Double-deck rail car operated by GO Transit, Ontario, Canada

Double-deck rail cars in Germany, used extensively on suburban trains (here: S-Bahn Rostock)

The bilevel car (North American English) or double-decker (British English) increases the passenger or freight capacity of a train without lengthening a train. Go Train This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Go Train This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... // GO Transit (AAR reporting marks GOT), officially known as the Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GTTA), is Canadas first, and Ontarios only, interregional public transit system, established to link Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). ... North American English is a collective term used for the varieties of the English language that are spoken in the United States and Canada. ...

Problem and the Double Decker Design Solution

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 bridges, tunnels and power wires, (structure gauge). For cost and safety, this design also minimizes car height, (loading gauge), 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. This article is about the structure. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... Overhead wire in Coventry, England Overhead wire and its suspension system in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives and multiple units. ... The 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. ... The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ...

Platform Height and Floor Heights

There are four height measures above top rail that matter. Platform height, traditional floor height, downstairs floor height and upstairs floor height. Platform height determines level entry height for wheeled luggage, children in push carts, wheel chairs and bicycles. Platform height is hopefully 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 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 the 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 platform trains have level entry over the bogie 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 height. 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 15ft 11inch (4852mm) high. A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. ...

Common Low Platform Design

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 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 16 feet 2 inches (4928mm) tall.

Uncommon Very Tall Design

There are several very tall bilevel cars (e.g. Colorado Rail has 19 feet 9.5 inches or 6033mm). 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 51" 1295mm). 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 500mm of added headroom and interior steps from that floor to the to the traditional floor. A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ...

Containers

Similarly, one may also have bilevel cargo transport. In intermodal freight transport, many modern types of container well cars cars are designed to accommodate "double-stacking." Where passengers and freight rail us the same lines, containers may have required increasing the lines structure gauge. But passengers and freight are usually separated. Containers are 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall or sometimes 9.5 feet tall. Therefore double stack freight is 17, 18 or 19 feet above well car floor height. For passenger transport, see Intermodal passenger transport. ... Shipping containers at a terminal in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey A container freight train in the UK Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport cargo transport using standard ISO containers (known as shipping containers or isotainers) that can be loaded and sealed intact onto container ships, railroad cars, planes... A railroad gondola seen at Rochelle, Illinois. ...

Alternatives

The alternatives to double decker cars are usually explored first, before going double decker.

Add Cars

Add cars to existing trains. This works until platform and sidings have all their space used. Until that occurs, lengthening trains is preferable to changing the loading gauge and structure gauge of the rail line. Longer cars (without changing structure gauge) does not add much, because cars must be narrower! In the US, freight lines have lobbied and paid for the adjustments to structure gauge, making bilevel passenger trains an easier option. The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ... The 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. ...

More Trains

Increase the frequency of trains scheduled. This flexibility can be very popular with passengers until rail line traffic is congested.

Changing Seating

Fitting more (smaller) seats into the same space and/or decreasing the pitch (distance between seats) on existing railway carriages. Airlines constantly adjust seat size and pitch because new airplanes are expensive. Tourists in a vis-a-vis, Prague The classic definition of a carriage is a four-wheeled horse-drawn private passenger vehicle with leaf springs or leather strapping for suspension, whether light, smart and fast or large and comfortable. ...

Building More Lines and Platforms

Building additional rail lines and platforms. This is painfully expensive and is frequently avoided.

Double Decker Profitability

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 adaption before many alternatives.

Double-deck cars

Manufacturers

Passenger cars are manufactured by Bombardier, Kawasaki, Colorado Railcar, IC2000, and several others. A BiLevel coach in service with Torontos GO Transit. ... Colorado Railcar is a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock. ...

Bombardier and Kawasaki manufactured most of the High platform "split level" commuter rail cars in the North East United states.

Bombardier made the Amtrak Superliner Low platform "two floor" rail cars for the Western US area. Vermonter at the Brattleboro, Vermont, station, 18 March 2004. ... Superliner may refer to: Superliner (passenger ship) Superliner (railcar) Superliner (Mack Truck) Category: ...

