# Bilevel rail car

A bilevel rail car (called a double-decker coach in [Canadian English](https://www.edgepedia.org/canadian-english)) is a passenger rail car with two levels of passenger accommodation instead of one, built to carry more people per car length. Capacity gains are typically about 21% per car, and the type dominates North American commuter rail while also serving long-distance routes and European regional services.<sup>[1](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bi-level-rail-car)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity gain | About 21% more total capacity per car over a comparable single-level car<sup>[1](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bi-level-rail-car)</sup> |
| First gallery cars | Budd delivered 30 gallery coaches to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1950; over 350 Budd gallery cars were built in total, with the last built in 1978<sup>[2](https://rapidotrains.com/media/pdf/145-Instructions_web.pdf)</sup> |
| Long-distance debut | Santa Fe placed bilevel Hi-Level cars on the Chicago–Los Angeles El Capitan streamliner in 1954<sup>[3](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/hi-level-passenger-cars)</sup> |
| GO Transit BiLevel | First entered service March 13, 1978 with 162 seats, 70% more seating than the single-level cars it replaced<sup>[4](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/back-in-time%3A-the-remarkable-evolution-of-your-go-train)</sup> |
| Largest single fleet | GO Transit operates 924 bi-level coaches, with over 50 more on order<sup>[5](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/a-transit-seat-above-%E2%80%93-when-go-trains-became-bi-levels)</sup> |
| Typical seat counts | Caltrain's Nippon Sharyo gallery trailers seat 142–148; its Bombardier bi-level trailers seat 140–151<sup>[6](https://www.caltrain.com/about-caltrain/statistics-reports/caltrain-fleet)</sup> |
| Direction for Amtrak | In February 2026 Amtrak announced its long-distance fleet will become universally single-level, canceling its bi-level procurement<sup>[7](https://media.amtrak.com/2026/02/amtrak-announces-new-and-improved-long-distance-fleet-replacement-strategy/)</sup> |

## History

**Gallery cars in Chicago.** After World War II, suburban growth pushed Chicago railroads to haul more passengers per car at a time when car length was already maxed out. Pullman and Budd extended the car body to the maximum clearance permitted and added cantilevered walkways above a standard single-level floor, similar to luggage racks, with extra seating on the upper level. The open space between the upper levels let a single conductor see and check tickets across the whole car, keeping crew costs in line with a standard coach. Budd delivered the first 30 coaches to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1950, and the first cab cars went to the [Milwaukee Road](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee-road) in 1961 with an order of 8 cab cars and 32 regular coaches. Budd built more than 350 [gallery cars](https://www.edgepedia.org/gallery-car) in total, with the final examples delivered in 1978.<sup>[2](https://rapidotrains.com/media/pdf/145-Instructions_web.pdf)</sup> When the private railroads left commuter service, the remaining Burlington, Rock Island, Milwaukee Road, and Chicago & North Western gallery cars formed the backbone of Metra, the Chicago regional operator created in 1984.<sup>[2](https://rapidotrains.com/media/pdf/145-Instructions_web.pdf)</sup>

**Long-distance Hi-Levels.** Santa Fe placed bilevel cars in Chicago-area commuter service in 1950, and the [Budd Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/budd-company) approached the railroad in 1952 with a proposal for long-distance bilevel cars built on the gallery commuter concept. The result ran on the [El Capitan](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-capitan), a coach-only streamliner between Los Angeles and Chicago, from 1954.<sup>[3](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/hi-level-passenger-cars)</sup>

**The GO Transit BiLevel.** Toronto's GO Transit, facing growing passenger volumes that train length and frequency could not absorb, designed its BiLevel coach with Hawker Siddeley Canada in the mid-1970s; GO even borrowed Montreal's bi-levels for testing before designing its own.<sup>[5](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/a-transit-seat-above-%E2%80%93-when-go-trains-became-bi-levels)</sup> The first coaches entered service on March 13, 1978 with 162 seats, 70% more seating than the single-level cars GO had used since 1967, and engineer Norm Kuster won an engineering medal for his work on the introduction.<sup>[4](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/back-in-time%3A-the-remarkable-evolution-of-your-go-train)</sup> Later coaches were built by Urban Transportation Development Corporation/Can-Car and then Bombardier, and the general design has remained largely unchanged since production began in 1976.<sup>[8](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bombardier-bilevel-coach)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://rapidotrains.com/master-classes/bilevel-commuter-car-master-class)</sup> By the 2000s the design spread to start-up commuter operations including Sounder in Seattle, the Rail Runner in Albuquerque, and Northstar in Minnesota.<sup>[9](https://rapidotrains.com/master-classes/bilevel-commuter-car-master-class)</sup>

