Railcar: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Self-propelled railway vehicle for passengers}} | {{Short description|Self-propelled single railway vehicle for passengers}} | ||
{{Wiktionary|railcar|motor car}} | |||
{{About|a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers|unpowered freight cars or passenger cars|railroad car<!-- |other American usage|railroad car -->}} | {{About|a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers|unpowered freight cars or passenger cars|railroad car<!-- |other American usage|railroad car -->}} | ||
{{Redirect|Railcars|the band|Railcars (band)}} | {{Redirect|Railcars|the band|Railcars (band)}} | ||
{{More citations needed|date=February 2023}} | {{More citations needed|date=February 2023}} | ||
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} | {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} | ||
[[File:Waldbahn VT 15.jpg|thumb|The [[Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1|Regio-Shuttle RS1]] low-floor vehicle is a modern version of a single unit railcar. Several of these can run together.]] | [[File:Waldbahn VT 15.jpg|thumb|The [[Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1|Regio-Shuttle RS1]] low-floor vehicle is a modern version of a single unit railcar. Several of these can run together.]] | ||
[[File:840 010 Tanvald 1.jpg|thumb|The [[ČD Class 840 and 841|RegioSpider]] modern railcar.]] | [[File:840 010 Tanvald 1.jpg|thumb|The [[ČD Class 840 and 841|RegioSpider]] modern railcar.]] | ||
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[[File:JvmKEAJ01124 Persontåg på linjen mellan Strängnäs och Malmby. Statens Järnvägar, SJ X16 969 och SJ UBF7Z 2074.jpg|thumb|An electric [[SJ X16|SJ Class X16]] with control trailer between Strängnäs and Malmby in Sweden]] | [[File:JvmKEAJ01124 Persontåg på linjen mellan Strängnäs och Malmby. Statens Järnvägar, SJ X16 969 och SJ UBF7Z 2074.jpg|thumb|An electric [[SJ X16|SJ Class X16]] with control trailer between Strängnäs and Malmby in Sweden]] | ||
A '''railcar''' | A '''railcar'''<ref name="Collins">{{cite web |title=Definition of 'railcar' |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/railcar |publisher=Collins Dictionaries |access-date=15 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="MerrWeb">{{cite web |title=Definition of RAILCAR |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/railcar |website=www.merriam-webster.com |access-date=15 February 2025 |language=en |date=22 January 2025}}</ref> (not to be confused with the generic term [[railroad car|"railroad car" or "railway car"]]),<ref>{{cite web |title=railcar - noun |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/railcar_n?tab=factsheet#26950855100 |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=10 August 2025 |quote=British: a powered railway passenger vehicle designed to operate singly or as part of a multiple unit. - North American: any railway carriage or wagon.}}</ref> or '''motor car'''<ref name="UPMC">{{cite web |title=UP Motor Cars Index Page |url=https://utahrails.net/up/up-motorcar-index.php |website=utahrails.net |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref> is a self-propelled [[Rail transport|railway]] vehicle designed to [[transport]] passengers. The "self-propelled railcar" refers to a railway [[train]] consisting of a single [[Coach (rail)|coach]] (or carriage, car, unit), with a driver's cab at one or both ends. In its simplest form, a "railcar" may also be little more than a [[railbus]] or motorized [[draisine]]. | ||
Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, | Self-powered railcars were once common in North America; these "motor cars" were often called [[Doodlebug (rail car)|doodlebug]]s.<ref name="UPMC" /> Some railway companies, such as the [[Great Western Railway|Great Western]], termed such vehicles "[[railmotor]]s" (or "rail motors"). Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, usually called "[[rail motor coach]]es". | ||
== Alternative use == | == Alternative use == | ||
In Australia, the term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of [[multiple unit]] which consist of more than one coach.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.railtram.com.au/diesel-multiple-units |title=Diesel Multiple Units |website=Railways and Tramways of Australia |access-date=2024-11-02}}</ref> This can be the case in [[Ireland]] when referring to any [[diesel multiple unit]] (DMU), or in some cases [[electric multiple unit]] (EMU).{{ | In Australia, the term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of [[multiple unit]] which consist of more than one coach.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.railtram.com.au/diesel-multiple-units |title=Diesel Multiple Units |website=Railways and Tramways of Australia |access-date=2024-11-02}}</ref> This can be the case in [[Ireland]] when referring to any [[diesel multiple unit]] (DMU), or in some cases [[electric multiple unit]] (EMU).<ref name="IR-IC">{{cite web |title=Iarnród Éireann InterCity Fleet Information |url=https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/About-Us/Iarnrod-Eireann-Fleet/interCity-Fleet |website=Irish Rail |access-date=10 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
