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102-1236: Siemens Venture is a type of locomotive-hauled passenger railroad car built by Siemens Mobility for the North American market. The cars are derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. The cars entered service with Brightline in 2018 and with Amtrak Midwest (services funded by Illinois , Michigan , Missouri , and Wisconsin ) in 2022. They have also been ordered by Amtrak for national and other state-supported routes (including those in California , Washington , Oregon , New York , Pennsylvania , Massachusetts , Maine , Virginia , North Carolina , and Vermont ), Via Rail , and Ontario Northland . The Venture cars will also be used on Amtrak’s Airo trainsets. The Venture dates back to 2014 when All Aboard Florida (now Brightline) purchased five trainsets for its new Brightline service along with ten Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives. The passenger cars, named

204-515: A Lincoln Service train. On December 12, 2018, Canada's national passenger rail service operator, Via Rail , announced that it was purchasing 32 Venture trainsets to replace the entire fleet used on its Québec City–Windsor Corridor . The first trainset was delivered for testing in 2021. They are expected to enter service in 2022–2024. In August 2019, the state of Wisconsin used a Federal Railroad Administration grant to purchase six Venture coaches and three cab cars. The six coaches will be added to

306-461: A Siemens Charger SCV-42 diesel-electric locomotive. All seats will be 19 inches wide, with a 2×1 layout in business class and 2×2 in economy class. All cars will be semi-permanently coupled with open gangways, which, compared to the current fleet, are wider and isolated from weather. Some cars have a galley area, allowing for at-seat food and beverage service across both classes. Passenger railroad car The first passenger cars were built in

408-409: A coach and a baggage car , but the combination of coach and post office car was also common. Combines were used most frequently on branch lines and short line railroads where there wasn't necessarily enough traffic to economically justify single-purpose cars. As lightweight cars began to appear on railroads, passenger cars more frequently combined features of two or more car types on one car, and

510-462: A cab car) with a food service area, which would be paired with a Charger locomotive. Via Rail purchased 32 five-car trainsets for its Quebec City–Windsor Corridor . Each trainset will have two business class coaches, two economy class coaches, and one cab control car with economy seating. However, Via Rail says that the configuration is flexible and the railroad may operate shorter or longer trains depending on demand. Each trainset will be paired with

612-565: A capacity of 248 passengers. Premium Service coaches have fifty 21-inch-wide (530 mm) seats in a 2×1 layout, while Smart Service coaches have sixty-six 19-inch-wide (480 mm) seats in a 2×2 layout. Brightline purchased five trainsets for its initial service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Five more trainsets were purchased ahead of the extension of the line to Orlando and additional stations opening in Aventura and Boca Raton. An additional 20 cars were purchased to expand

714-434: A car through a door at the end of the car which led to a narrow platform. Steps on either side of the platform were used for getting on or off the train, and one might hop from one car platform to another. Later cars had enclosed platforms called vestibules which together with gangway connections allowed passengers not only to enter and exit the train protected from the elements, but also to move more easily between cars with

816-504: A choice is given between first- and second-class carriages , with a premium being paid for the former. In some countries, such as the UK, coaching stock that is designed, converted or adapted to not carry passengers, is referred to as "NPCS" (non-passenger coaching stock); similarly, in the US, some maintenance (engineering) stock can be known as "MOW" (maintenance of way). Up until about the end of

918-430: A fast turnaround when changing directions in commuter service. 2017 Washington train derailment On December 18, 2017, Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501 derailed near DuPont, Washington , United States. The National Transportation Safety Board 's (NTSB) final report said regional transit authority Sound Transit failed to take steps to mitigate a curve at the accident location, and inadequately trained

1020-490: A few hours after the accident that the derailment shows that his "soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be passed quickly." He said "several trillion dollars" were spent in the Middle East while the transport infrastructure "crumble[s]". A second tweet said his "thoughts and prayers are with everyone", and he thanked first responders. The Associated Press and The New York Times reports of Trump's tweets said

1122-417: A food and drink counter. Lounge cars are an important part of the appeal of passenger trains when compared to aircraft, buses and cars; there is more space to move around, socialize, eat and drink, and a good view. The observation car almost always operated as the last car in a passenger train, in US practice. Its interior could include features of a coach, lounge, diner, or sleeper. The main spotting feature

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1224-707: A home in North America on some short and medium distance routes such as Eugene, Oregon , to Vancouver, British Columbia . Another type of tilting train that is seeing widespread use across Europe is the Pendolino . These trains, built by Fiat Ferroviaria (now owned by Alstom ), are in regular service in Italy , Portugal , Slovenia , Finland , Czech Republic and the United Kingdom . Using tilting trains, railroads are able to run passenger trains over