Colorado Railcar make DMU and IC2000, of Switzerland, make EMU, where the Multiple Units are self-propelled cars, much like subway cars. Colorado Railcar cars are very tall (19' 9.5" or 6033mm) cars for low platforms with steps entry to a normal (51" 1295mm) floor and an upstairs. The IC2000 cars are strictly low platform design. DMU, type SA108 of Great Poland Voivodship in Poznań, Poland The Transwa Prospector DEMU capable of up to 200 km/h provides a passenger service between Perth, Western Australia and the mining town of Kalgoorlie A Diesel Multiple Unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages... Trains of the Singapore MRT. EMUs are often used for rapid transit lines. ... A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ...

Australia

A Cityrail Millennium Train in Sydney

In 1964, Tulloch Limited built the first double decker trailer cars for use in Sydney. They ran with single deck electric motor cars. The first prototype double deck motor car was built by Comeng in 1969 and production versions entered service in 1972. All CityRail electric commuter trains in Sydney 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 Tangara and Millennium trains. The Sydney double deck commuter trains are 14'-4.5" or 4380 mm high. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2188x1572, 417 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sydney CityRail Millennium train EDi Rail CityRail fleet User:LudBob Metadata This file contains additional information... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2188x1572, 417 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sydney CityRail Millennium train EDi Rail CityRail fleet User:LudBob Metadata This file contains additional information... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited (Comeng) is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives , Electrical Multiple Units (EMU) and Trams. ... This article is on the commuter rail network centred on Sydney, Australia. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... Tangara set T31 at Glenfield. ... The Millennium train M Set is CityRails (Sydney) newest member of the electric fleet (4th generation train), manufactured by EDi Rail, in Newcastle. ...

The then Public Transport Corporation in Melbourne ordered a prototype Double Deck Development and Demonstration train in 1991. It suffered frequent breakdowns and spent long periods out of use. It was finally withdrawn in 2002 and scrapped in 2006. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... The 4D on the Flinders Street viaduct The 4D (standing for Double Deck Development and Demonstration) was a prototype double deck electric train built for the Public Transport Corporation of Melbourne, Australia. ...

Canada and USA

Bilevel Amtrak cars (Superliner)

Other designs, including rolling stock made by Colorado Railcar Manufacturing, Budd, Pullman-Standard, Bombardier and others, have the entrance on the lower deck rather than an intermediate level. Amtrak Superliners 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. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Vermonter at the Brattleboro, Vermont, station, 18 March 2004. ... This converted Auto Train lounge shows the typical exterior of Superliner cars. ... Rolling Stock banner Rolling Stock was a newspaper of ideas and a chronicle of the 1980s published in Boulder, Colorado by Ed Dorn and Jennifer Dunbar Dorn. ... Colorado Railcar is a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock. ... Budd logo A rear view of Santa Fes El Capitan and its Budd-built observation car as it approaches the Raton Tunnel (Colorado side) on June 26, 1938. ... The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned 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. ... A BiLevel coach in service with Torontos GO Transit. ... Vermonter at the Brattleboro, Vermont, station, 18 March 2004. ... This converted Auto Train lounge shows the typical exterior of Superliner cars. ... A 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. ...

The north eastern US can accommodate split level (double deck) cars only if they are no higher than 14'-6" or 4420 mm. These double deckers run on the Long Island Rail Road: [1]: and on New Jersey Transit: [2]: (contact Bombardier Transportation: [3]) due to the size of the loading gauge (i.e. bridges, tunnels, etc. are too low). The designs found on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit are based on a 1930s Pullman Sleeping Car 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-70 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 gauge of the Mount Royal Tunnel limits the height to 14'-6" or 4420 mm [4]. LIRR redirects here. ... The New Jersey Transit Corporation (usually shortened to New Jersey Transit or NJ Transit) is a statewide public transportation system serving the state of New Jersey, and Orange and Rockland counties in New York. ... Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier group. ... The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ... This article is about the structure. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... The streamlined Pullman observation-lounge car Coconino, coupled to a heavyweight sleeper painted in two-tone Pullman grey, brings up the rear of the Santa Fe Railways Chief at La Junta, Colorado on February 27, 1938. ... The interior of a Pullman car on the Chicago and Alton Railroad circa 1900. ... This page has been deleted, and should not be re-created without a good reason. ... The 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. ... The Mount Royal Tunnel is a Canadian railway tunnel located in Montreal, Quebec. ...