In North America the term "railcar" has a much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether [[railroad car|passenger coaches]] or [[goods wagon]]s (freight cars).<ref>{{cite news |last=Brinckman |first=Jonathan |title=Railcar orders, jobs in jeopardy |date=March 6, 2009 |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/03/railcar_orders_jobs_in_jeopard.html |newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Trinity Eyes Stimulus |url=http://www.joc.com/node/409559 |journal=[[The Journal of Commerce]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bill address railcar storage |url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/20/news/state/48-billaddress.txt |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722022219/http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/20/news/state/48-billaddress.txt |archive-date=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> | In North America the term "railcar" has a much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether [[railroad car|passenger coaches]] or [[goods wagon]]s (freight cars).<ref>{{cite news |last=Brinckman |first=Jonathan |title=Railcar orders, jobs in jeopardy |date=March 6, 2009 |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/03/railcar_orders_jobs_in_jeopard.html |newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Trinity Eyes Stimulus |url=http://www.joc.com/node/409559 |journal=[[The Journal of Commerce]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bill address railcar storage |url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/20/news/state/48-billaddress.txt |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |access-date=March 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722022219/http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/20/news/state/48-billaddress.txt |archive-date=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> | ||
==Services== | ==Services== | ||
Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be [[cost effective]]. A famous example of this in the United States was the [[Galloping Goose (railcar)|Galloping Goose]] railcars of the [[Rio Grande Southern Railroad]], whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably. | Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be [[cost effective]]. A famous example of this in the United States was the [[Galloping Goose (railcar)|Galloping Goose]] railcars of the [[Rio Grande Southern Railroad]], whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In [[New Zealand]], although railcars were primarily used on regional services, the [[NZR RM class (88 seater)#Blue Streaks|Blue Streak]] and [[NZR RM class (Silver Fern)|Silver Fern]] railcars were used on the [[North Island Main Trunk]] between [[Wellington]] and [[Auckland]] and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains. | Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In [[New Zealand]], although railcars were primarily used on regional services, the [[NZR RM class (88 seater)#Blue Streaks|Blue Streak]] and [[NZR RM class (Silver Fern)|Silver Fern]] railcars were used on the [[North Island Main Trunk]] between [[Wellington]] and [[Auckland]] and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
In [[Australia]], the ''[[Savannahlander]]'' operates a tourist service from the coastal town of [[Cairns]] to [[Forsayth, Queensland|Forsayth]], and [[Traveltrain]] operates the ''[[Gulflander]]'' between [[Normanton, Queensland|Normanton]] and [[Croydon, Queensland|Croydon]] in the [[Gulf Country]] of northern [[Queensland]]. | In [[Australia]], the ''[[Savannahlander]]'' operates a tourist service from the coastal town of [[Cairns]] to [[Forsayth, Queensland|Forsayth]], and [[Traveltrain]] operates the ''[[Gulflander]]'' between [[Normanton, Queensland|Normanton]] and [[Croydon, Queensland|Croydon]] in the [[Gulf Country]] of northern [[Queensland]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
==Propulsion systems== | ==Propulsion systems== | ||
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[[File:LNER Sentinel-Cammell steam rail-car (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928).jpg|thumb|[[London and North Eastern Railway|LNER]] [[Sentinel Waggon Works|Sentinel-Cammell]] steam railcar]] | [[File:LNER Sentinel-Cammell steam rail-car (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928).jpg|thumb|[[London and North Eastern Railway|LNER]] [[Sentinel Waggon Works|Sentinel-Cammell]] steam railcar]] | ||
[[William Bridges Adams]] built steam railcars at [[Bow, London]] in the 1840s. Many [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] railway companies tried steam [[Railmotor|rail motors]] but they were not very successful and were often replaced by [[push-pull train]]s. [[Sentinel Waggon Works]] was one British builder of steam railcars. | [[William Bridges Adams]] built steam railcars at [[Bow, London]] in the 1840s. Many [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] railway companies tried steam [[Railmotor|rail motors]] but they were not very successful and were often replaced by [[push-pull train]]s. [[Sentinel Waggon Works]] was one British builder of steam railcars.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
In [[Belgium]], M. A. Cabany of [[Mechelen]] designed steam railcars. His first was built in 1877 and exhibited at a Paris exhibition. This may have been the [[Exposition Universelle (1878)]]. The steam boiler was supplied by the [[Boussu]] Works and there was accommodation for First, Second and Third-class passengers and their luggage. There was also a locker for dogs underneath. Fifteen were built and they worked mainly in the [[Hainaut (province)|Hainaut]] and [[Antwerp]] districts. | In [[Belgium]], M. A. Cabany of [[Mechelen]] designed steam railcars. His first was built in 1877 and exhibited at a Paris exhibition. This may have been the [[Exposition Universelle (1878)]]. The steam boiler was supplied by the [[Boussu]] Works and there was accommodation for First, Second and Third-class passengers and their luggage. There was also a locker for dogs underneath. Fifteen were built and they worked mainly in the [[Hainaut (province)|Hainaut]] and [[Antwerp]] districts.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