1326-482: A mix of Coach Class and Business Class seating. The initial order for 65 trainsets was later increased to 75 in August 2023, with an option to purchase additional trainsets in the future. There will be 26 six-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets that will include an Auxiliary Power Vehicle (APV). The APV will be the trailer car closest to the locomotive and will include a pantograph, an underfloor transformer to handle

1428-573: A personal injury lawsuit against Amtrak, claiming that the company failed to properly train him as the engineer to operate the train and to operate over the route, and that they failed to complete installation of Positive Train Control over the route. On March 24, 2021, a judge in Tacoma ruled that Amtrak was strictly liable for the claim of its engineer. By June 2022, Amtrak reached a settlement with Brown compensating him for pain and suffering related to

1530-492: A portion of the interior partitioned off for a galley , which is off-limits to passengers. A narrow hallway is left between the galley and one side wall of the car for passengers to use. The remainder of the interior is laid out with tables and chairs to look like a long, narrow restaurant dining room. There are special personnel to perform waitstaff and kitchen duties. Lounge cars carry a bar and public seating. They usually have benches, armchairs or large swivelling chairs along

1632-531: A side corridor to connect individual compartments along the body of the train, each with two rows of seats facing each other. In both arrangements carry-on baggage is stowed on a shelf above the passenger seating area. The opening into the cars is usually located at both ends of the carriage, often into a small hallway – which in railway parlance is termed a vestibule . Earlier designs of UK coaching stock had additional door or doors along their length, some supporting compartmentalised carriages. The compartment coach

1734-417: A signal and returned his gaze to the control screens, finally recognizing that he had tripped the overspeed alarm. Distracted by the alarms, he was unaware that he was nearing the curve. By the time he recognized the meaning of the alarms and returned his attention outside, the train was only about 5 seconds away from the curve. He applied the train's brakes after seeing the final speed sign, immediately north of

1836-725: A single manufacturer and usually of a uniform design (although the dining car on the German ICE 1 has a dome). In the 1960s and 1970s countries around the world started to develop trains capable of traveling in the 150–200 mph range, to rival air travel. One of the first was France 's TGV which entered service in 1981. By 2000, Western Europe's major cities ( London , Paris , Brussels , Amsterdam , Geneva , Berlin , Rome , etc.) were connected by high-speed rail service. Often tilting and high-speed cars are left in "trainsets" throughout their service. For example, articulated cars cannot be uncoupled without special equipment because

1938-521: A way that they either roll or fold out of the way or convert into seats for daytime use. Compartments vary in size; some are large enough for only a bed, while others resemble efficiency apartments including bathrooms. In China, sleeping cars still serve as major travel classes in long-range rail transport. The classes of sleeping cars include hard sleeper (YW) with six bunks per compartment, soft sleeper (RW) typically with four bunks, deluxe soft sleeper (GRW) typically with two bunks. A similar car which

2040-399: Is 30 mph (48 km/h), but the preceding track segment north of Mounts Road has a limit of 79 mph (127 km/h). The NTSB reported that the train data recorders had been recovered from both locomotives. The lead locomotive recorder showed that the engineer had commented on the train's excessive speed six seconds before the derailment, and applied the brakes. The lead locomotive

2142-443: Is a car that was normally placed between the train's motive power and the remainder of the passenger train. The car's interior is normally wide open and is used to carry passengers' checked baggage . Baggage cars were also sometimes commissioned by freight companies to haul less-than-carload (LCL) shipments along passenger routes ( Railway Express Agency was one such freight company). Some baggage cars included restroom facilities for

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2244-536: Is scheduled to be delivered in 2025 and enter revenue service in 2026 after final commissioning. Illinois , Michigan , Missouri , and Wisconsin have ordered 97 Venture cars for the Amtrak Midwest routes, including the Blue Water , Hiawatha , Illini and Saluki , Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg , Lincoln Service , Missouri River Runner , Pere Marquette , and Wolverine . Of

2346-491: Is similar to a corridor coach but without the corridor. Each compartment is totally separated from the other compartments, with no movement between them. Entry and exit from each compartment is only possible when stopped at a station. "Composite" coaches are also known. These are mixed-class cars featuring both open seating and compartments. One such coach is the Composite Corridor , introduced for British Rail in

2448-639: Is that the passengers were expected to stand for their entire trip. The first passenger cars in the United States resembled stagecoaches . They were short, often less than 10 ft (3.05 m) long and had two axles . A British company developed the first design for sleeping carriages , called "bed-carriages", which were built in 1838 for the London and Birmingham Railway and the Grand Junction Railway . When made up for sleeping,

