Bilevel car - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The bilevel car or double-decker coach (British English) is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation, as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity (in example cases of up to 57% per car).

The use of double-decker carriages, where feasible, can resolve capacity problems on a rail line via rolling stock

Rolling stock

Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...

improvements - rather than via the other options of longer trains (which require longer stations), more trains per hour (which the signalling / safety requirements may not allow) or adding extra tracks besides the existing line (which is very expensive).

Bilevel trains have also been argued as improving the (ecologic) sustainability of rail transport, due to their higher efficiency, and some have even gone so far as to laud them as having saved some American transcontinental lines which would otherwise have been shut down for lack of (financial) efficiency.

However, the great height of the cars can limit their use, especially in countries with low loading gauge

Loading gauge

A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

s. Some countries like the United Kingdom are therefore intentionally constructing future lines (or upgrading existing lines) to higher gauge standards to enable double-decker trains. An other disadvantage that has sometimes been cited are issues that may be created at train stations when much larger numbers of passengers try to board or disembark at the same time.

Typical design

The double-deck design usually includes lowering 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 bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

s, tunnel

Tunnel

A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...

s and power wires

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

(structure gauge

Structure gauge

The structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum height and width of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum height and width of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse...

). For cost and safety, this design also minimizes car height (loading gauge

Loading gauge

A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

) and lowers the centre of gravity.

Depending on train station platform heights, three designs can be used for entry - high platforms require use of 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 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 with, when using low platform, requires steps up to a traditional floor height and then internal stairs up to the upper floor.

Platform height and floor height issues

There are four important height measurements above the railhead: platform height

Railway platform height

On a railway the platform height refers to the height of a platform above the rail. The value varies between railway systems. A related term is "train floor height" which is the height of the floor of the rail vehicle. There are a wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights...

, traditional floor height

Railway platform height

, downstairs floor height and upstairs floor height. Platform height

Railway platform height

determines the level entry height for wheeled objects, such as luggage, strollers, wheelchairs and bicycles. Platform height is ideally standardized across all stations the train serves. Traditional rail car floor height

Railway platform 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 a rail car. The upstairs floor or highest floor height is above the lowest floor and must fit under bridges and tunnels. Level entry floor height must match the platform height. Hopefully either the traditional or downstairs floor height already matches the platform height. Despite the name "bilevel" or "double-decker", for maximum compatibility the rail car will have up to four different floor heights. Using outside steps to avoid having a level entry from the platform is troublesome.

Common high platform design

Most high platform

Railway platform height

trains have level entry over the bogie

Bogie

A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...

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

Railway 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 15 in 11 in (4,851.4 mm) high.

Common low platform design

Most low platform

Railway platform height

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 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 the upper floor. Car roof lines lengthwise are flat for connecting doors to the upstairs of bi-level cars. A Bombardier Amtrak Superliner

Superliner (railcar)

The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...

car is 16 in 2 in (4,927.6 mm) tall.

Uncommon very tall design

There are several very tall bilevel cars (e.g. Colorado Rail has 19 foot or 6033 mm). They typically are described as a traditional rail car with 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 (1,295.4 mm). End doors connect at the traditional height of existing rolling stock. Some cars have upstairs end doors as well. Upstairs and downstairs connect by interior stairs. These cars can fit the most able people, but lack level entry. Some cars are self-propelled Multiple Units so using traditional floor heights appears fixed. In towed cars it is possible to lower the downstairs floor between the wheels/bogies so that level entry is possible with more than 500 mm (19.7 in) of added headroom and interior steps from that floor to the traditional floor.

Alternatives

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

Add cars to existing trains: this works until platform and siding capacity has been used. Until that occurs, lengthening trains is preferable to changing the loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

and structure gauge
Structure gauge
The structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum height and width of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum height and width of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse...

of the rail line. Longer cars (without changing structure gauge) does not add much, because cars are often required to be narrower to negotiate curves. In countries with larger structure gauges for freight traffic (such as the United States) this is often less of a concern.
More trains: increase the frequency of trains scheduled. This added flexibility compared to the same capacity via bilevel cars is generally very popular with passengers. However, it may cause congestion on the rail line, eventually preventing more capacity from being added in this way.
Changing seating: fitting more (smaller) seats into the same space and/or decreasing the pitch (distance between seats) or removing seats completely on existing vehicles.
Track amplification: building additional rail lines and platforms is expensive and often requires land acquisition and service disruptions.

