Bombardier MultiLevel Coach
| Company type | Railcar |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Bombardier BiLevel Coach |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Products | Double-deck commuter rail passenger cars |
| Parent | Bombardier Transportation (2006–2021), Alstom (2021–present) |
The MultiLevel Coach is a double-deck passenger railcar engineered specifically for commuter rail services. Initially produced by Bombardier Transportation beginning in 2006, manufacturing responsibilities shifted to Alstom in 2021, with the coaches now offered under Alstom’s Adessia Coach lineup.
The earliest units were delivered to New Jersey Transit in 2006 and Montreal's Exo system in 2009. To date, over 643 coaches have been supplied through various contracts, including an order for Maryland's MARC in 2014. After acquiring Bombardier, Alstom received a subsequent order from NJ Transit for 113 cars in 2021.
Overview
By 2015, the MultiLevel Coach fleet totaled 643 vehicles operating with NJ Transit, Exo, and MARC. NJ Transit’s inventory comprises 429 cars, featuring 62 cab cars; Exo operates 160 units with 26 designated as cab cars; MARC maintains a fleet of 54 coaches, including 39 trailers and 15 cab cars.
Derived from the Comet V platform, these coaches employ a two-by-two seating layout with enhanced seat dimensions and offer between 15% and 30% greater passenger capacity compared to single-level counterparts. The intermediate levels include five flip-up seats per side facing inward, designed to accommodate wheelchairs or bicycles. Cab cars replace one row of seats behind the operator’s cab with an equipment compartment. Single-width side doors positioned on intermediate levels facilitate boarding at high platforms, while additional outboard doors near the bogies on NJ Transit units provide access for both high and low platforms through stepwell trapdoors. Exo’s coaches utilize one-piece end doors exclusively for low-platform boarding. Passenger amenities include automated announcement systems and LED destination displays.
In contrast to Bombardier’s Bi-Level Coach, the MultiLevel design features a reduced loading gauge tailored to pass through the North River Tunnels beneath the Hudson River.
Originally, eight MultiLevel cars were outfitted for the now-defunct Atlantic City Express Service (ACES), equipped with first-class seating and lounge areas. Following ACES’ cessation in 2012, Bombardier retrofitted these cars into standard NJ Transit configurations between 2013 and 2014; they re-entered service by mid-2014.
Service history
NJ Transit placed its initial order for these coaches in December 2002 for a batch of 100 cars, with deliveries commencing in 2005. A subsequent order for 131 additional cars was made in September 2005. Exercising further contract options through August 2008 resulted in a total procurement of 329 first-generation coaches.
In December 2007, the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), Exo’s predecessor, secured an order for 160 coaches—30 base units plus an immediate exercise of options for an additional 130—with delivery starting in late 2009.
NJ Transit issued another order in September 2010 for 100 MultiLevel II coaches, including options for up to 79 more units. From these options, MARC acquired 54 cars (15 cab and 39 trailers) in October 2011; the remaining options were not exercised.
December 2018 saw NJ Transit place an order for 113 MultiLevel III coaches consisting of both unpowered (55) and powered (58) cars equipped with AC electric propulsion capable of multiple-unit operation without separate locomotives. This contract permits ordering up to an additional 636 cars; as of May 2025, a cumulative total of 374 units have been requested. These new multilevel vehicles are intended to replace NJ Transit’s Arrow III EMUs, remaining single-level Comet fleets, and potentially older ALP-46 electric locomotives. The powered variants are rated for speeds up to 110 mph. Following Bombardier’s acquisition by Alstom in 2021, Alstom is responsible for fulfilling this contract.
In October 2022, NJ Transit announced an $8 million program aimed at replacing polycarbonate windows across its fleet due to irreversible clouding caused by heat and UV exposure, thereby enhancing passenger visibility.
Operators
| Operator | Years Manufactured | Qty. | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJ Transit | 2006–2009 | 329 | Included 52 cab cars and 277 trailers, with 99 trailers equipped with restrooms |
| 2012–2013 | 100 | Comprised 10 cab cars and 90 trailers | |
| 2024–2027 | 374 | Consists of 112 powered cars, 100 cab cars, and 162 trailers, 18 of which have restrooms | |
| Exo | 2008–2011 | 160 | 26 cab cars alongside 134 trailers |
| MARC | 2014 | 54 | 15 cab cars and 39 trailers |
| Overall Total | 1,017 | ||
See also
- Bombardier BiLevel Coach
- MBTA Bilevel Cars
- SNCF TGV Duplex
- Sydney Trains S set
- Voiture de banlieue à 2 niveaux
- Voiture État à 2 étages