Vancouver SkyTrain: New Mark II Cars

deasine · #1 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 3:04 AM**

New SkyTrain Mark IIs with new design livery and seat configuration.

Youtube Video

• Video Link

Click to view in high quality

Significant Changes:

New Colour Livery and Design that reflects the current bus designs. This design will make the trains look less dirty (compared to the current Mark II vehicles).

The colour design is also similar to the original Mark II train design for the Millennium Line:
New Seat Configuration. They removed one seat from each row on one side of the train. These seats are also the ones found on the buses.
Exterior Destination Sign right in the front of the train
Overhead bar on the ceiling running throughout the length of the train.

From The Buzzer Blog:

Quote:

The first of 48 new SkyTrain cars has arrived at SkyTrain headquarters! I took a video because a photo couldn’t quite capture the whole train — beware, you can hear me talking in it.

Bet you didn’t expect it to be grey and blue, did you? The cars are painted to match the new livery on the bus fleet. It’s so different from the white SkyTrain cars, but you might see them mixed and matched in the future—the new cars, which are all Mark II cars, can be attached to the older white Mark II cars.

Two of the 48 cars have actually arrived: you can see one in front of the other in the video and the photos later in this post. They will be paired into a single train with that grey accordion bit in the middle. (For those that don’t know, the Mark II cars are the newer looking cars with the grey accordion gangway in the middle. Mark Is are the classic cars from the 80s.)

The new cars are currently being un-shrink-wrapped and getting some parts installed, and will then undergo testing and commissioning before starting service later this year. They also have awesome new interiors with exciting features — but I can’t share them all with you until we do an official launch in a month or so! Be patient though: I’ll be all over that when the official launch happens

And as promised, I’ve got more photos of the new cars after the jump! Click each photo for much, much larger versions.

Source: The Buzzer, TransLink

Beltliner · #2 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 3:08 AM**

So the revised seating alignment on the new Mk IIs would put the design passenger load at about 100 per car, instead of 90?

Cirrus · #3 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 3:13 AM**

Much more sexy. Looks like a real train instead of a Disney ride. White is lame.

Busy Bee · #4 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 3:21 AM**

White looks great if it's on the right train—

—and in the right setting. Lyon, France

deasine · #5 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 3:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beltliner

So the revised seating alignment on the new Mk IIs would put the design passenger load at about 100 per car, instead of 90?

From what I know, the older MK IIs handle a maximum of 130 passengers. After the new configuration, I'm guessing the capacity be only slightly more... like 140.

I think you were confused with MK Is and MK IIs... MK Is have a capacity of 100 passengers per car.

Here's an excerpt of a SkyTrain Phase B RFP:

Quote:

With no commitment on the feasibility or economic viability of a 5-car Mark II train, one scenario is presented assuming 4-car Mark II trains (two 2-car consists), as currently handled on the system. The new Mark II cars currently being manufactured have a different interior configuration designed for improved passenger circulation, which may yield a slightly higher average passenger capacity. However, for this analysis a nominal capacity of 130 passengers per car will be used for all Mark II types.

Source: SkyTrain Ultimate Capacity Study

Hot Rod · #6 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 6:27 AM**

Very nice subway cars.

But in all honesty, I like the Mark I cars better. They are more classic-subway as opposed to the futuristic Mark II's.

zivan56 · #7 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 7:15 AM**

I sort of like the MK I's too..because most people cram into one car and usually leave the last one empty. Since the train stops at the very same spot each time, you know where to stand in order to be the first one in and get a good seat

It's pretty funny to see people wondering how I know where it stops, they just stare in awe, heh.
I hope the new seats allow for more leg room...the MKII seats kill my knees on longer trips.

Metro-One · #8 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 7:54 AM**

Those trains in Lyon, France have to be the ugliest trains ever, they look like a cross breed between "Eve" from "WALL.E" and a toilet seat.

Busy Bee · #9 Posted **Jan 15, 2009, 6:59 PM**

To each his own...

deasine · #10 Posted **Jan 16, 2009, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

Very nice subway cars.

But in all honesty, I like the Mark I cars better. They are more classic-subway as opposed to the futuristic Mark II's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zivan56

I sort of like the MK I's too..because most people cram into one car and usually leave the last one empty. Since the train stops at the very same spot each time, you know where to stand in order to be the first one in and get a good seat

It's pretty funny to see people wondering how I know where it stops, they just stare in awe, heh.
I hope the new seats allow for more leg room...the MKII seats kill my knees on longer trips.

If we add this livery to the MKIs... then it would be perfect.

I'm not a fan of the Lyon Trams either...

Deez · #11 Posted **Jan 16, 2009, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

(via starpulse.com)

The new MKII livery looks great...I'm glad they chose to match the Coast Mountain buses.

Nouvellecosse · #12 Posted **Jan 29, 2009, 7:53 AM**

I prefer the old white for both the buses and trains. But if the darker trains will be in tunnels, that seems more appropriate. The true "sky" trains should stay white. If they get dirty, wash them lol.

twoNeurons · #13 Posted **Feb 2, 2009, 9:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I prefer the old white for both the buses and trains. But if the darker trains will be in tunnels, that seems more appropriate. The true "sky" trains should stay white. If they get dirty, wash them lol.

dunno why people like the old MKIs because they're more "transit-ish"

If anything, we want trains to be attractive and more like "personal taxis" so that people who don't usually take transit may take it.

The MKIs have bad imagery to me. I think "A box stuffed full of people crammed together"

The MKIIs I think... oohh... look a train. It conjures up a different image.

Then again, I love those trams in Lyons... they look like iTrams or something Hayao Miyazaki would dream up and put in a movie.

SpongeG · #14 Posted **Feb 3, 2009, 12:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I prefer the old white for both the buses and trains. But if the darker trains will be in tunnels, that seems more appropriate. The true "sky" trains should stay white. If they get dirty, wash them lol.

these ones don't run in tunnels - other than the downtown portion

these are for the existing M & E lines already in service

the C line will be tunnelled for the most part 75% at least

Timeless Enigma · #15 Posted **May 5, 2009, 5:54 AM**

I've been lurking the forums for a couple of months now but I finally registered just to say that I saw these new Mark II cars on three occasions. One time when passing by the Operations and Maintenance Centre near Edmonds Station, and then later the same day parked by the spare platform at Stadium-Chinatown. I then saw it again at Stadium-Chinatown the next day.

Gotta say they look very good. I kind of embarrassed myself when I yelled "Oh look! It's the new SkyTrain cars!" inside the train I was in though.