If freight service has increased the structure gauge, and the rail line needs to minimize "per car" maintenance and staffing costs, double-deckers can pay for themselves more quickly than buying single-floor cars of equal capacity. Wheelchair accessibility laws encourage level entry solutions frequently provided by double-decker rail cars. Profitability is encouraging double-decker rail car adaptation before many alternatives.

Australia

In 1964, Tulloch Limited

Tulloch Limited

Tulloch Limited was a major Australian engineering and railway rolling stock manufacturer, located at Rhodes, New South Wales. It was founded by Robert Tulloch and began in 1913 as Tulloch's Phoenix Iron Works, which had been working at the Phoneix Iron Works, Pyrmont. During the Second World War,...

built the first double-decker trailer cars for use in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

. They ran with single deck electric motor cars. After the success of the trailers, Tulloch made eight experiment double decker multiple units in 1968. These were the first fully double deck Electric Multiple Unit

Electric multiple unit

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

passenger trains in the world. From 1972, more double decker multiple units were constructed by Comeng

Commonwealth Engineering

The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...

and Goninan. These are now known as the S sets and are the most frequently seen trains on the network. All CityRail

CityRail

CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...

electric commuter trains in Sydney

Sydney

are now double deck. They all have two doors per side per carriage, with a vestibule at each end at platform height. The Sydney double deck commuter trains are 14 foot high.

The Public Transport Corporation

Public Transport Corporation

The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....

in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

ordered a prototype Double Deck Development and Demonstration

4D (train)

The 4D was a prototype double deck electric multiple unit train built for the Public Transport Corporation of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. It remains the only double deck train ever to have run in Melbourne.-Design:Built by A Goninan & Co...

train in 1991, a modification of the successful T & G sets (Tangara) design. It suffered frequent breakdowns and spent long periods out of use. It was finally withdrawn in 2002 and scrapped in 2006.

Canada

Several regional commuter rail operators used bi-level cars in their fleet. GO Transit

GO Transit

GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...

's passenger fleet are all Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....

Bi-level cars. Others include:

West Coast Express
West Coast Express
West Coast Express is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and...
Agence métropolitaine de transport
Agence métropolitaine de transport
The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...

Tour operator Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian tour company offering Western Canadian vacation packages that operates trains on four rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta.-Background:...

also uses bi-level cars.

Ontario Northland's Polar Bear Express

Polar Bear Express

The Polar Bear Express is a Canadian passenger train operated by the Ontario Northland Railway in Northern Ontario. Service was introduced in 1964...

operates a domed car

Dome car

A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car or observation...

that has two levels, but it is not technically a bi-level car.

AMT also operated Canadian Vickers bi-level cars and currently ordering Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation

Tri-level cars.

While all cars used are not low floor, the new bi-level cars (namely Bombardier Transportation Bi-Level) are wheelchair accessible and offer spaces for wheelchair patrons.

VIA Rail

VIA Rail

Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....

, the national passenger ailway operator does not have bi-level cars in their fleet. Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...

used the Canadian Vickers bi-level cab cars from the 1969 for Town Car service in Montreal until passenger service was transferred to VIA Rail in 1978. All of CPR's bi-level cars where sold to AMT and remains in service in the Montreal area.

Finland

In Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, VR

VR Group

VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...

began operating double-decker day cars in 1998. The cars are Finnish design, and have been manufactured by Transtech in Kajaani

Kajaani

Kajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The population density is . The town is...

. VR introduced the first 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.

The double-decker cars are designed for higher speeds than ordinary passenger wagons - up to 200 km/h. They are usually operated as all-double-decker InterCity

InterCity

InterCity is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe...

trains with at seat power supplies

Power supply

A power supply is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. The term is most commonly applied to devices that convert one form of electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of energy to electrical energy...

for laptop

Laptop

A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...

s and wireless LAN internet connection.

