all other AAR Plates) are on a 441 ft 8 + 3 ⁄ 8 in (134.63 m) radius or 13° curve. In all cases of
8364-580: The operation of double-deck high-speed trains. Mini Shinkansen (former conventional 1,067 mm or 3 ft 6 in narrow gauge lines that have been regauged into 1,435 mm or 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in standard gauge ) and some private railways in Japan (including some lines of the Tokyo subway and all of the Osaka Metro ) also use standard gauge; however, their loading gauges are different. The rest of Japan's system
8466-411: The platform edge. Taking this into account, all maintenance vehicles are built to IRT loading gauge so that they can be operated over the entire network, and employees are responsible for minding the gap . Another inconsistency is the maximum permissible railcar length. Cars in the former IRT system are 51 feet (15.54 m) as of December 2013 . Railcars in the former BMT and IND can be longer: on
8568-624: The size of the load that can be conveyed and the design of the rolling stock. A strategy was adopted in 2004 to guide enhancements of loading gauges and in 2007 the freight route utilisation strategy was published. That identified a number of key routes where the loading gauge should be cleared to W10 standard and, where structures are being renewed, that W12 is the preferred standard. Height and width of containers that can be carried on GB gauges (height by width). Units as per source material. A Parliamentary committee headed by James Stansfeld then reported on 23 May 1892, "The evidence submitted to
8670-498: The subsequent abandoning of those railroads. The International Union of Railways (UIC) has developed a standard series of loading gauges named A, B, B+ and C. In the European Union , the UIC directives were supplanted by ERA Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) of European Union in 2002, which has defined a number of recommendations to harmonize the train systems. The TSI Rolling Stock (2002/735/EC) has taken over
8772-540: The success of the trailers, Tulloch built four experiment double decker power cars in 1968. From 1972, more double decker multiple units were constructed by Comeng and Goninan . These are now known as the S sets . All electric suburban and interurban trains in Greater Sydney are now double deck, though the Sydney Metro uses single deck carriages. All double deck carriages have two doors per side per carriage, with
8874-501: The summer of 2016) No. 49/50 Moscow – Samara 3 December 2015[13] Coupe, SV, 1 pair of trains per day No. 35/36 St. Petersburg- Adler On 28 May 2016, the seventh double-decker train left Adler for St. Petersburg. On 2 August 2017, the eighth double-decker train left Kislovodsk for Moscow. On 14 September 2017, the ninth double-decker train left Rostov-on-Don for Adler. On 27 October 2017, Aeroexpress began operating motor-car (locomotive-less) high-speed double-decker trains ESH2 developed by
8976-404: The track being standard gauge , which is in line with much of the world. This often results in increased costs for purchasing new trainsets or locomotives as they must be specifically designed for the existing British network, rather than being purchased "off-the-shelf". For example, the new trains for HS2 have a 50% premium applied to the "classic compatible" sets that will be "compatible" with
9078-424: The two are not directly compatible, stairs may be required, which will increase loading times . Where long carriages are used at a curved platform, there will be gaps between the platform and the carriage door , causing risk. Problems increase where trains of several different loading gauges and train floor heights use (or even must pass without stopping at) the same platform. The size of load that can be carried on
9180-483: The upper floor. Car roof lines lengthwise are flat for connecting doors to the upstairs of bi-level cars. A Pullman-Standard / Bombardier Amtrak Superliner car is 16 feet 2 inches (4,928 mm) tall. There are several very tall bilevel cars (e.g. the Colorado Railcar DMU is 19 feet 9 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (6.033 m) tall). They typically are described as a traditional rail car with
9282-564: The upper level consists of a full-length glass dome. 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 ( 19 + 5 ⁄ 8 in) of added headroom and interior steps from that floor to the traditional floor. In 2005, Emprendimientos Ferroviarios (Emfer), Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA (Trains of Buenos Aires)), National Institute of Industrial Technology and
9384-563: The upper limit was later reduced for trains entering tunnels. The cars are frequently operated in all-double-deck InterCity trains (known as IC ) with at-seat power supply for laptops and wireless LAN internet connection. The Chemins de fer de l'État in France ran voitures à 2 étages split level double-deck suburban coaches from 1933. Its successor, the SNCF , has been running VB2N double-decker coaches since 1975; VB2N were introduced from 1975 as