## Capacity and interior layout

The capacity arithmetic is less favorable than the two decks first suggest. A seated passenger occupies about 0.55 m² while a standee needs only about 0.25 m², so a car filled mostly with seats gives up standing room; Norwegian calculations (NSB, 2014) put a comparable double-deck train at 353 seats against 284 for single-deck, but total capacity of 760 against 627, an increase of about 21% rather than the doubling the second floor might imply.<sup>[10](https://www.jernbanedirektoratet.no/content/uploads/2025/04/Vedlegg-4_Options-for-Metropolitan-Area-Railway-Rolling-Stock.pdf)</sup> North American commuter cars, which are designed for riders to board en masse and sit, capture more of the theoretical gain: Caltrain's gallery trailers seat 142–148 passengers and its Bombardier bi-level trailers 140–151, with cab cars at 78–127 seats depending on bike space and equipment.<sup>[6](https://www.caltrain.com/about-caltrain/statistics-reports/caltrain-fleet)</sup>

Two layout families exist. Gallery cars keep a full-length single-level floor with a narrower mezzanine above, which is what allows one conductor to supervise the whole car. Full bi-level cars such as the GO BiLevel and Amtrak's Superliner put seating on two complete decks, with the lower level slung between the wheelsets so the floor sits well below a normal car floor.<sup>[2](https://rapidotrains.com/media/pdf/145-Instructions_web.pdf)</sup>

## Passenger flow and dwell time

The stairways required between the vestibule and each deck are the type's main operational cost. A study of Montreal's AMT commuter line by [ETH Zurich](https://www.edgepedia.org/eth-zurich)'s Institute for Transport Planning and Systems found that double-level cars hold an advantage at high occupancy because of their larger standing areas, but that single-level cars with wider doors were expected to board and discharge passengers faster at lower occupancy.<sup>[11](https://www.ivt.ethz.ch/en/vs/projekte/amt-montreal.html)</sup> The same Norwegian analysis notes that stairs are a common cause of slips, trips, and falls even in stations, that a moving train makes this worse, and that the lack of a walkway at a consistent level makes it harder for passengers to move through the train toward free space, which can exacerbate crowding.<sup>[10](https://www.jernbanedirektoratet.no/content/uploads/2025/04/Vedlegg-4_Options-for-Metropolitan-Area-Railway-Rolling-Stock.pdf)</sup>

Evacuation is also affected. A full-scale experiment in Prague in 2018 emulated the emergency evacuation of a double-deck electric railcar in 15 trials with 91 participants, testing egress to a high platform, to an open rail line using stairs, and a 750 mm jump without supporting equipment, and used the data to calibrate an evacuation model.<sup>[12](https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.11460)</sup>

## Accessibility

Bilevel cars can achieve direct, level boarding at compatible platforms, as feasibility depends primarily on platform design rather than on the lower deck sitting between the trucks.<sup>[17](https://www.access-board.gov/ada/vehicles/guides/subpart-e-guide/)</sup> Amtrak's Superliner cars carry onboard ramps for wheelchair and Segway boarding, and accessible seating areas must be kept clear at all times.<sup>[13](https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/foia/amtrak-service-standards-manual-071221-redacted.pdf)</sup> The PRIIA 305 bi-level car specification places accessible restrooms on the lower level, and a [Federal Railroad Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/federal-railroad-administration) study of next-generation railcars examined whether vertical access technology such as elevators should be required in bi-level long-distance cars, noting that refinement of the technical requirements would be needed to balance accessibility recommendations against Tier I and II operating environments.<sup>[14](https://railroads.fra.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2020-07/Inclusive%20and%20Universal%20Accessible%20Design%20Guidelines%20for%20Next%20Gen%20Passenger%20Rail-A.pdf)</sup> Single-level cars, by contrast, can be designed for level boarding at high-platform stations, one of the accessibility arguments behind fleet changes described below.<sup>[7](https://media.amtrak.com/2026/02/amtrak-announces-new-and-improved-long-distance-fleet-replacement-strategy/)</sup>

## Fleets and current direction

**GO Transit** remains the type's flagship operator with 924 bi-level coaches and more than 50 on order; over 300 of its coaches are being refurbished, with 181 returning to their home factory in [Thunder Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/thunder-bay), now operated by Alstom, and 121 going to the Ontario Northland factory in North Bay.<sup>[5](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/a-transit-seat-above-%E2%80%93-when-go-trains-became-bi-levels)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/back-in-time%3A-the-remarkable-evolution-of-your-go-train)</sup> The Illinois Railway Museum preserves and operates a restored push-pull set of 1950s Chicago & North Western bi-levels, including cab car 151 of 1959, the first bi-level car built for push-pull operation.<sup>[15](https://www.irm.org/bi-level-train/)</sup>