France

The Chemin de Fer de l'État

Chemin de Fer de l'État

The Chemins de fer de l'État , often referred to in France as the réseau de l'État , was an early French railway company.-History:...

in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

ran voitures à 2 étages

Voiture État à 2 étages

The Voiture État à deux étages, or approximately translated État double-deck passenger car, were a class of double-deck carriages built for the Chemin de Fer de l'État of France.-Origin:...

double-deck suburban coaches from 1933. Its successor, the SNCF

SNCF

The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...

, has been running VB2N double-decker coaches since 1975; VB2N were introduced from 1975 as a replacement of the État cars.

Since the late 1980s, SNCF has been running double-deck RER

RER

The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...

trains. SNCF

SNCF

The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...

runs double-deck TGV

SNCF TGV Duplex

The TGV Duplex is a French high-speed train of the TGV family, operated by SNCF, the French national railway company. It is unique among TGV trains in that it features bi-level carriages. The Duplex inaugurated the third generation of TGV trainsets, and was specially designed to increase capacity...

cars on heavily used high-speed

High-speed rail

High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...

services, such as on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line. Many suburban, regional

Regional rail

Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...

and high-speed services are operated by double-deck DMUs

Diesel multiple unit

A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...

, EMU

Electric multiple unit

, coaches and TGV. The French loading gauge dictates that the double-deck cars have a maximum height of 4.2 metre.

Hong Kong

MTR

Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

and formerly KCRC operates double-decker carriages with the KTT train sets. These cars were manufactured in Japan by Kinki Sharyo

Kinki Sharyo

is an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...

T1 (T1C), T2 (T2A, T2B).

India

In India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, the Flying Ranee, a passenger Train between Surat

Surat

Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...

and Mumbai Central on the Western Railway Track uses double-deck cars, since 1970.
With the Railways

Indian Railways

Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....

flagging off its first air-conditioned (AC) double-decker chair-car train between Howrah(Kolkata)

Howrah station

Howrah Station is one of the four intercity train stations serving Howrah and Kolkata, India; the others are Sealdah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata railway station in Kolkata. Howrah is situated on the West bank of the Hooghly River, linked to Kolkata by the magnificent Howrah Bridge which...

and Dhanbad on Saturday, it has moved into a technological upgrade.

Japan

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

For scenery viewing

The first Japanese double-decker train appeared in 1904. It was Type 5 train of Osaka City Tram, once operated by Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau

Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau

Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau is a public department of transportation of the city of Osaka, Japan, which operates the municipal subway lines, the New Tram and city buses.-Current:...

. The tram car, however, soon took away its second floor, due to the complaints by residents along the line, concerning their privacies.

The first double-decker heavy rail train, the Kintetsu 10000 series, appeared in 1958. The series, nicknamed "Vista Car", became popular trains used for limited express

Limited express

A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.- Japan :...

services. Its successors are still used by Kintetsu. The idea of Vista Car is said to come from Vista Dome Car

Dome car

in United States. The first double-decker high-speed rail in the world was JNR

Japanese National Railways

, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...

100 Series Shinkansen

The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1984 and 1991 for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen high-speed lines. The earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series was retired from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line in September 2003...

used from 1986. The train was purely introduced to improve its luxury. The upper floor of the train was used for Green car

First class travel

First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...

accommodation and a dining car

Dining car

A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....

.

Other double-decker sightseeing trains include the JR Shikoku

Shikoku Railway Company

, commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company is headquartered in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.- Lines :...

5000 series, JR Hokkaido

Hokkaido Railway Company

The is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008....

KiHa 183 series, Keihan 8000 series, JR Central

Central Japan Railway Company

The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...

371 series

The is an electric multiple unit train operated by Central Japan Railway Company on Asagiri limited express services in Japan since 1991.-Operations:...

, and Odakyū 20000 series RSE

Odakyu 20000 series RSE

The Odakyū 20000 series RSE is an electric multiple unit train type operated by Odakyu Electric Railway on Asagiri limited express services in Japan.-Operations:...

.

