Passenger Trains > A look at Caltrain's new Stadler Kiss trains

The San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association (SPUR) and Caltrain held a tour of the new electric trainsets today that are scheduled to go into operation this September.  Four of the trains have completed their 1,000 mile run in and we got to tour one of those today.
#1 - The on board displays were set up with a welcome graphic.
#2 - A short presentation on the platform before the set on the right was opened up for us to take a look inside
#3 - A look at the upper level.  Face to face seating across a table exists at the windows that also serve as emergency exits.  The rest were airline style.  There are seats attached to the inside of the plug doors that will eventually be used on high level platforms, and bottom part of those seats fold up, as do the seats in the bicycle storage areas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/24 20:08 by bobs.

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#4 As you come up the stairs, 3 seats on both sides are turned parallel to the tracks, making for better access coming up the stairs.
#5 One of the bathrooms.
#6 From outside you can clearly see the plug door that will be used for high level platforms. 

These are pretty sharp looking trainsets.  These will be 7 car fixed consists.  The one thing I didn't see was a luggage storage rack for large suitcases.  A significant number of people get on Caltrain at Millbrae, coming from San Francisco Airport.  They might have had one in one of the two cars we didn't have access to though. The overhead shelves are OK, but won't hold much more than a backpack in thickness.

In a couple of threads about the gallery car hospital train a few days ago there was a concern about the cars laying over at Newhall yard and getting tagged.  Sure enough, a couple of the 12 cars at Newhall have fresh paint on them.  Caltrain said the cars are to be stored in Petaluma while their fate is determined, so it seems they don't have a decision on that yet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/24 22:00 by bobs.

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can't tell from the pics, not that many seats per car?  Bathroom is where the dominos games can be had, also interested in the handicapped boarding, chair areas.

What's the circular cap  in the seatback for ?

Just my personal taste, of course -- but the car interiors
are extremely plain - devoid of any use of color or decoration.

These cars have this in common with Amrak's Venture coaches.
They look so much better on the outside than they do
on the inside--because of the use of nice exterior colors.

I realize commuters probably don't care.

Would think it is a cover to the screws that hold the seat front to the back.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

The blah, hard seats look like some you would find in a prison. Passengers better hope the air conditioning works. Those plastic covered seats will make a lot of passengers have a sweaty behind.

Good report and pictures, bobs. Thanks for sharing.
 

The interiors of the LIRR C-3 bi-level diesel coaches look far comfortable (and they are comfortable):
https://www.facebook.com/mtalirr/photos/a.159394242314/10158720325482315/?type=3

POW Wrote:
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> The blah, hard seats look like some you would find
> in a prison. Passengers better hope the air
> conditioning works. Those plastic covered seats
> will make a lot of passengers have a sweaty
> behind.

When wouldn't warm weather commuters hope that the AC works?

portlander Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> POW Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The blah, hard seats look like some you would
> find
> > in a prison. Passengers better hope the air
> > conditioning works. Those plastic covered seats
> > will make a lot of passengers have a sweaty
> > behind.
>
> When wouldn't warm weather commuters hope that the
> AC works?

Some "advocates" really think that the general public would like open window Harrimans back.

"can't tell from the pics, not that many seats per car?  Bathroom is where the dominos games can be had, also interested in the handicapped boarding, chair areas."
The pic just shows the upper level.  These are structured similar to Bombardier commuter cars such as those Caltrain and many other operators have, with some seats on the lower level, and the middle where the cars are connected.  Overall, these 7 car sets have slightly fewer seats than the 6 car Bombardier and gallery sets in use today, but increased train frequency per hour will result in an overall increase in capacity.  There is a handicapped seating area that is fairly large but I did get a picture of it.  One of the Caltrain personnel did say that their designs were reviewed by several handicapped travelers and advocates and changes made to their designs based on the feedback.  For example, they had included braile lettering on signs, but added raised letters as some significant percentage of blind people don't use braile, but can "read" raised letters with their fingers, so they changed that aspect of the design to include both.
"What's the circular cap  in the seatback for ?"
I don't know, and wondered that myself.
"Just my personal taste, of course -- but the car interiors are extremely plain - devoid of any use of color or decoration."
There is a stripe of Caltrain red on the seats.  The color scheme is very similar to the existing seats on Caltrain.
"The blah, hard seats look like some you would find in a prison."
They are nicely padded and, while I didn't sit in one for any significant length of time, they felt comfortable.  There is more contour to these seats than shows on the pictures.
 