**New orders continue in commuter service.** [NJ Transit](https://www.edgepedia.org/nj-transit) exercised an option for 200 Multilevel III cars from Alstom Transportation Inc. at approximately $1.055 billion, bringing its total order to 374 new multilevel cars to replace aging single-level Comet fleets; the cars are specified for top speeds up to 110 mph and include USB charging.<sup>[16](https://www.njtransit.com/press-releases/nj-transit-continues-commitment-modernize-rail-fleet)</sup>

**Long-distance service is moving the other way.** On February 26, 2026, Amtrak announced that all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today's mix of bi-level and single-level equipment, citing the challenges of operating a hybrid fleet and feedback from the earlier bi-level request for proposals; it will cancel the bi-level procurement and target first deliveries of new long-distance cars in the early 2030s.<sup>[7](https://media.amtrak.com/2026/02/amtrak-announces-new-and-improved-long-distance-fleet-replacement-strategy/)</sup> Many of the Superliner bi-level cars this decision will eventually replace were delivered more than 40 years ago.<sup>[7](https://media.amtrak.com/2026/02/amtrak-announces-new-and-improved-long-distance-fleet-replacement-strategy/)</sup>

**Loading gauge limits spread.** Double-deck cars require generous vertical clearance, and on older networks with a low loading gauge they may not be usable at all; the majority of the British railway network is the most prominent example.<sup>[1](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bi-level-rail-car)</sup>

## References

1. [Bi-Level Rail Car, Trains and Railroads](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bi-level-rail-car)
2. [Budd Gallery Commuter Car prototype history, Rapido Trains Inc. instruction sheet](https://rapidotrains.com/media/pdf/145-Instructions_web.pdf)
3. [Hi-Level Passenger Cars, Trains and Railroads](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/hi-level-passenger-cars)
4. [Back in time: The remarkable evolution of your GO train, Metrolinx](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/back-in-time%3A-the-remarkable-evolution-of-your-go-train)
5. [A transit seat above – when GO Trains became bi-levels, Metrolinx](https://www.metrolinx.com/en/discover/a-transit-seat-above-%E2%80%93-when-go-trains-became-bi-levels)
6. [Caltrain Fleet, Caltrain](https://www.caltrain.com/about-caltrain/statistics-reports/caltrain-fleet)
7. [Amtrak Announces New and Improved Long Distance Fleet Replacement Strategy, Amtrak Media (February 26, 2026)](https://media.amtrak.com/2026/02/amtrak-announces-new-and-improved-long-distance-fleet-replacement-strategy/)
8. [Bombardier BiLevel Coach, Trains and Railroads](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/bombardier-bilevel-coach)
9. [BiLevel Commuter Car Masterclass, Rapido Trains Inc.](https://rapidotrains.com/master-classes/bilevel-commuter-car-master-class)
10. [Options for Metropolitan Area Railway Rolling Stock, Norwegian Railway Directorate (Jernbanedirektoratet)](https://www.jernbanedirektoratet.no/content/uploads/2025/04/Vedlegg-4_Options-for-Metropolitan-Area-Railway-Rolling-Stock.pdf)
11. [AMT Montréal: Passenger flow analysis, Institute for Transport Planning and Systems, ETH Zurich](https://www.ivt.ethz.ch/en/vs/projekte/amt-montreal.html)
12. [Evacuation trials from a double-deck electric train unit: Experimental data and sensitivity analysis, arXiv](https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.11460)
13. [Amtrak Service Standards Manual (redacted), Amtrak](https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/foia/amtrak-service-standards-manual-071221-redacted.pdf)
14. [Inclusive and Universal Accessible Design Considerations for Next Generation of Passenger Railcars, Federal Railroad Administration](https://railroads.fra.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2020-07/Inclusive%20and%20Universal%20Accessible%20Design%20Guidelines%20for%20Next%20Gen%20Passenger%20Rail-A.pdf)
15. [Bi-Level Train, Illinois Railway Museum](https://www.irm.org/bi-level-train/)
16. [NJ TRANSIT Continues Commitment to Modernize Rail Fleet, NJ TRANSIT](https://www.njtransit.com/press-releases/nj-transit-continues-commitment-modernize-rail-fleet)
17. [U.S. Access Board - Subpart E](https://www.access-board.gov/ada/vehicles/guides/subpart-e-guide/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Transport and spaceflight › Rail transport › Rail vehicles and rolling stock › Carriages, coaches, and wagons › Carriages and wagons — overview*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license