LATEST NEWS: The public is getting its first look at detailed concepts for BART's Fleet of the Future, new train cars designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA to replace the oldest fleet in the nation. Read more about it in our latest news story.
Community open houses are now over and the online survey is closed, but you can still give your feedback using our email feedback form.
Download a larger exterior view (.pdf) with details on all the new features
 Learn more about Interior Concept A (.pdf) |
Interior Concept A 56 seats on cab cars, and 68 seats on other cars, same as most BART cars today; Easier to clean, wipeable seats; Contoured seat design with center armrest; Headrests on window seats; Clean, durable, non-slip floors -- no musty carpets; Digital destination, next stop, and transfer information in the window areas; Handholds and poles mounted on seat backs; Multi-branch floor-to-ceiling poles near the doors; Bike racks on some train cars (not shown). Read more (.pdf) |
 Learn more about Interior Concept B (.pdf) |
Interior Concept B Informal, open-style lounge seating in the middle of each cab car; traditional commuter seating at the ends of most cars; no headrests; digital information is larger and located above some seat backs; seat quantity and all other features are the same as Concept A. Read more (.pdf) |
 Learn more about Interior Concept C (.pdf) |
Interior Concept C More artistic, wave-top seat style; no headrests; artistic “S” shaped design for floor-to-ceiling poles; digital information located above doors; portals at the end of some cars for kids to see track and tunnel walls whiz by the front of the train as it speeds down the track (not shown); Seat quantity and all other features are the same as Concept A. Read more (.pdf) |
Download the full display (.pdf), which includes samples from the color palette concepts
as well as a timeline for what comes next in the project.
미래의 열차에 대한 자료를 한국어로 보고 싶으시면 pdf 파일을 다운로드하세요.
若要查阅中文版的未来号列车(Fleet of the Future)资料，请下载PDF文件。
Para ver los materiales acerca de la Flota del Futuro en Español, descargue el archivo PDF.
Để xem các tài liệu về Đoàn Tàu Tương Lai bằng Tiếng Việt, quý vị hãy tải xuống tập tin dạng PDF.
Next-generation BART trains: The Fleet of the Future is being shaped now
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BART postcard circa early 1970s by Tom Tracy
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The Fleet of the Future is being shaped now.
BART's train cars have carried riders around the Bay Area since 1972, when Ronald Reagan was governor, The Godfather was in theaters and Atari was releasing the seminal video game Pong.
Sleek and silver, fantastic and futuristic when they were first introduced, those workhorse train cars are still running but nearing the end of their useful lives.
A new generation of train cars -- the Fleet of the Future -- will replace them. While the first of those new train cars won't roll down the rails for several years, the project to replace them is well underway – and BART is seeking your input. You can use this comment form to email your feedback to us. In order to get the funding necessary for this project, BART will need help at all levels of government – local, regional, state and federal. If you are interested in being involved, please sign up to receive email news about the project so that we can keep you updated on developments and ask for your support in partnering with us on this effort. (Under "BART News" check the box next to "New Train Car Project.")
DESIGN THEN BUILD
The summer of 2010 marked a key milestone in the $3 billion-plus long-range plan to replace the fleet – BART's biggest capital project since the Bay Area Rapid Transit system was built. A lengthy process to request proposals based on technical specifications culminated in proposals from five suppliers: Alstom Transportation, Bombardier Transit Corp., CAF USA, Inc., China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corp. Ltd. and Hyundai Rotem USA Corp. BART is conducting an in-depth evaluation of each proposal, and is tentatively scheduled to choose a supplier and award a contract in 2011.
The final design process will begin after a contract has been awarded to a supplier. BART's Board has directed that user input should be a key part of the design process, so there will be opportunities along the way for the riding public to give feedback on what it would like to see in new BART train cars.
Of course, many of the engineering features are specified in advance for safety and reliability, with little room for input – one volume of technical specifications alone is about 3 inches thick, outlining features arcane to the lay person. For example, there’s “jerk limiting” – “the maximum allowable jerk shall be 2.0 mphpsps”, or miles per hour per second per second. In the specification, a jerk is not someone who takes up two seats on a crowded train. It’s a technical term describing how much the acceleration of the train changes as the train moves.
But in many areas, particularly once the design process gets underway, public input is essential.
LISTENING TO PUBLIC INPUT
Already, BART made adjustments to the interior specifications based on early public input received when the fleet replacement project was first publicized last year. While the interior seat layout is still to be determined, the public spoke loud and clear that maximizing seating was a top priority for many. As a result, we are working to add seats. Designing seat configurations is a delicate balancing act of comfort and capacity. Sentiment received so far also tended strongly toward getting rid of the fabric-covered seats and carpeting – with the idea that comfortable yet easier-to-clean surfaces would result in cleaner train car interiors.
“I have strong feelings about the fact that there should be NO carpeting and NO upholstery on the seats,” a rider from Richmond said in an emailed comment. After a few years the carpets and seats look shabby and dirty. Removing both makes it possible to clean the cars easily and make them look good for a long time to come.”
Like everything related to design, final decisions have not yet been made, but public input will be important. BART already has taken steps in this direction with modifications on existing cars, replacing carpet with composite flooring in some train cars, to generally very positive reception.
Bicyclists also spoke up to say they would like better options for bringing their bikes on trains. BART is exploring the idea of on-board bicycle stands, which could accommodate more bikes in a safer, more efficient way, with less adverse effect on other non-biking passengers. Our latest research shows that 4% of BART customers ride a bicycle from their home to a station.