The double deck cars operated by Chicago's Metra regional rail 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 MARC in Baltimore, Maryland), so all Chicago's commuter rail rolling stock is full size bi-level, and many of Amtrak's Superliner trains to the western USA originate from Chicago. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... A Metra Train in Ogilvie Transportation Center Metra (officially known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation) is a regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States and surrounding cities, many of them Chicago suburbs. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... MARC, prior to 1984 known as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a commuter rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. ... Baltimore redirects here. ... Rolling Stock banner Rolling Stock was a newspaper of ideas and a chronicle of the 1980s published in Boulder, Colorado by Ed Dorn and Jennifer Dunbar Dorn. ... Vermonter at the Brattleboro, Vermont, station, 18 March 2004. ... Superliner may refer to: Superliner (passenger ship) Superliner (railcar) Superliner (Mack Truck) Category: ...

The first bi-level gallery cars were introduced by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad in 1950. Categories: Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Defunct railroads | Colorado railroads | Illinois railroads | Iowa railroads | Missouri railroads | Montana railroads | Nebraska railroads | Wisconsin railroads | Wyoming railroads ...

Finland

In Finland, VR 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 Inter City trains with at seat power supplies for laptops. VR or VR Group (VR-Yhtymä) is a state-owned railway company in Finland, and formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet (Finnish State Railways) until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet (State Railways) until 1995. ... The sleeping car is a railroad car on a train with sleeping facilities. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A wall wart style variable DC power supply with its cover removed. ... An ultraportable IBM X31 with 12 screen on an IBM T43 Thin & Light laptop with a 14 screen A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer, notebook and notepad) is a small mobile computer, typically weighing 3-12 pounds (around 1. ...

France

État's preserved double-deck coach in Richelieu.

French suburban double-deck train.

The Chemin de Fer de l'État in France ran voitures à 2 étages 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 a replacement of the État cars. The Chemin de Fer de lÉtat (State Railway), sometimes abbreviated to CF de lÉtat, was an early French railway company. ... The Transilien is the brand name for railway services of the SNCF-owned railway network operating within Paris ÃŽle-de-France région. ... The Chemin de Fer de lÉtat (State Railway), sometimes abbreviated to CF de lÉtat, was an early French railway company. ... SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company) is a French public enterprise. ...

Since the late 1980s, SNCF has been running double-deck RER trains. SNCF runs double-deck TGV cars on heavily used high-speed services. Many suburban, regional and high-speed services are operated by double-deck DMUs, EMU, coaches and TGV. The French loading gauge dictates that the double-deck cars have a maximum height of 4200 mm or 13'-9.35". The RER (Réseau Express Régional, IPA , Regional Express Network) is an urban rail network in the Île-de-France région, notably Paris and its agglomeration. ... SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company) is a French public enterprise. ... The TGV Duplex is a French high-speed train of the TGV family. ... High speed train redirects here. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... High speed train redirects here. ... DMU, type SA108 of Great Poland Voivodship in Poznań, Poland The Transwa Prospector DEMU capable of up to 200 km/h provides a passenger service between Perth, Western Australia and the mining town of Kalgoorlie A Diesel Multiple Unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages... Trains of the Singapore MRT. EMUs are often used for rapid transit lines. ... Restored passenger cars on display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, WI. A passenger car is a piece of railroad rolling stock that is designed to carry passengers. ...

Japan

Kintetsu 30000 Series Vista Car, debuted in 1978

In Japan, double decker trains are used either to show better scenery, or to increase seat capacity.