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 Car

Panorama Car

is a trainset series operated by Nagoya Railroad, including the . Like the Romancecar trains of Odakyu Electric Railway, they are designed to be tourist oriented limited express trains, although they also operate on services....

s by Meitetsu

Nagoya Railroad

, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...

, Romancecar

Romancecar

The is Odakyu Electric Railway's name for its limited express luxury tourist services south-west of Tokyo, to mountain resorts such as Gotenba and Hakone, and beaches such as Numazu and Enoshima. Service started in 1957 with the 3000 series SE trainset, it broke the world speed record for a...

s by Odakyū, and Mount Fuji Limited Express by Fujikyū.

For increased capacity

The first Japanese double-decker trains built to increase its capacity were 211 series

211 series

The is a suburban electric multiple unit train type introduced in 1985 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company and Central Japan Railway Company and formerly also operated by West Japan Railway Company in Japan.-Design:The 211 series was developed by...

and 113 series

113 series

The is a Japanese suburban electric multiple unit train type introduced in 1963 by Japanese National Railways , currently operated by Central Japan Railway Company , West Japan Railway Company , and Shikoku Railway Company , and formerly also operated by East Japan Railway Company .The design was...

, both by JR East

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

, 1989. These trains were Green Cars (Japanese for first class cars

First class travel

), needing more seats than standing spaces. JR East also introduced an experimental 415 series

415 series

The is a suburban EMU introduced in 1971 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by JR East, JR Kyushu, and JR West in Japan.The 415 series is descended from the following types.* 401 series* 403 series* 421 series* 423 series-Variants:...

double-decker car with normal class seats on the Jōban Line

Joban Line

The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...

　in 1991, and the 215 series

215 series

The is a bilevel suburban electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Kantō region of Japan since 1992.-Formation:All sets consist of 10 cars with only the two cars at each end motored...

EMUs for Home Liner
Home Liner
is the generic name given to limited-stop commuter train services operated by railway companies in Japan, which require the purchase of a supplementary or in addition to the base fare ticket. The supplementary ticket guarantees passengers a seat on board...

services in 1992. JR East continues to use double-deckers, including E217 series

E217 series

The is a suburban electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Kantō region of Japan since 1994.-Design:...

for Sōbu Line (Rapid)

Sobu Line (Rapid)

The is a railway service on the Sōbu Main Line in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It connects in Chūō, Tokyo and in Chūō-ku, Chiba via the cities of Ichikawa, Funabashi, and Narashino...

and Yokosuka Line

Yokosuka Line

The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company .The Yokosuka Line connects in Chūō, Tokyo and in Yokosuka, Kanagawa...

, E231 series

E231 series

The is an electric multiple unit type used for commuter and outer-suburban services operated by East Japan Railway Company in Japan since 2000.-Design:...

for Tōkaidō Main Line

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

, Utsunomiya Line

Utsunomiya Line

The is the name given to a 159.9 kilometre section of the Tōhoku Main Line between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan...

(Tōhoku Main Line), Takasaki Line

Takasaki Line

The is a Japanese railway line which runs between Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company ....

, and Shōnan-Shinjuku Line

Shonan-Shinjuku Line

The is a passenger railway service in Japan which commenced in December 2001. The line has no dedicated track as services run through shared sections along the Ryōmō Line, Takasaki Line, Utsunomiya Line, Yamanote Freight Line, Yokosuka Line, and Tōkaidō Main Line...

, and E531 series

E531 series

The is an electric multiple unit used by East Japan Railway Company in Japan. It was introduced by JR East on 9 July 2005 to replace the aging 403 and 415 series EMUs running on the Jōban Line from Ueno Station in Tokyo...

for the Jōban Line

Joban Line

.

In Japan, however, double-decker commuter trains are relatively fewer than those used in Europe or North America. This is because Japanese commuter trains can be much more crowded than Western counterparts. Therefore, they generally need more standing spaces than seats. Also, Japanese train cars are 20 m long or less, and it is technologically difficult or inefficient to have more than 2 doors on each side of double-deckers that size. Japanese crowded trains, however, generally need 4, 5, or 6 doors on each side to make smooth boarding and alighting.