“One of your top priorities has got to be passengers with bikes,” a rider from Oakland wrote in an emailed comment. “If you indeed want to be sustainable and give riders more access, bikes need to be … accommodated with bike-specific spaces in any new railcar design.”
Once a contract is awarded, the supplier will provide a full-size train car interior mock-up, so the public can walk inside, sit on the seats, look at the new information screens – in essence “kick the tires” and get a sense of what the final car interiors will look and feel like. Then, feedback from the mock-up will be incorporated into the final designs.
“Everybody in the Bay Area is going to have an opinion about these cars,” BART Director Thomas Blalock said at a Board meeting on April 22, 2010, when BART staff gave a presentation on the train car project to the Board. “We have to do it right, because it’s important and it’s going to be around for a long time.”
There are many other elements of the new train cars that will be of interest to the riding public, beyond simply the interior design. These train cars are expected to be the lightest and most energy-efficient for their performance in the world. Suppliers will be required to document their use of recyclable materials. Furthermore, engineering innovations in the new trains will directly impact reliability – which consistently comes in as the quality customers value most about BART.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
So, you may be asking: What can I do NOW to contribute to the process, so that the BART trains I ride in 2020 (or that my children or grandchildren ride in 2035) will meet our needs? Here are three easy steps:
1.Sign up to receive email updates about the project so that we can keep you posted on developments and ask for your support in partnering with us on this effort. (Under "BART News" check the box next to "New Train Car Project.")
2.Send in your ideas for the Fleet of the Future using the comment form. Your feedback really can make a difference!
Below is additional information about the new train car project and about BART's existing fleet.
New trains project summary and objectives
Project Summary:
BART has been providing the Bay Area with transit service since 1972, and most of our train cars have been running since that time. If BART is going to continue providing dependable service, it is essential to replace the aging fleet of 669 train cars with newer, more reliable ones. The next-generation train car project is a $3 billion-plus capital investment that will span more than a decade and require a coordinated regional effort. The next generation of BART train cars must be able to handle the challenges expected over the next 30 years – through 2040, and beyond. Not only do the cars need to be designed for reliability and comfort, they will also need to carry a growing number of passengers, and facilitate faster boarding at stations in the years ahead. BART is hard at work considering the features to be included in the new train cars. In the coming year, BART staff will begin working with stakeholder groups and community members to ensure that the new trains are designed to deliver a safe, reliable and comfortable riding experience.
Project Goals:
The mission of the next-generation train car project is to procure a next-generation BART fleet that addresses system capacity requirements and customer comfort for the next 30 years and beyond. Goals include:
- Balance capacity, comfort and boarding efficiency
- Optimize maintainability, reliability and cleanliness
- Ensure a security-conscious design
- Improve communication to passengers
- Meet expansion needs
- Minimize impact on the environment/be sustainable
Preliminary project timeline:
- 2010: Proposals from train car suppliers are received
- 2011: Contract is awarded; design process including public outreach begins
- 2012: Target for full-scale train car mock-up
- 2013: First train car arrives for testing
- 2014 – 2015: First 10 train cars delivered as pilot cars
- 2016: Pre-production design review; approve production
- 2018: Complete acceptance of base order of 200 train cars
- 2021: Complete acceptance of additional 250 train cars (option 1)
- 2024: Complete acceptance of additional 250 train cars (option 2)
BART's existing fleet
The majority of train cars in the BART fleet have been in use since BART service began. Three types of train cars are in the fleet: Model A2/B2, Model C1 and Model C2 as shown in the table below.
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Model
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Supplier
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Number of Vehicles
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Useful
Life |
Year in Service
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Year of
Rehab |
End of
Useful Life |
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A2/B2
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Rohr
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439
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25
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1972
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1997-2000
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2012-2015
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C1
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Alstom
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150
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25
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1988
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None
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2013
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C2
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Morrison-Knudsen
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80
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25
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1994
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None
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2019
|
A successful rehabilitation program for the A/B train cars in the late 1990s extended their life by 15 years and increased their reliability to better than the newer C-Car fleets. However, the rehabilitated A/B trian cars are approaching the end of their useful life, and the newer C-Cars are also due for replacement very soon. In addition, increased ridership is putting greater strain on the fleet—on average the train cars currently run 110,000 miles per year, with 92 percent availability.
The technology in these train cars has become very dated as well. Significant improvements in technology have developed since these vehicles were designed, especially in propulsion, communications and failure monitoring systems. Many of the older systems are out of production, the technology is no longer supported and parts are scarce—all of which make maintenance more difficult and costly.
In fact, according to the American Public Transportation Association, BART's existing fleet is the oldest fleet among large domestic transit agencies. See table below for comparisons:
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Agency/City
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Total Cars
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Average Age
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BART-San Francisco
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669
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30.1
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CTA-Chicago
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1,190
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26.3
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MBTA-Boston
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432
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21.0
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NYCT-New York
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6,442
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20.6
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WMATA-Washington
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1,132
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19.7
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SEPTA-Philadelphia
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371
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16.9
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In view of all of these factors, BART has elected to replace rather than refurbish the fleet. A new train car design will provide improved reliability necessary to support anticipated service demands and allow BART to benefit from new technologies. The new train car procurement is a capital investment of up to 1,000 train cars and will span more than a decade. The new train cars will be designed for reliability, comfort and longevity. They will have the capacity to carry a growing number of passengers and facilitate efficient boarding at stations in the years ahead.
Contact Us
For more information on the new train car project, use this email form to contact us.
Last Updated: February 2, 2012
