I see where the NJT is taking delivery of a bunch of Bombardier double-deckers and ALPS-46 locos. :shade: http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df2/df01082007.shtml Mike, are you going to be allowed to "play" with these? :teeth:
Hey, All the Alp-46's were in before I went on disability (5/8/04). The new cars,officially called Comet 6's/multi-levels,were put into service on Dec.11, I believe,after months of testing. Alp #4627 had the honor of the 1st engine with the new cars in revenue service. I've heard that they are a nightmare for conductors.People are hitting their heads & falling down the stairs.Engineers I know,love them.They handle nice now.We'll see after 2 years how they hold up.
I guess it's gonna take commuters in Joisey longer to learn how to ride double-deckers than it took those folks in Chi-Town....I mean, really. mg: :angel:
Ceiling clearance seems to be less than 6' 6" on both levels. I guess the designers think everyone in Jersey is short. I was uncomfortable walking through one and I'm 6' 3". Hard to resist the urge to duck.
"a bunch of Bombardier double-deckers" Interesting statement... since they are Kawasaki cars, not BBD (unless, of course, BBD had a hand in their assembly). MNCR and ConnDOT are suppose to be getting these cars as well.
The design was actually used first in the late 1960's by Commonwealth Engineering in NSW Aust for our V set Intercity EMU's. Unfortunatley the company was loosing alot of money once the cars were built and a contract in Japan would have saved them, but they were unable to raise funds to build the cars so they sold the design to - I believe Kawasaki. This design has now filtered to US Commuter operations with LIRR,MARC and now NJT. I'm quite fond of the design and it's good to see it still going as our cars are now at the end of their service lives.
Our entire electric fleet is double deck and has been since the early 1990's. They did look at the possibility of single deckers in a new contract, but they don't have the capacity. I have to admit (i'm just over 6ft) I've have banged my head more times than I can count (I wonder if the 2 are related....) But that was usually because I was running through the train for some reason when I was a guard (conductor)
