# Metrolink's New Cars



## WhoozOn1st

Greetings from Barstow, where Team Whooz will shortly head over to the depot and watch the Southwest Chief, train 4, make its stop. This story appeared in Sunday's L.A. Times, but was not seen until Monday because Team Whooz was out chasing a steam excursion. Railfanning is rough!

Metrolink's collapsible trains

"Metrolink says it plans extensive testing without passengers in the coming months to work out any glitches and modify production details if necessary. In all, the agency is buying 57 cab cars and 60 regular passenger cars. The cars are being manufactured in South Korea by Rotem Co., with final assembly at a Metrolink facility in Colton. After a media preview Monday, the cars will be on public display May 8 [EDIT: National Train Day] at Union Station and in San Bernardino. Testing and federal safety approvals are expected to be completed in September, with the cars appearing in passenger service in the fall."

Video: Metrolink's crash-resistant cars are unveiled. The video was shot at the Metrolink shops near Union Station. In the background of some shots may be seen ex-New Jersey Transit Comets that have been on and around the property for some months now. I've seen least one - unrefurbished and still bearing NJT markings - in revenue operation (sticking out like a sore thumb among the standard bi-levels, as does a refurbed Comet from Utah's FrontRunner seen on occasion).

Safety technology sidebar: Interactive: Safer trains


----------



## RTOlson

I was intrigued by the design of the cab car. It looks cool, but the design of the cab area makes it look like its placement in consists would be limited to the rear of trains (which I can totally understand is by design).

It also stinks that all of the seats in the cab car will be facing backwards (relative to train movement), but again I can understand the design reasons for such a layout.


----------



## Nexis4Jersey

So are these DMU's?


----------



## WhoozOn1st

Nexis4Jersey said:


> So are these DMU's?


No. Although the new cab cars do bear a resemblance to, for example, Long Island Rail Road dual-mode locomotives, they are unpowered, control-only units.


----------



## frequentflyer

Nexis4Jersey said:


> So are these DMU's?


Could easily see AMTRAK ordering their next set of Cab cars for the California and Surfliner sets using the same technology.


----------



## battalion51

I still don't know how I feel about the design. Part of the beauty of a present day cab car (former Metroliner, Kawasaki, Bombardier, Surfliner, etc.) is that the car can be used to lead the train, or can be used in the middle of a consist. I've seen consists on Tri-Rail that were three car sets made up exclusively of cab cars. The average passenger can't tell the difference, and that's the point. The car can be used to lead a train or can be thrown in the middle of a consist without issue. This setup though that will never be feasible unless you wye the cab car and put it right next to the motor with the cab facing the same way as the cab of the motor.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

battalion51 said:


> I've seen consists on Tri-Rail that were three car sets made up exclusively of cab cars.


Saxman and myself - during the SoCal stop on his Rail Tour 2010 - saw a Coaster consist something like that just yesterday at SAN: power, 3 cab cars, two coaches. I agree with your post in general, but have trouble envisioning Metrolink with extra cab cars to use that way.


----------



## Acela150

Although they're "crash resistant" they're ugly in my view.


----------



## Green Maned Lion

Acela150 said:


> Although they're "crash resistant" they're ugly in my view.


See, the idea is they are so ugly they will actually repel the oncoming train.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

"Tight budgets at Southern California's regional transportation agencies might scuttle a plan to speed up replacement of Metrolink's aging passenger cars with a safer South Korean model that can better protect passengers and train crews during a crash."

Tight budgets might slow Metrolink's purchase of safer passenger cars

"The 20-car option might save Metrolink almost $22 million because the railroad would not have to overhaul the older Bombardier cars that the new coaches would replace. As a result, Metrolink would have to spend only $14 million by exercising the contract option.

"'It may be pennywise and pound-foolish to prevent this bold move,' [nonprofit Transit Coalition executive director Bart] Reed said. 'Some of these [transit authorities] are multibillion-dollar agencies. They might not have the money at this moment, but they can re-prioritize their funding. When you can make the ride safer for passengers, it's a no-brainer.'"


----------



## WhoozOn1st

WhoozOn1st said:


> "The 20-car option might save Metrolink almost $22 million because the railroad would not have to overhaul the older Bombardier cars that the new coaches would replace. As a result, Metrolink would have to spend only $14 million by exercising the contract option.


Good news! A bit of creative financing has been cobbled together, allowing Metrolink to exercise that option for 20 more crash energy management cars:

Metrolink adding to fleet of crash-savvy cars

"Budget concerns had threatened the 20-car purchase option, but John E. Fenton, Metrolink's chief executive, said the deal could be financed in a way that does not require any out-of-pocket payments by county transportation agencies.

"Revenue from state transportation bonds will be used as well as shifting funds from a few railroad crossing projects, an $18 million loan from MTA and $4.2 million in damages paid by Hyundai Rotem for the late delivery of previously ordered cars to Metrolink."