JR East also introduced E1 Series

E1 Series Shinkansen

The is a Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in Japan since 1994. They were the first double-deck trains built for Japan's Shinkansen...

and E4 Series

E4 Series Shinkansen

The is a high-speed shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in Japan. They were the second series of completely bi-level Shinkansen trainsets to be built in Japan . They operate on the Tōhoku and Jōetsu Shinkansen, and occasionally on the Nagano Shinkansen...

for its Shinkansen Lines. Unlike 100 Series in the past, these trains, nicknamed "Max", all consist of double-decker cars, and are purely made to increase their capacities. In that sense, these trains are similar to TGV Duplex in France. There are also some double-decker sleeping car

Sleeping car

The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...

s made to increase their beds or compartments, like CityNightLine

CityNightLine

CityNightLine AG was a Swiss night train service. CNL had right of passage grants in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. It served stations in Belgium, France, Italy and the Czech Republic...

trains in Europe. This includes JR West

West Japan Railway Company

, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka.-History:...

285 series

The is an electric multiple unit train type operated jointly by Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company on the overnight Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto limited express service in Japan....

EMUs for Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto
Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto
The and are two overnight train services that connect Tokyo and cities in the western part of Japan. They are operated jointly by Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company .-Operation:...

and JR East E26 series cars for Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (train)
The is a luxury overnight limited express train service in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It runs between Ueno Station in Tokyo and the city of Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaido. The one-way journey lasts approximately 16½ hours.Going from Ueno to Sapporo, trains call...

services.

Sweden

SJ AB

SJ is a government-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2000, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar, when the former government agency was divided into six separate government-owned limited companies.-Overview:SJ's operations fall broadly into subsidised...

operates 43 double-decker EMU

Electric multiple unit

s built by Alstom

Alstom

Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...

and designated class X40

SJ X40

X40 is a series of electric multiple units operated by SJ of Sweden. They are in service from Stockholm to Linköping, Eskilstuna/Arboga, Västerås/Örebro and Gävle/Sandviken, and since 2010 to Gothenburg. The double decker trains are built by Alstom since 2004, with 43 units being delivered, either...

. The EMU comes in a two-coach version and a three-coach version. The trains are mainly used in regional trains in the areas around lake Mälaren

Mälaren

Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...

and in the trains between Gävle

Gävle

Gävle is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 71,033 inhabitants in 12/31 2010. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland , having received its charter in 1446 from Christopher of Bavaria.-History:It is believed that the name Gävle...

and Linköping

Linköping

Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...

. It has a maximum speed of 200 km/h (125 mph) and are equipped with wireless internet.

Between 1966 and 1990 SJ used DMU

Diesel multiple unit

s of class Y3

SJ Y3

Y3 was a series of diesel railcars operated by Statens Järnvägar of Sweden. Six units were delivered by Linke-Hofmann of Germany in 1966-67. Tbey remained in service until 1990, serving first on the unelectrified services Stockholm - Mora and Malmö - Karlskrona, later on Ystadbanan.The Y3 served...

with double-decker end cars and normal cars in between. Due to the to distinct humps on the endcars it was nicknamed "the camel".

Switzerland

Double-decker commuter trains are used by the Zürich S-Bahn

Zürich S-Bahn

The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighboring cantons The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been...

. Two types of trains are used, an older type consisting of an electric locomotive with double-decker cars, and Electric Multiple Units (DMU or EMU) where the motors are on board the car. From 2010 onwards, a third type – the Stadler DOSTO

Stadler DOSTO

The Stadler DOSTO or KISS is a bilevel electric multiple unit commuter train developed by Stadler Rail of Switzerland. It is operated by the Swiss Federal Railways under the classification RABe 511.-Name:...

– is scheduled to enter service.

