Bombardier Double-deck Coach

The Bombardier Double-deck Coach is a bilevel passenger car built by Bombardier Transportation (formerly by Adtranz) used by various European railways and Israel Railways. The current generation of double-deck coaches can be run at speeds up to 200 km/h (125 mph). Depending on their configuration, each coach can seat 100 to 150 passengers.

Not to be confused with Bombardier BiLevel Coach or Bombardier MultiLevel Coach.
In use by Deutsche Bahn
In use by Israel Railways
In use by Danske Statsbaner

History

The ancestry of these coaches can be traced back to double-deck coaches built by WUMAG at Görlitz for the Lübeck–Büchen–Hamburg railway in 1935. They were push-pull trains with a cab car that could control the steam locomotive at the other end of the train.

After World War II, these coaches were developed further by VEB Waggonbau Görlitz (formerly WUMAG) into double-deck trains of two to five cars sharing bogies. Starting in 1974, single coaches were built again that were the direct ancestors of today's double-deck coaches. These trainsets were used by Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany) as well as several other railways of the eastern bloc in large numbers (about 4000). After 1990, VEB Waggonbau Görlitz became part of Deutsche Waggonbau AG (DWA) which was acquired by Bombardier Transportation in 1998.

First Generation

Build years 1973–1974 and 1976–1991, sold to East Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia.

German national railways
DB class Vmax count UIC type notes
777 120 DABbuzf cab car
778 140 DABbuzf cab car

Second Generation

Build years 1992-1993 for Germany (Deutsche Reichsbahn and Deutsche Bundesbahn), later named DB Class 760.

Media related to Driving double-decker carriages of Germany 2nd_headshape at Wikimedia Commons

German national railways
DB class Vmax count UIC type notes
760 140 100 DABbuzf cab car

Third Generation

Built between 1994 and 1997 under the DWA brand for Germany's (Deutsche Bahn).

Media related to Driving double-decker carriages of Germany 3rd_headshape at Wikimedia Commons

German national railways
DB class Vmax count UIC type notes
761 140 58 DABbzf cab car
762 140 31 DABpbzf cab car

Fourth Generation

Built since 1997 and sold under the Bombardier brand to railways in Germany, Denmark, Israel and others.

Media related to Driving double-decker carriages of Deutsche Bahn 4th headshape at Wikimedia Commons

German national railways
DB class Vmax count UIC type notes
763 160 50 DABpbzf cab car (originally 140 km/h)
764 140 39 DABpbzf cab car
765 160 55 DABpbzfa cab car (originally 160 km/h)
766 160 55 DABpbzfa cab car
767 160 DABpbzfa cab car
Luxembourg National Railway Company
Class Vmax count UIC type notes
Dosto 160 20 cab car
15 first/second class car
52 second class car
Danish State Railways
Class Vmax count UIC type notes
ABs 160 25 Cab car; First/second class car with room for bicycles
B 62 Second class car
Bk 26 Second class car with vending machine
Israel Railways
Class Vmax count UIC type notes
PC-103 140 24 Driving- and generator trailer
7
TC-101 68 second class car
18
82

Fifth Generation
test run of tilting double-deck coach pulled by a regular train
SBB RABDe 502 tilting double-deck coach TWINDEXX Swiss Express
NMBS/SNCB M7 driving coach

In 2008 Bombardier presented the "Dosto 2010" future family of double-deck trains for the German market. For international sales they were branded as Bombardier TWINDEXX with a "Vario" concept (then called TWINDEXX Vario) that allows these trains to be built for regional or intercity connections with a design speed of 189 km/h and an operational speed of up to 160 km/h. The high-speed rail versions are branded TWINDEXX Express, designed for 230 km/h. A tilting variant of the Twindexx with an operational speed of up to 200 km/h is developed for the Swiss Federal Railways named SBB RABe 502, informally called TWINDEXX Swiss Express. Orders have been placed in the range of a few hundred coaches of the different variants with their initial delivery expected to be during 2015–2017, depending on the variant.

The National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB) has similarly ordered TWINDEXX-derived intercity trains designated as M7 in 2018, constructed at the former BN factory at Bruges, which entered service in January 2020.

In 2007, the Mazovian Railways signed a contract for the delivery of 37 Twindexx Vario wagons (11 steering and 26 trailing wagons). The centre wagons were delivered in August and the steering wagons in December 2008. Initially, the wagons were pulled by EU07 locomotives. The wagons are currently operated by the Mazovian Railways together with TRAXX P160DC locomotives.[1]

References
  1. "Koleje Mazowieckie oraz Bombardier Transportation podpisały umowę na serwis utrzymania floty wagonów piętrowych". Koleje Mazowieckie (in Polish). 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
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