Video:


----------



## Spokker

The design of the cab car is meant to ram it into stupid people's heads that the train may be traveling in their direction. One criticism of the push-pull operation is that when the cab car is in front stupid people get confused and are convinced that the train is traveling away from them. Apparently, the slanted design is meant to convince them otherwise and make the cab car look more like a front-end car.


----------



## gswager

What are Metrolink doing with old Bombardier fleet once the Hyundai Rotem cars are in service?


----------



## WhoozOn1st

gswager said:


> What are Metrolink doing with old Bombardier fleet once the Hyundai Rotem cars are in service?


Maybe at first run the Bombardiers in mixed consists with the new stuff, as seen in this graphics proposal that was not adopted? Metrolink also still has the ex-New Jersey Transit and Utah FrontRunner Comets for such mixed use. Since exercising the purchase option dodges the expense of bringing old coaches up to the new standard, I'm guessing the Bombardiers will eventually be foisted off on some other system, possibly in another country with lesser requirements; perhaps even scrapped if no takers. But what do I know?











Successful exterior graphics proposal may be seen in photo posted above.
​


----------



## George Harris

Spokker said:


> The design of the cab car is meant to ram it into stupid people's heads that the train may be traveling in their direction. One criticism of the push-pull operation is that when the cab car is in front stupid people get confused and are convinced that the train is traveling away from them. Apparently, the slanted design is meant to convince them otherwise and make the cab car look more like a front-end car.


Headlights?


----------



## MattW

Didn't another poster here (GML maybe?) say the bombardier cars had a tendency to split apart at the seams? Regardless, after seeing the Chatsworth photos in the NTSB report, I could believe it.


----------



## Spokker

George Harris said:


> Headlights?


The argument is that stupid people don't understand that the front of the train has headlights and the back of the train has red lights. I mean, people are still going to get hit, but that is the justification for the new cab car design.


----------



## Spokker

MattW said:


> Didn't another poster here (GML maybe?) say the bombardier cars had a tendency to split apart at the seams? Regardless, after seeing the Chatsworth photos in the NTSB report, I could believe it.


Apparently the new cars are designed to not "telescope," that is, the locomotive is less likely to slam into the first car in the event of a collision. The cars are designed to "shear off" at a diagonal or something and derail instead of telescoping. Most of the deaths in the Chatsworth collision were in the first car where the locomotive actually entered it. Those in the derailed cars fared better.
I may not be explaining it right. Someone else may have a more accurate explanation.

Of course, the goal should be to avoid collisions altogether.


----------



## Green Maned Lion

The Bombardier Bi-Level (ex Hawker-Siddeley) cars have weak points in many places, particularly where the sides join the roof- and in heavy collisions, those welds split open like a zipper. Look at the Chatsworth cars for an example.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

Off-topic curiosity: Hey GML, what happened to your avatar and sig? I see red X's.


----------



## Green Maned Lion

No idea, Patrick. But I haven't had the time to so investigate.


----------



## George Harris

Spokker said:


> Apparently the new cars are designed to not "telescope," that is, the locomotive is less likely to slam into the first car in the event of a collision.


Actually, telescoping is when the engine literally enters the car resulting in the sides, top and bottom of the car being wrapped around the engine with the front part of the engine inside the car. Elimination of this problem was supposed to be one of the big advantages of the earlier steel cars when they replaced woodeen coaches. Somehow, we have gone backward about 90 years if telescoping is still a problem.

What should have happened: There is an unavoidable amount of end crumpling that would have occurred, but the sides and top should not have split off, but instead crumpled at the front of the engine. While the telescoping was really bad for the people in the front car, the non-telescoping would probably have resulted in more and more severe injurires in the rest of the train as the stop would have been in a shorted distance, hence higher deceleration rate.

You can pass all the laws you want, but the laws of physics are not subject to legislative modification.


----------



## MattW

George Harris said:


> What should have happened: There is an unavoidable amount of end crumpling that would have occurred, but the sides and top should not have split off, but instead crumpled at the front of the engine. While the telescoping was really bad for the people in the front car, the non-telescoping would probably have resulted in more and more severe injurires in the rest of the train as the stop would have been in a shorted distance, hence higher deceleration rate.
> 
> You can pass all the laws you want, but the laws of physics are not subject to legislative modification.


Yea, but if after crumpling, the cars had "accordioned" off to the side, you're not dissipating energy straight through the cars anymore.


----------



## WhoozOn1st

This Metrolink promotional video about aspects of, and the agency's plans for, Positive Train Control (PTC in "the lingo") implementation is not exactly on point for this thread, but does depict the new rolling stock in animated sequences to illustrate PTC features. Live action of Amtrak and freight are in the mix as well.

Metrolink_PTC from "Metrolink Matters" YouTube channel.

All animated trains are shown operating in push mode, led by new Rotem cab cars.