Double deckers for scenery

The first Japanese double decker train appeared in 1904. It was Type 5 train of Osaka City Tram, once operated by Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau. 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, Kintetsu 10000 Series, appeared as late as 1958. The series, nicknamed Vista Car, became popular trains used for limited express services. Its successors are still used by Kintetsu. The idea of Vista Car is said to come from Vista Dome Car in United States. The first double decker high-speed rail in the world was JNR 100 Series Shinkansen used from 1986. The train was purely introduced to improve its luxury. As such, the first floor of the train was a dining car. The term heavy rail is often used for regular railways, to distinguish from systems such as trams/light rail and metro. ... The Kintetsu Corporation (近畿日本鉄道株式会社 Kinki Nippon Tetsudō Kabushiki Gaisha), better known as Kintetsu (近鉄), is Japanese largest private railway company. ... Former California Zephyr dome car in excursion train service with the Inland Lakes Railway -- Plymouth, Florida. ... High speed train redirects here. ... Japanese National Railways (日本国有鉄道 Nippon Kokuyū Tetsudō), abbreviated Kokutetsu (国鉄) or JNR, was the national railway network of Japan from 1872 to 1987. ... The 100 Series Shinkansen were the second generation Shinkansen design, produced between 1984 and 1991 for the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sanyo Shinkansen lines; the earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series has been retired from the Tokaido Shinkansen line in September 2003. ... For the record label, see Shinkansen Records. ... Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad lightweight dining car Silver Grill passes through Denver, Colorado on October 24, 1936. ...

Other double decker sightseeing trains include JR Shikoku 5000 Series, JR Hokkaidō Kiha 183 Series, Keihan 3000 Series, Keihan 8000 Series, JR Central 371 Series, Odakyū 20000 Series, and others. The Shikoku Railway Company (四国旅客鉄道 Shikoku Ryokaku Tetsudo) is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railway. ... The Hokkaido Railway Company ) is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railway, and thus often known as JR Hokkaido. ... Keihan 1900 Series keihan 9000 Series Keihan 10000 Series Keihan 8000 Series Keihan Bus Keihan Electric Railway Co. ... JR Central Towers in Nagoya The Central Japan Railway Company (東海旅客鉄道 JR Tōkai; JR 東海) is the main railway company operating in the Chubu (Nagoya) region of central Japan. ...

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 Cars by Meitetsu, Romancecars by Odakyū, and Mount Fuji Limited Express by Fujikyū. Its origin is said to be ETR 300 Settebello in Italy. Meitetsu 7000-type panorama car Nagoya Railroad Co. ... [Image:Odakyu Romance Car Series 50000-2. ...

Double deckers for capacity

This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

E4 Series Shinkansen

JR East 215 Series train

The first Japanese double decker trains built to increase its capacity were 211 Series and 113 Series, both by JR East, 1989. These trains were Green Cars (Japanese for first class cars), needing more seats than standing spaces. JR East also introduced double deckers with normal class seats, namely Kuha 415 Series for Jōban Line, 1991, and 215 Series for Home Liners, 1992. JR East continues to use double deckers, including E217 Series for Sōbu Line (Rapid) and Yokosuka Line, E231 Series for Tōkaidō Main Line, Utsunomiya Line (Tōhoku Main Line), Takasaki Line, and Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, and E531 Series for Jōban Line. Yamanote Line, Tokyo JR Yamanote Line train in Tokyo, Japan Above Yurakucho in Tokyo East Japan Railway Company (東日本旅客鉄道 Higashi-Nihon Ryokyaku Tetsudo or JR東日本; JR Higashi-Nihon) (TYO: 9020) is a Japanese private railroad company, the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven JR companies. ... First class sleeper cabin on American Airlines. ... The Jōban Line (常磐線) is a rail line in Japan and is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system. ... The E217 series EMU was the first outer-suburban train type with four doors per side on car. ... E217 train used on Sobu Line Rapid Service Sōbu Line (Rapid) ) is the express railway service on the Sobu Main Line between Tokyo and the east coast of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company. ... A northbound Yokosuka Line train bound for Narita Airport passes a grade crossing outside of the Kita-Kamakura station. ... The E231 series is currently the standard EMU used for commuter and outer-suburban services operated by JR East. ... Tōkaidō Main Line The Tōkaidō Main Line ) is the busiest trunk line of Japan Railway (JR), connecting Tokyo Station and Kobe Station. ... The Utsunomiya Line is a Japan railway that connects central Saitama prefecture with the metropolitan Tokyo area. ... Tōhoku Main Line (東北本線 Tōhoku-honsen) is a 631. ... The Takasaki Line (Japanese: 高崎線 Takasaki Sen) is a 74. ... E231 train on Shōnan-Shinjuku Line service at Shinjuku Station The Shōnan-Shinjuku Line ) is a railway service in Japan that connects the cities of Saitama, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Odawara. ... The Jōban Line (常磐線) is a rail line in Japan and is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system. ...