The Austro-Hungarian [[Ganz Works]] built steam trams prior to the First World War. The [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe|Santa Fe]] Railway built a steam powered [[Doodlebug (rail car)|rail car]] using a body by [[American Car and Foundry]], a Jacobs-Schupert boiler and a Ganz power truck in 1911. Numbered M-104, the experiment was a failure, and was not repeated.<ref>{{cite book |last=Worley |first=E.D. |title=Iron Horses of the Santa Fe Trail |publisher=Southwest Railroad Historical Society |location=US |year=1965 |asin=B0007EIUWE}}</ref> | The Austro-Hungarian [[Ganz Works]] built steam trams prior to the First World War. The [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe|Santa Fe]] Railway built a steam powered [[Doodlebug (rail car)|rail car]] using a body by [[American Car and Foundry]], a Jacobs-Schupert boiler and a Ganz power truck in 1911. Numbered M-104, the experiment was a failure, and was not repeated.<ref>{{cite book |last=Worley |first=E.D. |title=Iron Horses of the Santa Fe Trail |publisher=Southwest Railroad Historical Society |location=US |year=1965 |asin=B0007EIUWE}}</ref> | ||
===Petrol=== | ===Petrol=== | ||
In 1904 the Automotor Journal reported that one railway after another had been realising that motor coaches could be used to handle light traffic on their less important lines.<ref>"Motor Coaches for Railways", The Automotor Journal, January 23, 1904</ref> The North-Eastern railways had been experimenting “for some time” in this direction, and [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley]] provided them with a flat-four engine capable of up to {{convert|100|bhp|kW|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} for this purpose. The engine drove a main dynamo to power two electric drive motors, and a smaller dynamo to charge accumulators to power the interior lighting and allow electric starting of the engine. The controls for the dynamo allowed the coach to be driven from either end. For further details see [[1903 Petrol Electric Autocar]]. | In 1904 the Automotor Journal reported that one railway after another had been realising that motor coaches could be used to handle light traffic on their less important lines.<ref>"Motor Coaches for Railways", The Automotor Journal, January 23, 1904</ref> The North-Eastern railways had been experimenting “for some time” in this direction, and [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley]] provided them with a flat-four engine capable of up to {{convert|100|bhp|kW|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} for this purpose. The engine drove a main dynamo to power two electric drive motors, and a smaller dynamo to charge accumulators to power the interior lighting and allow electric starting of the engine. The controls for the dynamo allowed the coach to be driven from either end. For further details see [[1903 Petrol Electric Autocar]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
Another early railcar in the UK was designed by [[James Sidney Drewry]] and made by the [[Drewry Car Co.]] in 1906. In 1908 the manufacture was contracted out to the [[Birmingham Small Arms Company]]. | Another early railcar in the UK was designed by [[James Sidney Drewry]] and made by the [[Drewry Car Co.]] in 1906. In 1908 the manufacture was contracted out to the [[Birmingham Small Arms Company]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
By the 1930s, railcars were often adapted from truck or automobiles; examples of this include the [[Buick]]- and [[Pierce-Arrow]]-based [[Galloping Goose (railcar)|Galloping Geese]] of the [[Rio Grande Southern Railroad]], and the [[Mack Truck]]-based "Super Skunk" of the [[California Western Railroad]]. | By the 1930s, railcars were often adapted from truck or automobiles; examples of this include the [[Buick]]- and [[Pierce-Arrow]]-based [[Galloping Goose (railcar)|Galloping Geese]] of the [[Rio Grande Southern Railroad]], and the [[Mack Truck]]-based "Super Skunk" of the [[California Western Railroad]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
===Diesel=== | ===Diesel=== | ||
While early railcars were propelled by [[Steam engine|steam]] and [[petrol engine|petrol]] engines, modern railcars are usually propelled by a [[diesel engine]] mounted underneath the floor of the coach. Diesel railcars may have mechanical ([[fluid coupling]] and [[gearbox]]), hydraulic ([[torque converter]]) or [[Diesel-electric transmission|electric]] ([[electric generator|generator]] and [[traction motor]]s) transmission. | While early railcars were propelled by [[Steam engine|steam]] and [[petrol engine|petrol]] engines, modern railcars are usually propelled by a [[diesel engine]] mounted underneath the floor of the coach. Diesel railcars may have mechanical ([[fluid coupling]] and [[gearbox]]), hydraulic ([[torque converter]]) or [[Diesel-electric transmission|electric]] ([[electric generator|generator]] and [[traction motor]]s) transmission.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
===Electric=== | ===Electric=== | ||
Electric railcars and mainline electric systems are rare, since electrification normally implies heavy usage where single cars or short trains would not be economic. Exceptions to this rule are or were found for example in [[SJ X16|Sweden]] or [[Rail transport in Switzerland|Switzerland]]. Some vehicles on [[tram]] and [[interurban]] systems, like the [[Red Car]] of the [[Pacific Electric Railway]], can also be seen as railcars. | Electric railcars and mainline electric systems are rare, since electrification normally implies heavy usage where single cars or short trains would not be economic. Exceptions to this rule are or were found for example in [[SJ X16|Sweden]] or [[Rail transport in Switzerland|Switzerland]]. Some vehicles on [[tram]] and [[interurban]] systems, like the [[Red Car]] of the [[Pacific Electric Railway]], can also be seen as railcars.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
