Bombardier MultiLevel Coach

There are 643 MultiLevel Coach{{Cite web |last=Bombardier |title=Multilevel Coaches in the USA and Canada |url=http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles/commuter-and-regional-trains/double-deck-coaches/multi-level-north-america?docID=0901260d8002952f |access-date=June 23, 2010}} cars in service as of 2015 on NJ Transit, Montreal's Exo, and Maryland's MARC. NJ Transit received 429 cars, including 62 cab cars. Exo has purchased 160 cars, including 26 cab cars. The MARC order consists of 39 trailers and 15 cab cars for a total of 54 cars.

The coaches were based on the Comet V and have a two-by-two seating arrangement and more knee and leg room than single-level coaches. The seats are also bigger and it has 15-30% more seating than on single-level coaches. The intermediate levels have 5 inward-facing seats on each side which flip up for wheelchairs or bicycles. On cab cars, a large equipment locker behind the cab replaces one row of seats. There are single-width side doors at intermediate levels for high-platform loading, and similar doors outboard of the bogies except at the cab position on cab cars. The latter doors of NJ Transit coaches have stepwell trapdoors, allowing these doors to be used for both high and low-platform loading. Exo coaches have one-piece end doors without traps, which can be used only for low-platform loading. There are also an automated announcement system and LED destination screens.

Compared to the Bi-Level Coach, the MultiLevel has a smaller loading gauge and was specifically designed to fit through the North River Tunnels under the Hudson River.{{cite web |title=NEW MULTILEVEL RAIL CARS DEDICATED TO 9 NEW JERSEY COMMUNITIES |url=https://www.njtransit.com/press-releases/new-multilevel-rail-cars-dedicated-9-new-jersey-communities |website=NJ Transit |access-date=15 November 2023}}

Eight MultiLevel cars were previously designated for the now-discontinued Atlantic City Express Service. These included the addition of first class seating sections and lounge facilities. After the ACES was discontinued in 2012, the cars were converted to regular NJT cars by Bombardier from 2013 until 2014. They re-entered NJT service in mid-2014.{{Cite web |title=Change Order 1 – ACE's Car Conversion and Reliability Improvement |url=http://superstormsandyrecovery.com/img/documents/Bombardier%20Change%20Order%20Docs.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029082013/http://superstormsandyrecovery.com/img/documents/Bombardier%20Change%20Order%20Docs.pdf |archive-date=2015-10-29 |access-date=2021-06-22 |publisher=NJ Transit}}{{Cite web |title=Change Order 1 – ACE's Car Conversion and Reliability Improvement |url=http://superstormsandyrecovery.com/img/documents/Bombardier%2520Change%2520Order%2520Docs.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502013624/http://superstormsandyrecovery.com/img/documents/Bombardier%20Change%20Order%20Docs.pdf |archive-date=2014-05-02 |access-date=June 22, 2021 |website=www.webcitation.org}}

The first order for the coaches was placed in December 2002 by NJ Transit when it purchased 100 cars, with deliveries beginning in 2005.{{Cite web |date=December 12, 2002 |title=N.J. Transit Buying New Cars to Ease Crowds |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/12/nyregion/nj-transit-buying-new-cars-to-ease-crowds.html |access-date=December 20, 2018 |website=The New York Times}} In September 2005, the agency ordered 131 additional cars.{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2005 |title=New Jersey Transit orders another 131 cars from Bombardier |url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/New-Jersey-Transit-orders-another-131-cars-from-Bombardier--11732 |access-date=December 20, 2018 |publisher=Progressive Railroading}} After exercising further contract options, the last order of which was placed in August 2008, a total of 329 first-generation cars were eventually purchased by NJ Transit.{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2010 |title=Bombardier Transportation awarded $267 million railcar contract |url=https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/bombardier-transportation-awarded-million-railcar-contract/article_518c1496-97cf-5d1a-9b71-5cf3557dc9b7.html |access-date=December 20, 2018 |publisher=Press-Republican}}{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2008 |title=World rolling stock market September 2008 |url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/world-rolling-stock-market-september-2008.html |access-date=December 20, 2018 |publisher=Railway Gazette International}}

In December 2007, Exo's predecessor, the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) placed an order for 160 cars via a base order for 30 units and options for 130 more, though all options were exercised immediately. The cars began to enter service in late 2009.{{Cite web |date=December 18, 2007 |title=Bombardier to supply 160 cars for Montreal commuter service |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2007/12/bombardier-to-supply-160-cars-for-montreal-commuter-service |access-date=December 20, 2018 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}

In September 2010, NJ Transit ordered 100 additional coaches, designated MultiLevel II, with options for 79 more. In October 2011, MARC Train ordered 54 cars—15 cab cars and 39 trailing cars—from the NJ Transit options.{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2011 |title=MARC to purchase 54 bi-level commuter cars |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2011/11/marc-to-purchase-54-bi-level-commuter-cars |access-date=December 20, 2018 |publisher=Trains Magazine}} The remaining 25 options were not exercised.

In December 2018, NJ Transit ordered 113 additional coaches, designated MultiLevel III; the order included 55 unpowered cars and 58 powered cars with AC electric propulsion systems, which when coupled to other MultiLevel cars will form multiple units, allowing the train to be propelled without a separate electric locomotive.{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2019 |title=It's official: Bombardier signs with NJ Transit for Multilevel III contract |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/its-official-bombardier-signs-with-nj-transit-for-multilevel-iii-contract/ |access-date=February 14, 2019 |publisher=Railway Age}} The contract included options for up to 636 more cars, of which, as of May 2025, a total of 374 have been ordered. The new multilevel cars are to replace NJ Transit's Arrow III EMUs,{{Cite web |date=12 December 2018 |title=For NJ Transit, another rolling stock innovation |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/commuterregional/for-njt-another-rolling-stock-innovation/}} remaining single level Comet equipment, and may replace the 29 older ALP-46 electric locomotives in the future. The maximum speed of the power cars is 110 mph. Alstom, which purchased Bombardier in 2021, will complete the order.

In October 2022, it was announced that NJ Transit will spend approximately {{US$|8 million}} to replace the glazed polycarbonate windows on the entire fleet. Many of the windows have become permanently clouded due to heat and UV exposure, making visibility difficult.{{Cite web |date=10 October 2022 |title=NJ Transit to spend $8M for new train windows you can actually see out of |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2022/10/nj-transit-to-spend-8m-for-new-train-windows-you-can-actually-see-out-of.html}}

File:Multilevel Cab Car Maplewood.jpg|NJ Transit Multilevel coach at Maplewood

File:Raritan train at Newark Penn Station.jpg|NJ Transit Multilevel II coach at Newark Penn Station

File:AMTLucienLallier.jpg|Exo 3000-series MultiLevel coach at Lucien-L'Allier station

File:MARC 8046.jpg|MARC IV MultiLevel coach at Odenton station

• Bombardier BiLevel Coach
• MBTA Bilevel Cars
• SNCF TGV Duplex
• Sydney Trains S set
• Voiture de banlieue à 2 niveaux
• Voiture État à 2 étages

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Bombardier MultiLevel Coach}}

• [http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles/commuter-and-regional-trains/double-deck-coaches/multi-level-north-america?docID=0901260d8002952f Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141118062504/http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/minutes-2013-05-16-with-handouts-1.pdf Specification Sheet; Page 10]
• {{Cite magazine |title=For NJ Transit, another rolling stock innovation |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/commuterregional/for-njt-another-rolling-stock-innovation/ |magazine=Railway Age}}

{{New Jersey Transit Rail}}

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