In Japan, however, double decker commuter trains are relatively fewer than those used in Europe or North America. This is because Japanese commuter rails can be much more crowded than Western counterparts. Therefore, they generally need more standing spaces than seats. Also, Japanese trains 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 Series and E4 Series for its Shinkansen Lines. Unlike 100 Series in the past, these trains, nicknamed Max, are all consisted 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 cars made to increase their beds or compartments, like CityNightLine trains in Europe. This includes JR West 285 Series for Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto and JR East E26 Series for Cassiopeia. The E1 Series Shinkansen, introduced in 1994, were the first double-deck trains built for Japans Shinkansen dedicated high-speed rail lines. ... The E4 Series Shinkansen were the second series of bi-level Shinkansen high-speed trainsets to be built in Japan (the other being the E1 Series). ... The interior of a Pullman car on the Chicago and Alton Railroad circa 1900. ... CityNightLine (timetable and platform sign abbreviation: CNL) is a Swiss night train service well known for its service and comfort. ... West Japan Railway Company (西日本旅客鉄道株式会社 Nishi Nihon Ryokaku Tetsudô Kabushiki Gaisha), commonly known as JR-West (JR西日本 JR Nishi Nihon), is one of JR companies in Japan that covers western Honshu. ... The Series 285 EMU operated by JR West and JR Central is used for the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto services. ... Tail end of Cassiopeia The Cassiopeia (カシオペア) is considered to be the most luxurious overnight train service in Japan. ...

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, and countries with a similarly small loading gauge, the railway system cannot accommodate double-deck trains. A modest attempt at double decking was made in 1948 on the Southern Railway with the two trains of the Bulleid 4DD 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 [5], the loading gauge severely restricted their use and they were removed from service in 1971. The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ... A London and South Western Railway weight restriction sign on a bridge across the Tarka Trail (formerly the Barnstaple to Great Torrington railway) at Instow, North Devon. ... The two 4DD electric multiple units were the only double-deck trains to run on the main line railway network in Britain. ...

Switzerland

IC2000 Double Decker Diesel or Electric Multiple Units (DMU or EMU) where the motors are on-board the car are used in the Zurich area. A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ...

Other countries

Dutch bilevel train at station Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA

Indian Railways operates intercity trains between Mumbai and Surat, and Mumbai and Pune . Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 440 pixelsFull resolution (2880 × 1584 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 440 pixelsFull resolution (2880 × 1584 pixel, file size: 2. ... Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA (Asb) is a railway station in Amsterdam Zuidoost (south-east) in The Netherlands. ... Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as (Hindi भारे ) IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ... , Bombay redirects here. ... For other uses, see Surat (disambiguation). ... , Bombay redirects here. ... For the sport which developed into badminton, see Poona (sport). ...

In the Netherlands, there are two types of double-deck trains, the DDM and the DD-IRM, also called Regiorunner: see Trains in the Netherlands. The DD-IRM, is an example from the Netherlands, of High platform (split level) double decker cars. It is one step up from the station platform to the entrance, and from there seven steps upstairs or four steps downstairs. The following are current and former trains in the Netherlands. ... A split-level home is a style of house in which the floor level of one part of the house is about half way between a floor and its ceiling of the other part of the house. ... A 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. ... Stairs, staircase, stairway, flight of stairs are all names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps. ... Stairs, staircase, stairway, flight of stairs are all names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps. ...

In Spain several lines of Cercanías (Renfe's commuter rail service) use double-deck trains. In Israel, many of the routes on the Israel Railways network are served by double decker trains. Cercanías are commuter train networks that cover major metropolitan areas in Spain. ... Map of the Spanish rail network as it was in 2005, with colour-coded track types A new Cercanías Civia unit near Puerto Real (Cádiz) AVE Class 100 train at Cordoba station Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668... Israel Railways Logo Israel Railways (Hebrew: רכבת ישראל Rakévet Yisraél) is Israels government-owned national railway company and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban railway passenger and freight traffic in the country. ...