===Battery-electric=== | ===Battery-electric=== | ||
{{main|Accumulator railcar}} | {{main|Accumulator railcar}} | ||
Experiments with battery-electric railcars were conducted from around 1890 in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. In the US, railcars of the [[Edison-Beach]] type, with [[nickel-iron battery|nickel-iron batteries]] were used from 1911. In New Zealand, a [[NZR RM class (Edison battery-electric)|battery-electric Edison railcar]] operated from 1926 to 1934. In Ireland, the [[Drumm Battery Train]] used [[nickel-zinc batteries]] on four 2-car sets between 1932 and 1946 on the coastal and [[Harcourt Street railway line]]s. [[British Railways]] used [[lead–acid batteries]] in a [[British Rail BEMU|railcar in 1958]]. Between 1955 and 1995 [[Deutsche Bundesbahn|DB]] railways successfully operated 232 [[DB Class ETA 150]] railcars utilising [[Lead–acid battery|lead–acid batteries]]. | Experiments with battery-electric railcars were conducted from around 1890 in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. In the US, railcars of the [[Edison-Beach]] type, with [[nickel-iron battery|nickel-iron batteries]] were used from 1911. In New Zealand, a [[NZR RM class (Edison battery-electric)|battery-electric Edison railcar]] operated from 1926 to 1934. In Ireland, the [[Drumm Battery Train]] used [[nickel-zinc batteries]] on four 2-car sets between 1932 and 1946 on the coastal and [[Harcourt Street railway line]]s. [[British Railways]] used [[lead–acid batteries]] in a [[British Rail BEMU|railcar in 1958]]. Between 1955 and 1995 [[Deutsche Bundesbahn|DB]] railways successfully operated 232 [[DB Class ETA 150]] railcars utilising [[Lead–acid battery|lead–acid batteries]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
As with any other [[battery electric vehicle]], the drawback is the limited range (this can be solved using [[overhead wires]] to recharge for use in places where there are not wires), weight, and/or expense of the battery. | As with any other [[battery electric vehicle]], the drawback is the limited range (this can be solved using [[overhead wires]] to recharge for use in places where there are not wires), weight, and/or expense of the battery.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
== | ==Gallery== | ||
<gallery widths="150" class="center"> | <gallery widths="150" class="center"> | ||
NoELB Steam Railcar.jpg|Steam railcar for the narrow gauge [[Niederösterreich]]­ische Landesbahnen [[:de:Niederösterreichische Landesbahnen|<small>('''DE''')</small>]], built by Komarek of [[Vienna]] in 1903 | NoELB Steam Railcar.jpg|Steam railcar for the narrow gauge [[Niederösterreich]]­ische Landesbahnen [[:de:Niederösterreichische Landesbahnen|<small>('''DE''')</small>]], built by Komarek of [[Vienna]] in 1903 | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
== | ==Replacement== | ||
{{see also|Diesel multiple unit|Electric multiple unit|Light rail}} | {{see also|Diesel multiple unit|Electric multiple unit|Light rail}} | ||
[[File:Beinwil am See Seetalbahn 2003-06-25 4528.jpg|thumb|[[Stadler GTW]] light regional [[electric multiple unit]] railcar in [[Beinwil am See]]]] | [[File:Beinwil am See Seetalbahn 2003-06-25 4528.jpg|thumb|[[Stadler GTW]] light regional [[electric multiple unit]] railcar in [[Beinwil am See]]]] | ||
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[[File:Dart Train at Connelly Station, Dublin - panoramio.jpg|thumb| Two [[IE 29000 Class]] Suburban [[Diesel Multiple Unit|DMU's]] stand at [[Connolly Station]]]] | [[File:Dart Train at Connelly Station, Dublin - panoramio.jpg|thumb| Two [[IE 29000 Class]] Suburban [[Diesel Multiple Unit|DMU's]] stand at [[Connolly Station]]]] | ||
A new breed of modern lightweight aerodynamically designed diesel or electric regional | A new breed of modern lightweight aerodynamically designed diesel or electric regional railway vehicles that can operate as single vehicles or in trains (or, in “multiple units”) are becoming very popular in Europe and Japan, replacing the first-generation [[Railcar#Railbuses|railbuses]] and second-generation DMU railcars, usually running on lesser-used main-line railways and in some cases in exclusive lanes in urban areas. Like many high-end DMUs, these vehicles are made of two or three connected units that are semi-permanently coupled as “married pairs or triplets” and operate as a single unit. Passengers may walk between the married pair units without having to open or pass through doors. Unit capacities range from 70 to over 300 seated passengers. The equipment is highly customisable with a wide variety of engine, transmission, coupler systems, and car lengths.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
=== Institutional/regulatory Issues === | === Institutional/regulatory Issues === | ||
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=== Existing systems === | === Existing systems === | ||
Light regional | Light regional trains are used by a number of railroads in Germany, and also in the [[Netherlands]], [[Denmark]], [[Italy]], [[United States]] and [[Spain]]. | ||
* [[Sprinter (rail service)|Sprinter]] in [[San Diego]], California | * [[Sprinter (rail service)|Sprinter]] in [[San Diego]], California | ||
* [[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]] in [[Ottawa]], Canada | * [[Line 2 (O-Train)|Line 2]] in [[Ottawa]], Canada | ||