2550-501: Is typically [2+2], while the hard seat in China has [3+2] arrangements. The seating arrangements and density, as well as the absence or presence of other facilities depends on the intended use – from mass transit systems to long distance luxury trains. Some cars have reclining seats to allow for easier sleeping by passengers not traveling in a sleeping car. In another variant, "closed" coaches, "corridor" coaches or "compartment" cars have

2652-664: Is used. It contains several cell compartments with minimal interior and commodities, and a separate guard compartment. Usually the windows are of nontransparent opaque glass to prevent prisoners from seeing outside and determine where they are, and windows usually also have bars to prevent escapes. Unlike other passenger cars, prisoner cars do not have doors at the ends of the wagon. Like baggage cars, railway post office (RPO; US term) cars or travelling post offices (TPOs; British term) were not accessible to paying passengers. These cars' interiors were designed with sorting facilities that were often seen and used in conventional post offices around

2754-488: Is via a complimentary prepackaged snack box. The cab-control cars, once delivered, will provide additional space for passenger seating and checked baggage. Brightline has received 10 Venture trainsets consisting of four cars: three with economy seating (branded "Smart Service") and one with business class seating (branded "Premium Service", formerly "Select"). Each trainset has two Siemens Charger SCB-40 diesel-electric locomotives, one on each end. Each trainset currently has

2856-599: The San Joaquins service, the California Department of Transportation has ordered seven Venture trainsets with seven cars each: five coaches, one café car, and one cab-control car. The San Joaquins do not provide business class seating. Per each trainset, the cab-control car and two other cars will each only have one vestibule , while the remaining four cars will each have two. Two coaches per set will have built-in wheelchair lifts for compatibility with

2958-465: The Amtrak Express brand, eventually introducing rolling stock like material handling cars, Roadrailers . Amtrak mostly exited the express business in 2003, now only using extra space in baggage cars on trains. In some countries, such as Russia, convicts are transported from court to prison or from one prison to another by railway. In such transportation a specific type of coach, prisoner car,

3060-627: The Cascades on the new, faster Point Defiance Bypass route between Lacey and Tacoma. The train was running about 30 minutes behind schedule. Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson said that positive train control was not active on the track, a factor cited in two accidents in Spuyten Duyvil and in Port Richmond, Philadelphia . There were five Amtrak employees, a technician from train manufacturer Talgo , and 77 passengers on board

3162-639: The train engineer . The train was making the inaugural run of the Point Defiance Bypass , a new passenger rail route south of Tacoma, Washington , operated by Amtrak in partnership with state and local authorities in Oregon and Washington, on right-of-way owned and operated by Sound Transit. The bypass was intended to reduce congestion and separate passenger and freight traffic, and was designed for faster speeds and shorter travel times, saving ten minutes from Seattle to Portland compared with

Siemens Venture - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-529: The trucks . The coach is the most basic type of passenger car, also sometimes referred to as "chair cars". Two main variants exist. In one variant, an " open coach " has a central aisle; the car's interior is often filled with row upon row of seats as in a passenger airliner . Other arrangements of the "open" type are also found, including seats around tables, seats facing the aisle (often found on mass transit trains since they increase standing room for rush hour), and variations of all three. Seating arrangement

3366-503: The " horse cars " that were used to transport racehorses. Express cars carry high-value freight in passenger consists . These cars often resembled baggage cars, although in some cases specially-equipped boxcars or refrigerator cars were used. In the United States, the majority of these cars were operated by Railway Express Agency (REA) from 1918 to 1975. Following REA's bankruptcy, Amtrak took over express type shipments under

3468-435: The 1930s, these had an open-air platform at the rear, the "observation platform". These evolved into the closed end car, usually with a rounded end which was still called an "observation car". The interiors of observation cars varied. Many had special chairs and tables. The end platforms of all passenger cars changed around the turn of the 20th century. Older cars had open platforms between cars. Passengers would enter and leave

3570-429: The 1940s with technology that would enable the axles to steer into a curve, allowing the train to move around the curve at a higher speed. The steering axles evolved into mechanisms that would also tilt the passenger car as it entered a curve to counter the centrifugal force experienced by the train, further increasing speeds on existing track. Today, Talgo trains are used in many places in Europe and they have also found

3672-524: The 1950s, the passenger travel market declined in North America, though there was growth in commuter rail . Private intercity passenger service in the U.S. mostly ended with the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak took over equipment and stations from most of the railroads in the U.S. with intercity service. The higher clearances in North America enabled a major advancement in passenger car design, bi-level ( double-decker ) commuter coaches that could hold more passengers. These cars started to become common in

3774-416: The 1950s; though such coaches existed from early pre-grouping days, at the end of the 19th century. In India, normal carriages often have double height seating, with benches (berths), so that people can sit above one another (not unlike a bunk bed). In other countries, true double decker carriages are becoming more common. The seats in most coaches until the middle of the 20th century were usually bench seats;