In Hong Kong, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation uses double-deck cars, named "Ktt", on its cross-boundary route between Kowloon and Guangzhou. 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. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (九廣鐵路公司), frequently abbreviated to KCRC, is wholly owned by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and based in Hong Kong. ... The Guangdong Through Train is an intercity railway service provided by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation. ... In modern day Hong Kong, Kowloon refers to the urban area made up of Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon, bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutters Island in the west, Tates Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and... Guangzhou East Railway Station (Guangzhoudongzhan) serves the city of Guangzhou, China. ... Facade of the Hung Hom station, in front of the Hong Kong Coliseum Platform of the station Hung Hom (Chinese: 紅磡, Cantonese IPA: ; Jyutping: hung4 ham3; Mandarin Pinyin: Hóngkàn; lit. ... The busy Lo Wu Station during night time Lo Wu Station (羅湖站) is the northern terminus of the KCR East Rail of Hong Kong, sitting in Lo Wu within the Closed Area on Hong Kongs northern frontier. ...

Gallery cars

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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.

The ingenious solution came in the form of the design of the "gallery" car, which featured upper levels, which were really mezzanines running along both sides of the car, with an open area between the mezzanines, hence the term "gallery". This enabled the conductor(s) walking along on the lower level to easily reach up and punch/validate tickets of the passengers seated on the mezzanine level. View of the ground floor of the Glaspaleis from the mezzanine View of the mezzanine in the lobby of the former Capitol Cinema, Ottawa, Canada In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors...

Passengers would simply place their tickets in clips along a lengthwise panel, located slightly above the conductor's head and within easy reach. The conductor would then quickly check tickets and move to the next car.

An example is the cars provided and leased in the U.S. by Midwest Transportation & Development Corporation of Chicago. They are of a design proven in service and steadily refined since their introduction in the 1950s. These cars, known as "bilevel gallery cars", are among the most successful designs developed, and are currently in daily use in Chicago, San Francisco, and Montreal (Agence métropolitaine de transport). They provide high capacity (155 to 169 passengers each) and use standard, off-the-shelf components, without relying on proprietary, expensive and hard-to-get replacement parts. Chicago's commuter rail system Metra is currently receiving new versions of these cars and Caltrain, the San Francisco area commuter rail authority, has recently overhauled its fleet. Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ... The Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) or (English: Metropolitan Transportation Agency) (AAR reporting marks AMT) is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canadas Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval (ÃŽle Jésus), and communities along both the North Shore... A Metra Train in Ogilvie Transportation Center Metra (officially known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation) is a regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States and surrounding cities, many of them Chicago suburbs. ... Caltrain is a commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ...

Another advantage of bilevel gallery cars is the relatively low first step of the vestibule entrance to the car, which is 14 5/8" (371 mm) above the head of the rail. The advantage of this is that commuter rail operators do not have to spend scarce 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 and increase loading and unloading times substantially, and greatly improve access to trains for the disabled. Also, older (70's era) bi-level cars are notoriously uncomfortable, and tend to be disliked by rail agencies that operate them alongside newer equipment.

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and MARC (Maryland Rail Commuter) are also owners of gallery cars in the Washington DC Area. The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter railroad service that connects the Northern Virginia area with Washington, DC. The VRE operates on two lines, the Fredericksburg line, which starts from Fredericksburg, Virginia and the Manassas line, which starts from Broad Run Airport in Bristow, Virginia. ... Maryland Rail Commuter Service (MARC) is a commuter rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. ...

Double-deck trains often have curved windows upstairs. In the dark and in tunnels this causes a distorting mirror effect. A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ...

Double Decker Rolling Stock Designs in Ascii Art

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 9___________9 6_____/_____6 oo[|] [|]oo 

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See also

• Bombardier BiLevel Coach
• Superliner (railcar)
• Passenger car
• Dome car

A BiLevel coach in service with Torontos GO Transit. ... This converted Auto Train lounge shows the typical exterior of Superliner cars. ... Restored passenger cars on display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, WI. A passenger car is a piece of railroad rolling stock that is designed to carry passengers. ... Former California Zephyr dome car in excursion train service with the Inland Lakes Railway -- Plymouth, Florida. ...

External links

• A photo of gallery car