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===Manufacturers=== | ===Manufacturers=== | ||
Models of new-generation multiple-unit and articulated | Models of new-generation multiple-unit and articulated trains include: | ||
* [[Alstom Coradia LINT]] | * [[Alstom Coradia LINT]] | ||
* [[Bombardier Talent]] | * [[Bombardier Talent]] | ||
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==Multiple-unit and articulated railcars== | ==Multiple-unit and articulated railcars== | ||
When there are enough passengers to justify it, single-unit powered railcars can be joined in a [[multiple-unit]] form, with one driver controlling all engines. However, it has previously been the practice for a railcar to tow a carriage or second, unpowered railcar. It is possible for several railcars to run together, each with its own driver (as practised on the former [[County Donegal Railways Joint Committee|County Donegal Railway]]). The reason for this was to keep costs down, since small railcars were not always fitted with multiple-unit control. | When there are enough passengers to justify it, single-unit powered railcars can be joined in a [[multiple-unit]] form, with one driver controlling all engines. However, it has previously been the practice for a railcar to tow a carriage or second, unpowered railcar. It is possible for several railcars to run together, each with its own driver (as practised on the former [[County Donegal Railways Joint Committee|County Donegal Railway]]). The reason for this was to keep costs down, since small railcars were not always fitted with multiple-unit control.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
There are also [[Articulated car|articulated railcars]], in which the ends of two adjacent coupled carriages are carried on a single joint bogie (see ''[[Jacobs bogie]]''). | There are also [[Articulated car|articulated railcars]], in which the ends of two adjacent coupled carriages are carried on a single joint bogie (see ''[[Jacobs bogie]]'').{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
==Railbuses== | ==Variants== | ||
===Railbuses=== | |||
{{main|Railbus}} | {{main|Railbus}} | ||
[[File:HFJ-bussen har ankommit till Marielund.jpg|thumb|Petrol railbus at the [[Östra Södermanlands Järnväg|Eastern Södermanlands Railway]], ÖSlJ, a narrow-gauge museum railway depicting 1890-1910-century [[Sweden]]]] | [[File:HFJ-bussen har ankommit till Marielund.jpg|thumb|Petrol railbus at the [[Östra Södermanlands Järnväg|Eastern Södermanlands Railway]], ÖSlJ, a narrow-gauge museum railway depicting 1890-1910-century [[Sweden]]]] | ||
A variation of the railcar is the '''[[railbus]]''': | A variation of the railcar is the '''[[railbus]]''': a very lightweight type of vehicle designed for use specifically on lightly used railway lines and, as the name suggests, sharing many aspects of their construction with those of a road [[bus]]. They usually have a bus, or modified bus, body and four wheels on a fixed base, instead of running on bogies.<ref name="PPM2009">{{cite web |url=http://www.parrypeoplemovers.com/ppm35-feature.htm |website=Parry People Movers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106103408/http://www.parrypeoplemovers.com/ppm35-feature.htm |archive-date=2009-01-06 |title=Light Railcars and Railbuses |url-status=usurped |access-date=2008-06-09}}</ref> Railbuses have been commonly used in such countries as the [[Czech Republic]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Sweden]], and the [[United Kingdom]]. | ||
A type of railbus known as a [[pacer (train)|Pacer]] based on the [[Leyland National]] bus was still widely used in the United Kingdom until withdrawal in 2021. New Zealand railcars that more closely resembled railbuses were the [[NZR RM class (Leyland diesel)|Leyland diesel railcars]] and the [[NZR RM class (Wairarapa)|Wairarapa railcars]] that were specially designed to operate over the [[Rimutaka Incline]] between Wellington and the [[Wairarapa]] region. In [[Australia]], where they were often called Rail Motors, railcars were often used for passenger services on lightly used lines. In France they are known as [[autorail]]s. Once very common, their use died out as local lines were closed. However, a new model has been introduced for lesser-used lines. | A type of railbus known as a [[pacer (train)|Pacer]] based on the [[Leyland National]] bus was still widely used in the United Kingdom until withdrawal in 2021. New Zealand railcars that more closely resembled railbuses were the [[NZR RM class (Leyland diesel)|Leyland diesel railcars]] and the [[NZR RM class (Wairarapa)|Wairarapa railcars]] that were specially designed to operate over the [[Rimutaka Incline]] between Wellington and the [[Wairarapa]] region. In [[Australia]], where they were often called Rail Motors, railcars were often used for passenger services on lightly used lines. In France they are known as [[autorail]]s. Once very common, their use died out as local lines were closed. However, a new model has been introduced for lesser-used lines.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
In [[Canada]], after the cessation of [[BC Rail#Passenger services|their mainline passenger service]], [[BC Rail]] started operating a pair of railbuses to some settlements not easily accessible otherwise. | In [[Canada]], after the cessation of [[BC Rail#Passenger services|their mainline passenger service]], [[BC Rail]] started operating a pair of railbuses to some settlements not easily accessible otherwise.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | ||