Would be nice to have tables with seats on the NJT multilevel cars. Those seats are probably just as comfortable too. Similar design, but not completely. And the seats in the NJT multilevel seats fold up like that too for bikes or handicap accessibility. NJT multilevel cars - you only have the small space luggage racks, even with Newark Airport as a stop!!! Those with large bags boarding typically sit in the mezzanine area where the seats can flip up or they are putting the suitcase in front of them while sitting. It's a horrible situation - been there done that. These cars are not built for handling more than just a backpack or briefcase, to be honest. Hopefully the entrance/exit is a bit faster than what can trip up some passengers with the NJT multilevel cars at station stops. Looking forward to seeing these new Caltrain cars in service, as well as NEW EMU multilevels for NJT...... The push-pull service with locomotives when electric propulsion from overhead catenary can be used for EMU's is very much a disappointment, especially on NJT's local trains with short station stops in between on certain lines! 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Would be nice to have tables with seats on the NJT
> multilevel cars. Those seats are probably just as
> comfortable too. Similar design, but not
> completely. And the seats in the NJT multilevel
> seats fold up like that too for bikes or handicap
> accessibility. NJT multilevel cars - you only have
> the small space luggage racks, even with Newark
> Airport as a stop!!! Those with large bags
> boarding typically sit in the mezzanine area where
> the seats can flip up or they are putting the
> suitcase in front of them while sitting. It's a
> horrible situation - been there done that. These
> cars are not built for handling more than just a
> backpack or briefcase, to be honest. Hopefully the
> entrance/exit is a bit faster than what can trip
> up some passengers with the NJT multilevel cars at
> station stops. Looking forward to seeing these new
> Caltrain cars in service, as well as NEW EMU
> multilevels for NJT...... The push-pull service
> with locomotives when electric propulsion from
> overhead catenary can be used for EMU's is very
> much a disappointment, especially on NJT's local
> trains with short station stops in between on
> certain lines! 

NJT's Gambler Express multi-level cars for the NY Penn to Atlantic City run were equipped with European style racks for luggage at the ends of each car. I believe they also had small luggage racks in the center of the lower level, too.  When NJT bought these cars from the Casino Commission + Casino Marketing people, the cars were rebuilt without luggage racks. But with more seats.

I like them. Interiors are bright and airy. Seats plenty comfortable for a one hour trip. I think they'll be a success if their reliable. Look forward to my first ride to a Giants game later this year.

In photo #6 you can see the 'plug' that will hopefully someday be replaced by sliding doors when CalTrain rebuilds their platforms to high levels (I'm hoping that happens regardless of whether or not CalHSR makes it up the Pennisula).  Faster boarding will reduce station dwell times which will help the overall schedule.  And it's a ton easy for those in wheelchairs or pushing strollers.  When we lived in the Bay Area, my wife commented that it was so much easier to get around on BART because she could roll the boys on to the train in their stroller instead of making them get out and climb stairs.  I've enjoyed seeing the CalTrain cars being built at Stadler here in Salt Lake, hope to ride them in person someday as they fly down the Pennisula.

Nathan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/24 22:27 by atsf121.

Hopefully the "plug" won't blow out at speed.

atsf121 Wrote:
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> In photo #6 you can see the 'plug' that will
> hopefully somebday be replaced by sliding doors
> when CalTrain rebuilds their platforms to high
> levels (I'm hoping that happens regardless of
> whether or not CalHSR makes it up the Pennisula).
>  Faster boarding will reduce station dwell times
> which will help the overall schedule.  And it's a
> ton easy for those in wheelchairs or pushing
> strollers.  When we lived in the Bay Area, my
> wife commented that it was so much easier to get
> around on BART because she could roll the boys on
> to the train in their stroller instead of making
> them get out and climb stairs.  I've enjoyed
> seeing the CalTrain cars being built at Stadler
> here in Salt Lake, hope to ride them in person
> someday as they fly down the Pennisula.
>
> Nathan

Ouch!!

SP4360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hopefully the "plug" won't blow out at speed.
>
> atsf121 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In photo #6 you can see the 'plug' that will
> > hopefully someday be replaced by sliding doors
> > when CalTrain rebuilds their platforms to high
> > levels (I'm hoping that happens regardless of
> > whether or not CalHSR makes it up the
> Pennisula).
> >  Faster boarding will reduce station dwell
> times
> > which will help the overall schedule.  And it's
> a
> > ton easy for those in wheelchairs or pushing
> > strollers.  When we lived in the Bay Area, my
> > wife commented that it was so much easier to
> get
> > around on BART because she could roll the boys
> on
> > to the train in their stroller instead of
> making
> > them get out and climb stairs.  I've enjoyed
> > seeing the CalTrain cars being built at Stadler
> > here in Salt Lake, hope to ride them in person
> > someday as they fly down the Pennisula.
> >
> > Nathan

"Hopefully the "plug" won't blow out at speed."

Better start looking for those bolts!
 

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> portlander Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > POW Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The blah, hard seats look like some you would
> > find
> > > in a prison. Passengers better hope the air
> > > conditioning works. Those plastic covered
> seats
> > > will make a lot of passengers have a sweaty
> > > behind.
> >
> > When wouldn't warm weather commuters hope that
> the
> > AC works?
>
> Some "advocates" really think that the general
> public would like open window Harrimans back.

I am completely convinced that a number of railfans, especially here on TO, would never be satisfied with passenger train travel unless it included the following attributes:

• Pulled by coal fired steam locomotives
• Only runs during the day
• Runs twice per day in each direction
• Has multiple Harriman style open window cars
• Has multiple Pullman heavy weight first class sleepers
• Has multiple dining cars operated like 5 star restaurants
• Is at least 15 cars in length
• Only costs 10 cents per mile