The Swiss Federal Railways also operate the IC 2000

IC 2000

The IC 2000 is a double-deck train in Switzerland and is run by Swiss Federal Railways as part of its InterCity service. Top speed is 200 km/h. The train set can be composed of up to 10 coaches and provides close to 1,000 seats, according to SBB...

double-decker passenger coaches in most of Switzerland.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, and countries with a similarly small loading gauge

Loading gauge

A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

, the railway system cannot accommodate double-deck trains. A modest attempt at double decking was made in 1948 on the Southern Railway

Southern Railway (Great Britain)

The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...

with the two trains of the Bulleid 4DD

SR Class 4DD

Conceived by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway's Dartford commuter route, the two 4DD electric multiple units were the only double-deck trains to run on the main line railway network in Britain. Whilst common in Europe and North America the restrictive railway loading gauge in the United...

class. Although innovative, with stepped compartments, where the bottoms of the upper seats are above the heads of the people on the lower level, but the feet of the people above are not, see, the loading gauge severely restricted their use and they were removed from service in 1971. However, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (High Speed 1) was built to European loading gauge standards and is therefore capable of taking double-decker trains. However, nobody has yet expressed an interest in running double-decker trains along this line.

Double-decker trams were common in British cities prior to the dismantling of the networks between the 1930s and 1960s.

USA and Canada

Passenger cars are manufactured by Bombardier

Bombardier BiLevel Coach

Bombardier BiLevel coaches are bilevel passenger cars designed to carry up to 360 passengers for regional railways. These carriages are easily identifiable; they are double-decked and are shaped like elongated octagons.-History:...

, Kawasaki

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company

is the rolling stock production division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since beginning operations in 1906, the company has produced more than 90,000 railroad vehicles.- Products :...

, Colorado Railcar

Colorado Railcar

Colorado Railcar was a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock, railcars and diesel multiple unit commuter vehicles. Both products come in single- and double-level versions. It shut down in 2008, with its assets being purchased by US Railcar.-History:...

, IC2000, and several others, with the former two having produced the majority of the High platform "split level" commuter rail cars in use in the Northeast US.

Colorado Railcar make DMU

Diesel multiple unit

s and IC2000, of Switzerland, make EMU

Electric multiple unit

s, where the Multiple Units are self-propelled cars, much like subway cars. Colorado Railcar cars are very tall (19 foot) cars for low platforms with steps entry to a normal (51 in or 1,295.4 mm) floor and an upstairs. The IC2000 cars are strictly low platform design.

Other designs, including rolling stock

Rolling stock

Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...

made by Colorado Railcar Manufacturing

Colorado Railcar

, Budd

Budd Company

The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....

, Pullman-Standard, Bombardier

Bombardier BiLevel Coach

and others, have the entrance on the lower deck rather than an intermediate level. Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

Superliners

Superliner (railcar)

are double-decker cars of this variety, with the entrance a step or so up from the lowest station platform level, or at the level of slightly higher platforms, and allow passage from car to car at upper-deck level.

The northeastern US can accommodate the loading gauge

Loading gauge

A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

of split level (double deck) cars only if they are no higher than 14 in 6 in (4,419.6 mm) due to structure gauge

Structure gauge

restrictions (i.e. bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

s, tunnel

Tunnel

s, etc. are too low). Bi-level cars that run on the Long Island Rail Road

Long Island Rail Road

The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...

and on New Jersey Transit

New Jersey Transit

The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

were built by Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation

to clear these height restrictions

Structure gauge

. The designs found on these two railroads are based on a 1930s Pullman

Pullman Company

The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...

Sleeping Car

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. Current bi-level 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, a common floor is located at normal height over the trucks. While Long Island Rail Road

Long Island Rail Road

's cars have only two quarter-point doors on each side for high level platforms, New Jersey Transit

New Jersey Transit

The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

's cars have four doors on each side, two quarter-point doors at low level platform height and two in the normal 51 in (1,295.4 mm) vestibular position, with stairs to reach low level platforms. Similarly the structure gauge

Structure gauge

of the Mount Royal Tunnel

Mount Royal Tunnel

The Mount Royal Tunnel is a railway tunnel located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It connects the city's Gare Centrale/Central Station, located downtown, with the north side of the Island of Montreal and Laval, passing through Mount Royal. Since 1995, the only trains using the tunnel are commuter...

limits the height to 14 in 6 in or 4,419.6 mm. The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail

MBTA Commuter Rail

The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...

is the only operator on the Northeast Corridor

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

who operates bi-level cars that exceed the 14 in 6 in (4,419.6 mm) loading gauge restriction. The bi-level cars in use by the MBCR were produced by Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company

is the rolling stock production division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since beginning operations in 1906, the company has produced more than 90,000 railroad vehicles.- Products :...

and have a similar configuration to those used by the LIRR and NJ Transit, but differ in that they only have 51 in (1,295.4 mm) vestibular side-loading doors.