3876-587: The 19th century, most passenger cars were constructed of wood. The first passenger trains did not travel very far, but they were able to haul many more passengers for a longer distance than wagons pulled by horses . As railways were first constructed in England , so too were the first passenger cars. One of the early coach designs was the "Stanhope". It featured a roof and small holes in the floor for drainage when it rained, and had separate compartments for different classes of travel. The only problem with this design

3978-418: The 97 cars, 68 are built as married pairs (two cars semi-permanently coupled with open gangways), while the remaining 29 are single (unmarried) cars with traditional gangways . Half of the married pairs (17) have a café car and an economy coach, while the remaining 17 have a combination business class/economy class coach and an economy-only coach. The business class and café cars have two vestibules each, while

4080-480: The Amtrak Airo, for intercity routes that operate over its Northeast Corridor . The trainsets will be built in three configurations, tailored to the capacity and propulsion needs of the routes over which they will operate. All trainsets will include an ALC-42E Charger locomotive on one end of the consist and a cab control passenger car on the opposite end. Onboard, there will be a car with a food service area and

4182-516: The Amtrak Midwest pool while the three cab cars will be used exclusively for Hiawatha trains. In April 2021, Amtrak announced that they would order 83 trainsets to replace the aging Amfleet I fleet and Metroliner cab cars. The contract was signed in July 2021 and includes 20 years of after-delivery service and support. On October 13, 2023, Siemens unveiled their Venture car prototype for

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4284-555: The NTSB recommended be replaced "as soon as possible" after the 2017 Washington train derailment . Until the Venture trainsets arrive, Amtrak has been using its Horizon fleet on the route. Each trainset will consist of five coaches and one cab car. Trains will also have a café for food service along with coach and business class seating. They will be paired with a Siemens Charger , of which WSDOT already owns several. The first trainset

4386-950: The Northeast Corridor's 25 kV , 12.5 kV and 12 kV AC traction power systems, a four-quadrant chopper , and two powered trucks . In electrified territory, the APV will draw power from overhead lines, through the transformer and fed to the four traction motors in the car, and via a DC link cable, to the four traction motors in the locomotive. These trainsets will be used on the Carolinian , Downeaster , Keystone Service , Palmetto , Pennsylvanian , and Vermonter . There will also be 32 eight-car catenary-diesel dual-power trainsets, similarly configured, for use on Northeast Regional trains, including through trains to Virginia and Springfield, Massachusetts. Amtrak will also purchase 17 six-car battery-diesel hybrid trainsets, where

4488-726: The US and Canada resembled a roofed porch area. Larger windows were installed at the observation end on these cars as well. At this end of the car, there was almost always a lounge where passengers could enjoy the view as they watched the track rapidly recede into the distance. Often called "sleepers" or "Pullman cars" (after the main American operator), these cars provide sleeping arrangements for passengers travelling at night. Early models were divided into sections, where coach seating converted at night into semi-private berths. More modern interiors are normally partitioned into separate bedroom compartments for passengers. The beds are designed in such

4590-596: The United States in the 1960s, and were adopted by Amtrak for the Superliner design as well as by many other railroads and manufacturers. By 2000, double-deckers rivaled single level cars in use around the world. While intercity passenger rail travel declined in America, ridership continued to increase in other parts of the world. With the increase came an increased use of newer technology on existing and new equipment. The Spanish company Talgo began experimenting in

4692-575: The United States, the so-called "chair car" with individual seating became commonplace on long-distance routes. With the 1930s came the widespread use of stainless steel for car bodies. The typical passenger car was now much lighter than its carbon-steel cousins of old, though still much heavier than nineteenth-century wooden cars. The new "lightweight" and streamlined cars carried passengers in speed and comfort to an extent that had not been experienced to date. Aluminum and Cor-Ten steel were also used in lightweight car construction, but stainless steel

4794-803: The Venture, were derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. They were built at the Siemens factory in Florin, California , starting in July 2015. The first trainset was completed in December 2016. Public operations began on January 13, 2018. In November 2017, a coalition of states with state-supported Amtrak routes ordered 137 Venture railcars through its contractor Sumitomo Corporation . The order included seven trainsets for California and 88 cars for Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri ( Amtrak Midwest ) as married pairs and single coaches. The Ventures were

4896-523: The WSDOT-owned Talgo Series VI passenger trainset, was also damaged beyond repair. The NTSB later said that the use of these trainsets should be discontinued "as soon as possible," due to their lack of crashworthiness and overaged safety straps used for assembly retention. This led WSDOT and Amtrak to retire and scrap the remaining Talgo VI trainsets. The sets will be replaced with new Siemens Venture train sets. Within hours of