9486-472: The vast majority of Israel Railways' passenger fleet as of 2021 Later, a Desiro HC by Siemens has been introduced to Israel Railways. Desiro HC has 2-floor coaches in the middle of the train, while the first and the last coaches are single-floor. The train operates mainly on the Herzlia–Jerusalem electrified line (via Tel Aviv) as of 2022. In the 1970s, with the rise of mass commuting to the big cities
9588-511: The widespread structures built to loading gauge B on continental Europe. A few structures on the British Isles were extended to fit with GB+ as well, where the first lines to be rebuilt start at the Channel Tunnel . Owing to their historical legacies, many member states' railways do not conform to the TSI specification. For example, Britain 's role at the forefront of railway development in
9690-520: The world and often within a single railway system. Over time there has been a trend towards larger loading gauges and more standardization of gauges; some older lines have had their structure gauges enhanced by raising bridges, increasing the height and width of tunnels and making other necessary alterations. Containerisation and a trend towards larger shipping containers has led rail companies to increase structure gauges to compete effectively with road haulage. The term "loading gauge" can also refer to
9792-401: The world with a commercial top speed of 320 km/h. Specially tuned trainset 4402 also holds the world speed record for conventional trains , reaching 574.8 km/h in 2007. The French loading gauge dictates that the double-deck cars have a maximum height of 4.32 m (14 ft 2 + 1 ⁄ 8 in). The East German railway company Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) implemented
9894-497: Was built by Sifang in 1958 as Dongfeng diesel multiple unit, consisting of two locomotives and four bilevel coaches. After withdrawing Dongfeng DMU from use in 1982, China Railways redeveloped double-decker trains, the first of which rolled out from Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Works in 1987 as SYZ25 and SRZ25. The carriage designations of bilevel cars in China start with "S", abbreviating "double-decker" ( 双层 ; shuāngcéng ) in Chinese. Current models of double decker trains include
9996-1152: Was made at the TVZ Tver Carriage Building Factory for the RZD Russian Railways company. This prototype carriage is a sleeping car with four-berth compartments and a total capacity of 64 passengers. Russian Railways ordered double-decker sleeper carriages from Transmashholding for the Adler-Moscow train service. As of August 2012 they were expected to be delivered in time for the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi . RZD offers low platforms for Moscow-Adler route. Train number, route, start date and types of carriages No. 103/104 Adler – Moscow 30 October 2013, Coupe, SV, 1 pair of trains per day No. 5/6 No. 7/8 St. Petersburg- Moscow 1 February 2015 1 Feb 2016 Coupe 2 pairs of trains per day No. 23/24 Moscow – Kazan 1 June 2015, Coupe, SV, 1 pair of trains per day No. 45/46 No. 69/70 (summer 2016) Moscow – Voronezh on 31 July 2015, Sessile, 1 pair of trains per day (2 pairs of trains from
10098-653: Was originally built in 1901 to accommodate heavy rail transit cars of higher capacity than streetcars. The Red Line was opened in 1912, designed to handle what were for a time the largest underground transit cars in the world. The Los Angeles Metro Rail system is an amalgamation of two former constituent companies, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and the Southern California Rapid Transit District; both of those companies were responsible for planning
10200-476: Was subsequently followed by Delhi Sarai Rohilla – Jaipur, Ahmedabad – Mumbai Central , Chennai Central – Bangalore, Anand Vihar (New Delhi) – Lucknow, Visakhapatnam – Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam – Tirupati and Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Madgaon double decker expresses. In Israel , Israel Railways began running Bombardier Double-deck Coaches in 2001. The coaches were manufactured in Görlitz , Germany, and form
10302-602: Was the first electrified railway line in Sweden and has limited height clearance (SE-B) because of snow shelters. On the rest of the network belonging to the Swedish Transport Administration ( Trafikverket ), the structure gauge accepts cars built to SE-A and thus accepts both cars built to UIC GA and GB. Some modern electric multiple units, like Regina X50 with derivatives, are somewhat wider than normally permitted by SE-A at 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in). This
10404-576: Was withdrawn in 2002 and scrapped in 2006. In history bilevel cars were implemented in 1873 and were in use until World War I . In 1993 the railway company Graz-Köflacher Bahn started to use 15 cars for suburban transport around the city of Graz . In 1997 the national railway company ÖBB ordered 120 bilevel cars for the use in Eastern Austria and Vienna metropolitan area . Canada's national passenger railway company, Via Rail , does not currently operate any bilevel coaches in its fleet, apart from
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