In [[Russia]], the [[Mytishchi]]-based [[Metrowagonmash]] firm manufactures the RA-1 railbus, equipped with a [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] engine. As of summer 2006, the [[Gorky Railway]] planned to start using them on its commuter line between [[Nizhny Novgorod]] and [[Bor, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast|Bor]].<ref> | In [[Russia]], the [[Mytishchi]]-based [[Metrowagonmash]] firm manufactures the RA-1 railbus, equipped with a [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] engine. As of summer 2006, the [[Gorky Railway]] planned to start using them on its commuter line between [[Nizhny Novgorod]] and [[Bor, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast|Bor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.transp.nnov.ru/photo/railroad/ra1 |title=Рельсовый автобус РА-1 в Нижнем Новгороде |trans-title=Railbus RA-1 in Nizhny Novgorod |website=Public Transportation in Nizhny Novgorod |language=Russian |location=Russia |year=2021 |access-date=2025-08-10}}</ref> | ||
<gallery widths="150" class="center"> | <gallery widths="150" class="center"> | ||
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File:Tren - Tecnópolis.JPG|An Argentine [[TecnoTren]] railbus | File:Tren - Tecnópolis.JPG|An Argentine [[TecnoTren]] railbus | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
====Parry People Movers==== | |||
A UK company promoting the railbus concept was [[Parry People Movers]]. Locomotive power is from the energy stored in a [[Flywheel energy storage|flywheel]]. The production vehicles, designated as [[British Rail Class 139]], have a small onboard [[liquefied petroleum gas|LPG]] motor to bring the flywheel up to speed. In practice, this could be an electric motor that need only connect to the power supply at stopping points. Alternatively, a motor at the stopping points could wind up the flywheel of each car as it stops.<ref name="PPM2009" /> | |||
=== Road–rail vehicles === | === Road–rail vehicles === | ||
{{main|Road–rail vehicle}} | {{main|Road–rail vehicle}} | ||
The term ''railbus'' also refers to a dual-mode [[bus]] that can run on streets with rubber tires and on tracks with ''retractable'' train wheels.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | |||
The term ''rail bus'' is also used at times to refer to a road bus that replaces or supplements rail services on low-patronage [[railway line]]s or a bus that terminates at a [[railway station]] (also called a train bus). This process is sometimes called [[bustitution]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | |||
The term ''rail bus'' is also used at times to refer to a road bus that replaces or supplements rail services on low-patronage [[railway line]]s or a bus that terminates at a [[railway station]] (also called a train bus). This process is sometimes called [[bustitution]]. | |||
= | |||
===Railroad speeder or draisine=== | |||
The term "railcar" has also been used to refer to a lightweight rail inspection vehicle ([[railroad speeder]] or [[draisine]]).{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} | |||
<gallery widths="150" class="center"> | <gallery widths="150" class="center"> | ||
File:Metrotrolley.jpg|Battery electric [[MetroTrolley]] for rail use (for ultrasonic rail flaw detection) | File:Metrotrolley.jpg|Battery electric [[MetroTrolley]] for rail use (for ultrasonic rail flaw detection) | ||
| Line 149: | Line 148: | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
===Categories=== | ===Categories=== | ||
{{div col|colwidth=22em}} | {{div col|colwidth=22em}} | ||
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===General=== | ===General=== | ||
{{div col|colwidth=22em}} | {{div col|colwidth=22em}} | ||
* [[Autorail]] | * [[Autorail]] | ||
* [[Bilevel rail car]] | * [[Bilevel rail car]] | ||
| Line 172: | Line 169: | ||
* [[DEB railcar]] | * [[DEB railcar]] | ||
* [[Diesel multiple unit]] | * [[Diesel multiple unit]] | ||
* [[Draisine#Dressin, velorail or railbike|Draisine]] | * [[Draisine#Dressin, velorail or railbike|Draisine]] | ||
* [[EIKON International]] | * [[EIKON International]] | ||
| Line 182: | Line 178: | ||
* [[Luxtorpeda]] | * [[Luxtorpeda]] | ||
* [[McKeen Motor Car Company]]<!--<br> pioneering US railcar builder / Data not really needed--> | * [[McKeen Motor Car Company]]<!--<br> pioneering US railcar builder / Data not really needed--> | ||
* [[Railmotor]] | * [[Railmotor]] | ||
* [[brake (railway)|Railway brakes]] | * [[brake (railway)|Railway brakes]] | ||
* [[Pauline (railcar)]] | * [[Pauline (railcar)]] | ||
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* [[Rail car mover]]- some of which<br> resemble [[Road-rail vehicle|HiRail trucks]] | * [[Rail car mover]]- some of which<br> resemble [[Road-rail vehicle|HiRail trucks]] | ||
* [[Schienenzeppelin]] | * [[Schienenzeppelin]] | ||
* [[Stadler GTW]] | * [[Stadler GTW]] | ||
* [[Unimog]] | * [[Unimog]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:24, 13 October 2025
Template:Short description Template:Sister project Script error: No such module "about". Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:More citations needed Template:Use mdy dates
A railcar[1][2] (not to be confused with the generic term "railroad car" or "railway car"),[3] or motor car[4] is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The "self-propelled railcar" refers to a railway train consisting of a single coach (or carriage, car, unit), with a driver's cab at one or both ends. In its simplest form, a "railcar" may also be little more than a railbus or motorized draisine.
Self-powered railcars were once common in North America; these "motor cars" were often called doodlebugs.[4] Some railway companies, such as the Great Western, termed such vehicles "railmotors" (or "rail motors"). Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, usually called "rail motor coaches".