4998-413: The accident and dispatched a 20-member Go Team to the crash site. The NTSB said its investigators would be on-site for seven to ten days. One aspect of the investigation was whether the engineer lost situational awareness . The NTSB said the train was traveling at 80 mph (130 km/h) at a point soon before it derailed. The speed limit on the curved track segment where the derailment occurred

5100-634: The accident had occurred on newly constructed track that was part of a recently upgraded line. The New York Times added that this project was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 , an act signed by President Barack Obama that aimed to address infrastructure shortfalls. The New York Times editorial board said that the derailment is symptomatic of the Federal Government 's failure to invest in infrastructure . It said that despite Trump seemingly acknowledging

5202-419: The backs of these seats could be adjusted, often with one hand, to face in either direction so the car would not have to be turned for a return trip. The conductor would simply walk down the aisle in the car, reversing the seat backs to prepare for the return trip. This arrangement is still used in some modern trains. A dining car (or diner) is used to serve meals to the passengers. Its interior may be split with

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5304-411: The bridge span, and three cars went off the railroad bridge abutment on the opposite side, some onto I-5. Only the trailing General Electric Genesis P42DC locomotive, No. 181, remained on the tracks. Seven vehicles, including two trucks, were damaged by the derailed cars of the train. The southbound train was operating from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon, on the first revenue service run of

5406-457: The classic heavyweight combine fell out of use. A control car (also known as a Driving Trailer in Europe and the UK) is a passenger car which lets the train be run in reverse with the locomotive at the back. It is common on commuter trains in the US, Canada and Europe. This can be important for serving small towns without extensive switching facilities, end train stations, dead-end lines, and having

5508-503: The coalition's second passenger railcar order; the first order of Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Rail Cars was canceled after the prototype, built by Sumitomo's subcontractor, Nippon Sharyo , failed a buff strength test in August 2015. The first three Venture cars entered testing in February 2020. They were originally planned to enter revenue service in July 2020 but were delayed, not making their first run until February 1, 2022, on

5610-402: The curve and overpass where the derailment occurred be replaced with a straighter alignment, costing $ 412 million. The final plans omitted the overpass replacement, with a smaller budget of $ 180 million granted for the entire project. According to multiple reports, days before the derailment, engineers and conductors warned their supervisors that they did not feel adequately trained on

5712-465: The curve. The NTSB does not assign fault or blame for an accident or incident; however, it provided its determination of the probable cause of the derailment, deaths, and injuries, the NTSB stating: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Amtrak 501 derailment was Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority's failure to provide an effective mitigation for

5814-596: The data recorder showed that, when the incident happened, the train was traveling at 78 mph (126 km/h), nearly 50 mph (80 km/h) over the speed limit. The Point Defiance Bypass was built from 2010 to 2017 as a replacement for the BNSF mainline that runs along the Puget Sound coast between the Nisqually River and Tacoma. The $ 181 million bypass, using an inland route that follows I-5,

5916-532: The derailment, Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and activated the Washington Military Department 's emergency operations center at Camp Murray , adjacent to JBLM, to coordinate the multi-agency response to the incident. A civilian support and reunification center was set up at DuPont City Hall. The Bloodworks Northwest blood bank called for donors after the crash. President Donald Trump said on Twitter

6018-577: The early 1800s with the advent of the first railroads, and were small and little more than converted freight cars. Early passenger cars were constructed from wood; in the 1900s construction shifted to steel and later aluminum for improved strength. Passenger cars have increased greatly in size from their earliest versions, with modern bi-level passenger cars capable of carrying over 100 passengers. Amenities for passengers have also improved over time, with developments such as lighting, heating, and air conditioning added for improved passenger comfort. In some systems

6120-400: The economy coaches have one. This arrangement—unique among Venture operators—allows trains to be sized to meet the travel demands of individual routes and allows business class seating and cafe cars to be added or removed. Among the 29 single cars are three cab cars with economy seating for exclusive use on Hiawatha trains. Amtrak has made a firm order for 75 trainsets, which it will brand as

6222-437: The ends of the car. Early American sleeping cars were not compartmented, but by the end of the 19th century they were. The compartments in the later sleepers were accessed from a side hall running the length of the cars, similar to the design of European cars well into the 20th century. Many American passenger trains, particularly the long distance ones, included a car at the end of the train called an observation car. Until about

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6324-403: The engineer did not recognize that he had passed signs. The line's positive train control (PTC) system was still being installed and tested at the time of the accident; had it been operational, it would have notified the engineer that he was approaching the speed restriction at the curve and would have automatically stopped the train if the engineer had not reduced the train's speed in time. As