The double deck cars operated by Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

's Metra

Metra

Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...

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 US cities (although ex-Metra cars operate on MARC

MARC Train

MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...

in Baltimore, Maryland), so all Chicago's commuter rail rolling stock

Rolling stock

Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...

is full size bi-level, and many of Amtrak

Amtrak

's Superliner

Superliner (railcar)

trains to the western USA originate from Chicago.

The first bi-level gallery cars were introduced by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad in 1950.

Other countries

In the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, there are three types of double-deck trains, the DDM, DD-AR and the DD-IRM, also called Regiorunner: see Trains in the Netherlands

Trains in the Netherlands

The following are current and former trains in the Netherlands.-Out of service:* Arend: was the first train in the Netherlands and pulled the first train between Amsterdam and Haarlem in 1839....

. The DD-IRM, is an example from the Netherlands, of High platform (split level

Split Level

Split Level were a Christian rock band from Ireland, whose career began in the mid-1980s and stretched into the 2000s.-History:Split Level first began their career in the mid-1980s, playing local Christian gatherings and festivals in Ireland. A song of theirs appeared on a 1985 Word Records...

) double-decker cars. It is one step up from the station platform

Railway platform

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. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...

to the entrance, and from there seven steps upstairs

Stairs

-People:* Scott Kannberg , guitarist of Pavement* A. Edison Stairs , New Brunswick politician* Denis Stairs , engineer, Montreal businessman* Ernest W. Stairs , New Brunswick politician...

or four steps downstairs

Stairs

-People:* Scott Kannberg , guitarist of Pavement* A. Edison Stairs , New Brunswick politician* Denis Stairs , engineer, Montreal businessman* Ernest W. Stairs , New Brunswick politician...

.

In Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

several lines of Cercanías

Cercanías

Cercanías is the name given to the commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas. In Catalonia and Valencia, however, the term is replaced by Rodalies , while the designation Aldirikoak is used in the Basque Country....

(Renfe

RENFE

Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...

's commuter rail service) use double-deck trains. Bombardier's double-deck rail cars

Bombardier Double-deck Coach

The Bombardier Double-deck Coach is a bilevel passenger car built by Bombardier Transportation used by various European railways. The current generation of double-deck coaches can be run at speeds up to 160 km/h...

in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

are also used extensively on suburban trains by the DB

Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...

. The same rail cars serve some of the routes on the Israel Railways

Israel Railways

Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...

network, hauled by diesel locomotives and include electric generators housed in the control car.

In Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

, the Tehran

Tehran

Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...

-Hashtgerd

Hashtgerd

Hashtgerd is a city in and the capital of Savojbolagh County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 45,332, in 12,122 families.Hashtgerd is located west of the city of Tehran. It is the capital of Savojbolagh County....

suburban commuter line is served with electric push-pull hauled trainsets with double-decker carriages manufactured by Wagon Pars

Wagon Pars

Wagon Pars is an Iranian train manufacturing company established in 1974, in Arak, Iran.Products include locomotives, trains, metros, freight and fuel wagons, and equipment for passenger boarding of aircraft.-History:...

in Iran.

In Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation

The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...

uses double-deck cars, named "Ktt", on its cross-boundary route between Kowloon

Kowloon

Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...

and Guangzhou

Guangzhou East railway station

Guangzhou East Railway Station serves the city of Guangzhou, China. It is located in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China....

. 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.

In China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Changchun Railway Vehicles offers a double deck coach, Type SYZ25B, that is similar to Superliner (railcar)

Superliner (railcar)

.
The "S" stands for "Shuang" (pinyin, means "double" in Chinese). There are many types in S25 seires: SYZ25B, SYZ25K, SYZ25DT, SRZ25B, SRZ25K, SRZ1-25Z, SRZ2-25Z, SRZ25DT, SYW25B, SYW25K, SRW25K. Among them, SYW's and SRW's are sleepers.

