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CalTrain to use European EMUs

^ doady and justin are correct. None of the DMUs currently in use in the US are FRA-compliant. Sprinter and RiverLINE were considered "light rail" by FRA and operates on a time-share waiver (freight and passenger services will not run during the same block of time), while Austin's was considered "commuter rail" and had to go through a long, tedious process, with many delays, changes to the system, lower operating speed etc, to get a waiver. Both Austin and RiverLINE have street-running sections.
 
Isn't Portland's Westside Express Service operating currently using FRA compliant DMUs? Those DMUs might not be available for purchase anymore but they are still operating I believe.
 
^ Yes my bad, almost forgot about these almost anachronistic clunkers from Colorado Railcar:
8607.1233018885.jpg


They have also made bilevel DMUs for Tri-Rail in Florida.
2057.1190289600.jpg


Though CR folded in 2008, apparently they have been restarted last year as US Railcar and production has resumed.

Denton County, outside Dallas, is having Stadler build them slightly more FRA-compliant, but still non-compliant, DMUs for their new commuter rail service.
 
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What is the spec (or characteristic) for typical FRA-compliant EMU? And Canada, like US, would follow FRA compliance, right? Do they match or conform the EMUs in Europe or Asia?
 
Canada follows the US criteria (FRA) which is about building trains to be able to crash into each other as certain speeds. Europe and Asia have lighter trains that aren't as crash worthy but have a greater focus on preventing derailments, signalling, and isolating passenger trains from freight. Since the reality in Canada and the US is that there are more freight trains than passenger trains, derailments seem to occur almost monthly, and tracks are old and winding it is probably a good thing. If there was a dedicated high-speed rail corridor it wouldn't make sense to follow FRA specs because at the speeds those trains go brute strength isn't going to matter much, freight wouldn't share the tracks, the tracks would be smoother, and heavy high speed trains would be a waste of energy.
 
EnviroTO said:
It doesn't look that bad in that photo. I wonder what their dispatch reliability has been and how their fuel consumption numbers look compared to the FRA non-compliant models.
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I don't know the technical details of their current service, but I do know the opening of the line had to be delayed by half a year due to problems with the railcars.
 
golodhendil said:
I don't know the technical details of their current service, but I do know the opening of the line had to be delayed by half a year due to problems with the railcars.
Click to expand...

Trimet had to pay Colorado Railcar's suppliers to ensure the DMU's would be built. Goes to show just how stringernt(and silly) FRA's regulations are.
 
How does the fact Colorado Railcar was a small company having financial troubles prove anything about how stringent (and silly) FRA's regulations are. It doesn't seem at all related to me.
 
EnviroTO said:
How does the fact Colorado Railcar was a small company having financial troubles prove anything about how stringent (and silly) FRA's regulations are. It doesn't seem at all related to me.
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The red herring has been slayed. Thanks.
 
Can't the province regulate if it's not an inter-provincial railway? That's how I understood it. Shouldn't GO be able to get waivers from Queen's Park for EMU use?
 
EnviroTO said:
How does the fact Colorado Railcar was a small company having financial troubles prove anything about how stringent (and silly) FRA's regulations are. It doesn't seem at all related to me.
Click to expand...
I think it has to do with the fact that companies (and transit agencies) need to invest a lot to design and build from scratch a brand-new class of vehicles that will have basically no market outside of the tiny North American one.
 
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Government Oversight 6/2/2010

FRA waiver paves way for Caltrain electrification

Last week, Caltrain received a waiver from the Federal Railroad Administration to operate standard trains and lighter-rail equipment on the same tracks.

The waiver will enable Caltrain to transition from its current diesel equipment to a fully electrified system, modernizing Peninsula commuter-rail service, Caltrain officials said in a prepared statement. Caltrain now can begin replacing its diesel-fueled rolling stock with electrified locomotives and passenger cars, which is expected to take years to complete and require the simultaneous operation of both types of equipment.

There are advantages to switching to electrified rolling stock, which are cleaner and less expensive to operate, Caltrain officials said. In addition, because electric trains can start and stop more quickly, they will enable Caltrain to stop at more stations, officials said.

The service is expected to attract more riders and reduce traffic congestion in the region.
 
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