6426-403: The engineer knew about the 30 mph (48 km/h) curve ahead, he had missed the single sign that he was going to use as a signal to start slowing down; he also missed two other signs, but one was not used by Amtrak trains, and the other was before the sign he planned to use. Although he did not see the sign at the location where he planned to initiate braking, investigators noted that this sign

6528-399: The foot of the bed was extended into a boot section at the end of the carriage. The cars were still too short to allow more than two or three beds to be positioned end to end. Britain's Royal Mail commissioned and built the first travelling post office cars in the late 1840s as well. These cars resembled coaches in their short wheelbase and exterior design, but were equipped with nets on

6630-526: The hazardous curve without positive train control in place, which allowed the Amtrak engineer to enter the 30-mph curve at too high of a speed due to his inadequate training on the territory and inadequate training on the newer equipment. Contributing to the accident was the Washington State Department of Transportation's decision to start revenue service without being assured that safety certification and verification had been completed to

6732-470: The individual cars share trucks. This gives modern trains a smooth, coherent appearance because all the cars and often the engines share a similar design and paint scheme. Traditionally the passenger car can be split into a number of distinct types. The most basic division is between cars which do carry passengers and "head end" equipment. The latter are run as part of passenger trains, but do not themselves carry passengers. Traditionally they were put between

6834-503: The initial training period; further, during the qualification process, observation rides and operating time were not usually performed on the Charger, limiting opportunities to experience all elements of the controls, including the overspeed alarms. Unfamiliar with the overspeed alarms and not practiced for the appropriate response, the engineer spent 20 seconds deciphering them. During this time he briefly looked outside, but misinterpreted

6936-499: The level determined in the preliminary hazard assessment. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the Federal Railroad Administration's decision to permit railcars that did not meet regulatory strength requirements to be used in revenue passenger service, resulting in (1) the loss of survivable space and (2) the failed articulated railcar-to-railcar connections that enabled secondary collisions with

7038-399: The locomotive and the passenger-carrying cars in the consist , hence the name. Some specialized types are variants of or combine elements of the most basic types. Also, the basic design of passenger cars is evolving, with articulated units that have shared trucks, with double-decker designs, and with the "low floor" design where the loading area is very close to the ground and slung between

7140-551: The low-platform boarding used at stations on the San Joaquins routes. The Venture cars began early service on the San Joaquins in December 2023, without café or cab-control cars — this equipment is expected to arrive later in 2024. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) plans to use unstaffed vending machines to provide food service, though presently, the only food service available on Venture sets

7242-531: The meals were prepared. The introduction of vestibuled cars , which for the first time allowed easy movement from car to car, aided the adoption of dining cars, lounge cars, and other specialized cars. In the early 1900s, safety concerns led the railroad industry to transition from wood to steel construction. Steel was heavier but this transition took place simultaneously with a transition to higher-powered locomotives. The Pennsylvania Railroad began building all-steel passenger cars in 1906 due to concerns about fire in

7344-425: The mid-19th century, trains grew in length and weight. Passenger cars, particularly in America, grew along with them, first getting longer with the addition of a second truck (one at each end), and wider as their suspensions improved. Cars built for European use featured side door compartments, while American car design favored what was called a train coach, a single long cabin with rows of seats, with doors located at

7446-557: The multilevel semiprivate berths of old. Now that passenger cars were lighter, they were able to carry heavier loads, but the size of the average passenger that rode in them didn't increase to match the cars' new capacities. The average passenger car could not be made any wider or longer due to side clearances along the railroad lines, but they generally could get taller because they were still lower than many freight cars and locomotives. The railroads soon began building and buying dome and bilevel cars to carry more passengers. Starting in

7548-556: The new Amtrak Airo equipment. Most Siemens Venture cars (except those for Amtrak Midwest ) are configured as semi-permanently coupled trainsets with open gangways between cars and standard couplers on the ends for connecting the trainset to locomotives or other railway equipment. Amtrak has ordered eight six-car Venture trainsets for the Amtrak Cascades . They are replacing the Talgo Series VI trainsets, which

7650-537: The new route, reporting rushed and "totally inadequate" training such that they felt dangerously unprepared. At 07:33 a.m. local time (15:33 UTC ), the leading locomotive and twelve cars of the southbound Amtrak Cascades number 501 passenger train derailed southwest of DuPont. DuPont is about 40 mi (64 km) south of Seattle and about 5 mi (8 km) south of the Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) main gate. The train derailed while approaching

7752-437: The overpass. Some of the wrecked train cars were removed by trucks on December 19. Two southbound lanes of I-5 were reopened on December 20, with a reduced speed limit, as the cleanup and investigation continued. By the morning of December 21, all lanes of the freeway had been reopened. Locomotive WDTX 1402 was damaged beyond repair and scrapped, while Locomotive AMTK 181 was undamaged and returned to service. Mt. Adams ,