Alternative use
In Australia, the term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit which consist of more than one coach.[5] This can be the case in Ireland when referring to any diesel multiple unit (DMU), or in some cases electric multiple unit (EMU).[6]
In North America the term "railcar" has a much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether passenger coaches or goods wagons (freight cars).[7][8][9]
Services
Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be cost effective. A famous example of this in the United States was the Galloping Goose railcars of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In New Zealand, although railcars were primarily used on regional services, the Blue Streak and Silver Fern railcars were used on the North Island Main Trunk between Wellington and Auckland and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In Australia, the Savannahlander operates a tourist service from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth, and Traveltrain operates the Gulflander between Normanton and Croydon in the Gulf Country of northern Queensland.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Propulsion systems
Steam
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William Bridges Adams built steam railcars at Bow, London in the 1840s. Many British railway companies tried steam rail motors but they were not very successful and were often replaced by push-pull trains. Sentinel Waggon Works was one British builder of steam railcars.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In Belgium, M. A. Cabany of Mechelen designed steam railcars. His first was built in 1877 and exhibited at a Paris exhibition. This may have been the Exposition Universelle (1878). The steam boiler was supplied by the Boussu Works and there was accommodation for First, Second and Third-class passengers and their luggage. There was also a locker for dogs underneath. Fifteen were built and they worked mainly in the Hainaut and Antwerp districts.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
The Austro-Hungarian Ganz Works built steam trams prior to the First World War. The Santa Fe Railway built a steam powered rail car using a body by American Car and Foundry, a Jacobs-Schupert boiler and a Ganz power truck in 1911. Numbered M-104, the experiment was a failure, and was not repeated.[10]
Petrol
In 1904 the Automotor Journal reported that one railway after another had been realising that motor coaches could be used to handle light traffic on their less important lines.[11] The North-Eastern railways had been experimenting “for some time” in this direction, and Wolseley provided them with a flat-four engine capable of up to Template:Convert for this purpose. The engine drove a main dynamo to power two electric drive motors, and a smaller dynamo to charge accumulators to power the interior lighting and allow electric starting of the engine. The controls for the dynamo allowed the coach to be driven from either end. For further details see 1903 Petrol Electric Autocar.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Another early railcar in the UK was designed by James Sidney Drewry and made by the Drewry Car Co. in 1906. In 1908 the manufacture was contracted out to the Birmingham Small Arms Company.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
By the 1930s, railcars were often adapted from truck or automobiles; examples of this include the Buick- and Pierce-Arrow-based Galloping Geese of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, and the Mack Truck-based "Super Skunk" of the California Western Railroad.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Diesel
While early railcars were propelled by steam and petrol engines, modern railcars are usually propelled by a diesel engine mounted underneath the floor of the coach. Diesel railcars may have mechanical (fluid coupling and gearbox), hydraulic (torque converter) or electric (generator and traction motors) transmission.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Electric
Electric railcars and mainline electric systems are rare, since electrification normally implies heavy usage where single cars or short trains would not be economic. Exceptions to this rule are or were found for example in Sweden or Switzerland. Some vehicles on tram and interurban systems, like the Red Car of the Pacific Electric Railway, can also be seen as railcars.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Battery-electric
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Experiments with battery-electric railcars were conducted from around 1890 in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. In the US, railcars of the Edison-Beach type, with nickel-iron batteries were used from 1911. In New Zealand, a battery-electric Edison railcar operated from 1926 to 1934. In Ireland, the Drumm Battery Train used nickel-zinc batteries on four 2-car sets between 1932 and 1946 on the coastal and Harcourt Street railway lines. British Railways used lead–acid batteries in a railcar in 1958. Between 1955 and 1995 DB railways successfully operated 232 DB Class ETA 150 railcars utilising lead–acid batteries.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
As with any other battery electric vehicle, the drawback is the limited range (this can be solved using overhead wires to recharge for use in places where there are not wires), weight, and/or expense of the battery.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Gallery
-
Steam railcar for the narrow gauge Niederösterreichische Landesbahnen (DE), built by Komarek of Vienna in 1903
-
An early petrol-engined rail omnibus on the New York Central railroad
-
Weitzer petrol electric railcar, 1903, French & German components, Austrian producer in Hungarian, now Romanian Arad
-
McKeen railmotor, 1904, futuristic design, early international success, unsolvable gear problems
-
White Motor Company railcar in the collection of the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. Jamestown, California
-
ČSD Class M 131.1
.jpg){kind=link}
Replacement
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A new breed of modern lightweight aerodynamically designed diesel or electric regional railway vehicles that can operate as single vehicles or in trains (or, in “multiple units”) are becoming very popular in Europe and Japan, replacing the first-generation railbuses and second-generation DMU railcars, usually running on lesser-used main-line railways and in some cases in exclusive lanes in urban areas. Like many high-end DMUs, these vehicles are made of two or three connected units that are semi-permanently coupled as “married pairs or triplets” and operate as a single unit. Passengers may walk between the married pair units without having to open or pass through doors. Unit capacities range from 70 to over 300 seated passengers. The equipment is highly customisable with a wide variety of engine, transmission, coupler systems, and car lengths.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Institutional/regulatory Issues
Contrary to other parts of the world, in the United States these vehicles generally do not comply with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations Script error: No such module "Unsubst". and, therefore, can only operate on dedicated rights-of-way with complete separation from other railroad activities. This restriction makes it virtually impossible to operate them on existing rail corridors with conventional passenger rail service. Nevertheless, such vehicles may soon operate in the United States as manufacturers such as Siemens, Alstom and ADtranz affirm they may be able to produce FRA-compliant versions of their European equipment.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Existing systems
Light regional trains are used by a number of railroads in Germany, and also in the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, United States and Spain.