----------



## GiantsFan

So Q1 2011 is a safe bet on when these cars are going to be put into service?


----------



## WhoozOn1st

GiantsFan said:


> So Q1 2011 is a safe bet on when these cars are going to be put into service?


Sooner than that, accoring to a Metrolink blog post dated 11-17-10: "Beginning Dec. 6, Metrolink passengers will be among the first in the nation to ride in cars with unique safety features such as collision-absorption technology. Initially, staff is proposing that the first 12 cars be deployed across the Metrolink System to provide the greatest regional benefit."

This would coincide with public displays and ceremonies at various stations over the coming week: Metrolink Rolling Out New Rail Cars at Whistle Stop Debut

While looking into the revenue operation question I happened upon this brief discussion of the new Hyundai Rotem cars' Crash Energy Management (CEM) features in Mass Transit Magazine:

Metrolink's New CEM Trains 

"CEM improves crashworthiness with crush zones at the ends of the cars. These zones are designed to collapse in a controlled fashion during a collision, distributing the crush and absorbing the energy among the unoccupied ends of the train cars. This technique preserves the occupied spaces in the train and limits the deceleration of the occupant volumes.

"To achieve this, the crush zones are required to absorb several million foot-pounds of energy and deform gracefully as they crush, minimizing vertical and lateral car motion and preventing override. The crush zones are unique to each end of the Metrolink CEM cars, but share common elements. For instance, the pushback coupler mechanism is designed to absorb energy and has a sliding sill with shear bolts. As the first point of contact, the coupler absorbs crash energy and helps keep cars in line and upright. All cars have structural endwalls to protect the passenger compartment."


----------



## Shawn Ryu

Hope this one actually has a bathroom.


----------



## GiantsFan

WhoozOn1st said:


> GiantsFan said:
> 
> 
> 
> So Q1 2011 is a safe bet on when these cars are going to be put into service?
> 
> 
> 
> Sooner than that, accoring to a Metrolink blog post dated 11-17-10: "Beginning Dec. 6, Metrolink passengers will be among the first in the nation to ride in cars with unique safety features such as collision-absorption technology. Initially, staff is proposing that the first 12 cars be deployed across the Metrolink System to provide the greatest regional benefit."
> 
> This would coincide with public displays and ceremonies at various stations over the coming week: Metrolink Rolling Out New Rail Cars at Whistle Stop Debut
> 
> While looking into the revenue operation question I happened upon this brief discussion of the new Hyundai Rotem cars' Crash Energy Management (CEM) features in Mass Transit Magazine:
> 
> Metrolink's New CEM Trains
> 
> "CEM improves crashworthiness with crush zones at the ends of the cars. These zones are designed to collapse in a controlled fashion during a collision, distributing the crush and absorbing the energy among the unoccupied ends of the train cars. This technique preserves the occupied spaces in the train and limits the deceleration of the occupant volumes.
> 
> "To achieve this, the crush zones are required to absorb several million foot-pounds of energy and deform gracefully as they crush, minimizing vertical and lateral car motion and preventing override. The crush zones are unique to each end of the Metrolink CEM cars, but share common elements. For instance, the pushback coupler mechanism is designed to absorb energy and has a sliding sill with shear bolts. As the first point of contact, the coupler absorbs crash energy and helps keep cars in line and upright. All cars have structural endwalls to protect the passenger compartment."
Click to expand...

Looking forward to it! Thanks!



Shawn Ryu said:


> Hope this one actually has a bathroom.


Don't the current bombarider cars have bathrooms? The ones we have up here on caltrain do...


----------



## GiantsFan

Not sure if anyone saw this but I found a video of metrolink testing the new cars


----------



## TransitGeek

So, Metrolink is unveiling these next week, and they ran a contest on their Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/Metrolink) to give away passes to ride the new cars during the unveiling tour.

Guess who got one?

I'll be aboard the new cars all day tomorrow, from LA up to Moorpark and back, just for the hell of it. Would've ridden the SBD-RIV leg, too, but they managed to schedule that stop during the only time all this week when I actually have to be somewhere.

Detailed photos and travelogue to come.


----------



## GiantsFan

did you get a chance to upload some pics?


----------



## Rob_C

Saw one roll by Van Nuys yesterday, looks great with the roofline the same as the locomotive pulling it! But would be nice if the paint matched!

Rob


----------



## Ryan

WhoozOn1st said:


> This Metrolink promotional video about aspects of, and the agency's plans for, Positive Train Control (PTC in "the lingo") implementation is not exactly on point for this thread, but does depict the new rolling stock in animated sequences to illustrate PTC features. Live action of Amtrak and freight are in the mix as well.
> 
> Metrolink_PTC from "Metrolink Matters" YouTube channel.
> 
> All animated trains are shown operating in push mode, led by new Rotem cab cars.


I just now noticed this post - great video!


----------