7854-442: The previous route used by Cascades . The lead locomotive and all twelve cars derailed at 07:33 a.m. local time while approaching a bridge over Interstate 5 (I-5). The trailing locomotive remained on the rails. A number of automobiles on southbound I-5 were crushed, and three people on board the train died. The train derailed a short distance from where the new route merged with the previous route. Preliminary information from

7956-504: The problem, his administration's $ 630 million budget cuts to Amtrak, and a proposed plan to shift infrastructure costs down to state and local governments, would only serve to aggravate the problem. Amtrak fired the train's engineer, Steven J. Brown, for violating safety rules; however, Brown subsequently filed suit against Amtrak for his injuries, with Amtrak settling his claims. ( See , Litigation , below.) The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened an investigation into

8058-443: The railroad bridge across southbound I-5 near Mounts Road, which contains a left-hand bend. The lead locomotive, the then brand-new Siemens Charger No. 1402, and six rail cars, went down the embankment to the west of the bridge (to the train's right, in the original direction of travel). The locomotive ended up on I-5 and spilled about 350 US gal (290 imp gal; 1,300 L) of fuel. Two further cars ended up on

8160-613: The same tracks at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible. Amtrak continued to push the development of U.S.-designed passenger equipment even when the market demand didn't support it, ordering a number of new passenger locomotive and car types in the 1980s and 1990s. However, by 2000 Amtrak went to European manufacturers for the Amtrak Cascades ( Talgo ) and Acela Express trains, their premier services. These trains use new designs and are made to operate as coherent "trainsets". High-speed trains are made up of cars from

8262-460: The same protection. Dining cars first appeared in the late 1870s and into the 1880s. Until this time, the common practice was to stop for meals at restaurants along the way (which led to the rise of Fred Harvey 's chain of Harvey House restaurants in America). At first, the dining car was simply a place to serve meals that were picked up en route, but they soon evolved to include galleys in which

8364-495: The sides of the car. They often have small tables for drinks, or may be large enough to play cards. Some lounge cars include small pianos and are staffed by contracted musicians to entertain the passengers. These cars are often pulled in addition to the dining car , and on very long trains in addition to one or more snack or café cars. Café cars , such as the Amtrak café cars , are simpler, lacking window-facing seats, instead, rows of tables with facing pairs of bench seats, split by

8466-426: The sides of the cars to catch mail bags while the train was in motion. American RPOs , first appearing in the 1860s, also featured equipment to catch mail bags at speed, but the American design more closely resembled a large hook that would catch the mailbag in its crook. When not in use, the hook would swivel down against the side of the car to prevent it from catching obstacles. As locomotive technology progressed in

8568-436: The site was cleared of debris and inspected. On December 18, JBLM allowed southbound traffic through from DuPont to State Route 510 near Lacey. WSDOT announced on December 21 that it would not resume Amtrak service on the Point Defiance Bypass until positive train control was implemented in 2018. The accident caused at least $ 40 million in damage, including the cost of the trainset, damage to vehicles, and damage to

8670-429: The surrounding environment causing severe damage to railcar-body structures which then failed to provide occupant protection resulting in passenger ejections, injuries, and fatalities. More than 35 people sued Amtrak for damages resulting from the derailment. As of April 2022, Amtrak had paid more than $ 45 million in damages for derailment related injuries. In January 2020, Steven Brown—the train's engineer—filed

8772-476: The trailer car closest to the locomotive will have batteries to supply electricity to traction motors in the locomotive when operating around New York Penn Station , eliminating the need for third rail propulsion on the Adirondack , Empire Service , Ethan Allen Express , and Maple Leaf . As of February 2024, 28 cars were in production, with one prototype car substantially completed. For use on

8874-454: The train approached the curve, the locomotive issued audible and visual overspeed alarms; these only indicated that the train was moving faster than the line's overall 80 mph (130 km/h) maximum speed and did not warn of the 30 mph (48 km/h) speed restriction at the curve as the PTC system would have done. The engineer was new to the Charger locomotive and had not operated it during

8976-436: The train at the time of the derailment. Three passengers were killed while 57 more passengers and crew members were injured. Eight road vehicles were damaged in the accident. Of the ten people in them, eight were injured. All three deceased were in the seventh coach of the train. Ten of the injured were in serious condition, and thirteen had moderate or minor injuries. In total, more than 80 people were injured. Treatment

9078-423: The train cars, and help them escape. The three passengers killed in the derailment were train enthusiasts, including two members of rail advocacy group All Aboard Washington. Amtrak temporarily suspended service for south of Seattle for several hours because of the accident, resuming on the former coast route and the old Tacoma station . Southbound automobile traffic was rerouted away from I-5 by WSDOT until