In India

India

, the Flying Ranee, a passenger Train between Surat

Surat

and Mumbai Central on the Western Railway Track uses double-deck cars.

Russian Railways

Russian Railways

The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...

plan to start using double-deckers in 2011 manufactured by Transmashholding

Transmashholding

CJSC Transmashholding is the largest manufacturer of locomotives and rail equipment in Russia, with annual sales of US$3.2 billion and a workforce of 55,000 people in 2008. The company includes 14 engineering and production sites in Russia and one production and engineering site in...

in cooperation with Alstom

Alstom

Gallery cars

Because of the two levels being separate on most cars, there is a physical limitation on the conductor, as it is difficult for him to verify, collect payment and sell tickets to such a large concentration of passengers in one car on each level, owing to the sometimes short distance between stops.

A solution came in the form of the design of the "gallery" car, which features upper levels, which are "mezzanine

Mezzanine (architecture)

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 of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...

s" or "balconies" running along both sides of the car, with an open area between them. Some gallery cars have up to four separate galleries (one on each side, times two for access from each end).

This enables the conductor(s) walking along on the lower level to easily reach up and punch or validate tickets of the passengers seated on the mezzanine level. Passengers can place their tickets in clips along a lengthwise panel, located slightly above the conductor's head and within easy reach. The conductor can then quickly check tickets and move to the next car.

Another advantage of bilevel gallery cars is the relatively low first step of the vestibule entrance to the car, which is 14+5/8 in above the head of the rail. The advantage of this is that commuter rail operators do not have to spend funds on building high-level platforms; a low-level platform is all that is necessary, at a far lower cost. This can be a major disadvantage as well, as many commuter rail systems prefer high-level platforms as they can decrease loading and unloading times substantially, and greatly improve access to trains for the disabled.

Such cars are used by Metra

Metra

in and around Chicago

Chicago

, by Caltrain

Caltrain

Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...

along the west side of San Francisco Bay, by Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

's Agence métropolitaine de transport

Agence métropolitaine de transport

The Agence métropolitaine de transport is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canada's Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval , and communities along both the North Shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles...

, by Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

Virginia Railway Express

The Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...

in Northern Virginia, by Nashville's Music City Star

Music City Star

The Music City Star is a regional rail service running between Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee. The service uses the existing track of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad. The line currently has six stops: Riverfront Station, Donelson, Hermitage, Mt. Juliet, Martha , and Lebanon. The operation...

and by MARC Train

MARC Train

in Maryland. They provide high capacity (155 to 169 passengers each). Chicago's commuter rail system is currently receiving new versions of these cars. Caltrain

Caltrain

, the San Francisco peninsula commuter rail service, has recently overhauled its fleet. Some of these gallery cars are ex-Metra cars. Canadian Vickers manufactured a batch of Gallery Cars (7 coaches and 2 cab control cars) for Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway

for use in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

that later were acquired by Agence métropolitaine de transport

Agence métropolitaine de transport

.

Downsides of gallery cars are the often narrow and difficult access to the seats.

In container transport

Similar to passenger cars, one may also have bilevel cargo cars. In intermodal freight transport

Intermodal freight transport

Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...

, many modern types of container

Intermodal container

An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...

well cars cars are designed to accommodate "double-stacking." Where passengers and freight rail use the same lines, containers may have required increasing the lines' structure gauge. Passengers and freight are usually separated. Containers are 8 feet (2.44 m) wide and 8 in 6 in (2.59 m) tall or sometimes 9 in 6 in (2.9 m) tall. Therefore double stack freight is 17 feet (5.18 m), 18 feet (5.49 m) or 19 feet (5.79 m) above well car floor height. When the double stack is 19 feet (5.79 m) above floor the over all height is 20 in 2 in (6.15 m) above top of rail.

Autoracks

In North America autorack

Autorack

An autorack, also known as an auto carrier, is a specialized piece of railroad rolling stock used to transport automobiles and light trucks, generally from factories to automotive distributors...

s are bilevel or trilevel.

External links

A photo of gallery car

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