- Sprinter in San Diego, California
- Line 2 in Ottawa, Canada
- CapMetro Rail in Austin, Texas
- A-train in Denton County, Texas
- SEPTA Cynwyd Line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Ferrovia Trento-Malè in the region of Trento, Italy
- Ferrovia della Val Venosta in the province of South Tyrol, Italy (→ Italian language version)
- Ramal Talca-Constitución in the region of Maule, Chile
Manufacturers
Models of new-generation multiple-unit and articulated trains include:
- Alstom Coradia LINT
- Bombardier Talent
- Metrovagonmash
- Siemens Desiro
- Stadler FLIRT
- Stadler GTW
- Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1
Multiple-unit and articulated railcars
When there are enough passengers to justify it, single-unit powered railcars can be joined in a multiple-unit form, with one driver controlling all engines. However, it has previously been the practice for a railcar to tow a carriage or second, unpowered railcar. It is possible for several railcars to run together, each with its own driver (as practised on the former County Donegal Railway). The reason for this was to keep costs down, since small railcars were not always fitted with multiple-unit control.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
There are also articulated railcars, in which the ends of two adjacent coupled carriages are carried on a single joint bogie (see Jacobs bogie).Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Variants
Railbuses
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A variation of the railcar is the railbus: a very lightweight type of vehicle designed for use specifically on lightly used railway lines and, as the name suggests, sharing many aspects of their construction with those of a road bus. They usually have a bus, or modified bus, body and four wheels on a fixed base, instead of running on bogies.[12] Railbuses have been commonly used in such countries as the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
A type of railbus known as a Pacer based on the Leyland National bus was still widely used in the United Kingdom until withdrawal in 2021. New Zealand railcars that more closely resembled railbuses were the Leyland diesel railcars and the Wairarapa railcars that were specially designed to operate over the Rimutaka Incline between Wellington and the Wairarapa region. In Australia, where they were often called Rail Motors, railcars were often used for passenger services on lightly used lines. In France they are known as autorails. Once very common, their use died out as local lines were closed. However, a new model has been introduced for lesser-used lines.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In Canada, after the cessation of their mainline passenger service, BC Rail started operating a pair of railbuses to some settlements not easily accessible otherwise.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In Russia, the Mytishchi-based Metrowagonmash firm manufactures the RA-1 railbus, equipped with a Mercedes engine. As of summer 2006, the Gorky Railway planned to start using them on its commuter line between Nizhny Novgorod and Bor.[13]
-
Uerdingen railbus in Germany
-
Two axle British Rail Railbus in York, England
-
An Argentine TecnoTren railbus
Parry People Movers
A UK company promoting the railbus concept was Parry People Movers. Locomotive power is from the energy stored in a flywheel. The production vehicles, designated as British Rail Class 139, have a small onboard LPG motor to bring the flywheel up to speed. In practice, this could be an electric motor that need only connect to the power supply at stopping points. Alternatively, a motor at the stopping points could wind up the flywheel of each car as it stops.[12]
Road–rail vehicles
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The term railbus also refers to a dual-mode bus that can run on streets with rubber tires and on tracks with retractable train wheels.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
The term rail bus is also used at times to refer to a road bus that replaces or supplements rail services on low-patronage railway lines or a bus that terminates at a railway station (also called a train bus). This process is sometimes called bustitution.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Railroad speeder or draisine
The term "railcar" has also been used to refer to a lightweight rail inspection vehicle (railroad speeder or draisine).Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
-
Battery electric MetroTrolley for rail use (for ultrasonic rail flaw detection)
-
In its simplest form, an American speeder - with motor unit detachable by hand
-
With some weather protection, including mountable canvas side curtains
See also
Categories
General
- Autorail
- Bilevel rail car
- British Rail BEMU
- British Rail Railbuses
- Budd Rail Diesel Car
- Budd SPV-2000
- CPH railmotor
- DEB railcar
- Diesel multiple unit
- Draisine
- EIKON International
- Edwards Rail Car Company
- GWR railcars
- GWR steam rail motors
- Handcar
- Highliner
- Luxtorpeda
- McKeen Motor Car Company
- Railmotor
- Railway brakes
- Pauline (railcar)
- Road-rail vehicle
- Rail car mover- some of which
resemble HiRail trucks - Schienenzeppelin
- Stadler GTW
- Unimog
References
External links
- Rail Motor Society (NSW, Australia) Template:Webarchive
- Stadler Rail
- North American Railcar Operators Association
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Motor Coaches for Railways", The Automotor Journal, January 23, 1904
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".