9180-586: The train crew, so many baggage cars had doors to access them just like any other passenger car. Baggage cars could be designed to look like the rest of a passenger train's cars, or they could be repurposed box cars equipped with high-speed trucks and passenger train steam and air connections. A special type of baggage car came equipped with doors on one end to facilitate transport of large pieces of equipment and scenery for Broadway shows and other productions. These "theatrical" baggage cars were assigned theatrical names (i.e. Romeo and Juliet ), and were similar to

9282-574: The trainsets. They will be extended to five-car sets in 2024 and six-car sets in 2025. Brightline has said that it plans to eventually expand the trainsets to ten cars. In December 2022, the Government of Ontario and Ontario Northland announced a CA$ 139.5 million investment to reinstate the Northlander passenger service between Timmins and Toronto . The government announced that it had ordered three, three-car trainsets (two coaches and

9384-530: The tunnels it was building to access Manhattan's Pennsylvania Station, which opened in 1910. Other railroads followed because steel cars were safer in accidents. During a transition period, some railroads put steel frames underneath wooden cars. By the 1920s, passenger cars on the larger standard gauge railroads were normally between 60 ft (18.3 m) and 70 ft (21.3 m) long. The cars of this time were still quite ornate, many of them being built by experienced coach makers and skilled carpenters. In

9486-533: The world. The RPO is where mail was sorted while the train was en route. Because these cars carried mail, which often included valuables or quantities of cash and checks, the RPO staff (who were employed by the postal service and not the railroad) were the only train crews allowed to carry guns. The RPO cars were normally placed in a passenger train between the train's motive power and baggage cars, further inhibiting their access by passengers. A colonist car or emigrant car

9588-403: Was a special sleeping car designed to take immigrants from ocean ports to settlement areas in western North America at the cheapest possible fare. They offered simple sleeping berths and a cooking area for immigrants who were expected to bring their own food and bedding. A combine is a car that combines features of a head-end and a regular passenger car. The most common combination is that of

9690-488: Was at the tail end of the car – some more modern US designs had walls of the car usually curved together to form a large U shape, and larger windows were installed all around the end of the car; earlier designs had square ends with an observation open deck (preserved stock in Southern Africa, Oceania and many countries elsewhere.) Before these cars were built with steel walls, the observation end of heavyweight cars in

9792-525: Was built by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) on right of way owned by Sound Transit , the regional transit authority. The Amtrak Cascades service is a joint effort of WSDOT and Oregon Department of Transportation , with Amtrak as a contracting operator. In the wake of the December 18 derailment, the safety of the bypass was questioned by elected officials. The 2006 Cascades corridor plan recommended that

9894-413: Was highly inconspicuous because it blended in with the signal box directly behind it. Because the engineer only had one operating trip in the dark traveling in the opposite direction, he had not established wayside landmarks to help him identify his location. Such external cues are typically developed by operating crews after they become familiar with their train's territory, and without the use of landmarks,

9996-634: Was provided at hospitals including Madigan Army Medical Center at JBLM, Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia , St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor , Tacoma General Hospital , Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, and St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood . Three soldiers from JBLM, including a Madigan Army Medical Center nurse, left their vehicles to give medical assistance to people trapped inside

10098-437: Was sectioned off into compartments, much like the coaches that were still in widespread use across Europe. Pullman's roomettes, however, were designed with a single traveller in mind. The roomette featured a large picture window, a privacy door, a single fold-away bed, a sink and a small toilet. The roomette's floor space was barely larger than the space taken up by the bed, but it allowed the traveller to ride in luxury compared to

10200-479: Was the preferred material for car bodies. Stainless steel cars could be and often were, left unpainted except for the car's reporting marks that were required by law. By the end of the 1930s, railroads and car builders were debuting car body and interior styles that could only be dreamed of before. In 1937, the Pullman Company delivered the first cars equipped with roomettes – that is, the car's interior

10302-400: Was traveling at 78 mph (126 km/h) when recording stopped. A preliminary report into the accident was published on January 4, 2018, and the final report was published on May 21, 2019. The NTSB found that the crew was attentive and not distracted by conversation or cellular telephones. At the time of accident, there was slight precipitation and it was generally dark outside. Although

10404-520: Was usually found in DMUs , EMUs , and locomotive -hauled passenger trainsets . They also generally intermediate cars within the consist and sometimes have driving control facilities . They may carry auxiliary equipment (E.g. the braking system, air conditioning, etc.) where space is limited. Although passengers generally are not allowed access to the baggage car, they were included in a great number of passenger trains as regular equipment. The baggage car

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