Open gangways, heated floors and on-board WiFi are among the concepts Metro is exploring for its eventual 8000-series fleet, the next-generation railcars that would begin replacing the aging 2000- and 3000-series sometime in the mid-2020s.
“This is nothing more than a market survey to see what technologies may be available when and if Metro decides to move to an 8000-series railcar,” Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said. “It is a long process. This is the very first toe-in-the-water step as we look ahead to the eventual replacement of 2000/3000 series cars in the middle of the next decade.”
Here’s a glimpse at what Metro has in mind:
Open gangways (kind of)
The popular configuration, seen in Toronto and set to debut in New York’s next-generation fleet, would allow passengers to move freely between cars. But Metro’s concept falls short of a fully open train: because the agency conducts maintenance on cars in married pairs, and assembles trains out of those pairs, the open gangways would likely confine passengers to two cars at a time.
Metro also is exploring an option that would allow passengers to move freely between four cars, but warns that its facilities aren’t equipped for maintenance on four cars at once.
Riders and transit experts laud open gangways as a roomier, safer and more pleasant passenger experience compared to the divided railcar configuration seen today. Metro trains run in six or eight-car sets, but the agency has a goal to run all trains in an eight-car configuration by 2025.
Passenger push-buttons for doors
This feature would come in handy at end-of-the-line stations, where trains often hold with their doors ajar for long periods of time, or sit with their doors closed as passengers wait on the platform — scenarios that are particularly noticeable during extreme weather.
“Both cases result in passengers being hot in the summer and cold in the winter, while waiting for train departure,” the document says. “The latter situation also results in energy loss and a time delay before the car interior temperature is re-established at a comfortable level.”
Metro says this would be a way to make riders more comfortable, and to ensure that the doors stays closed during extreme weather — saving energy in the long run. Currently, subway doors can only be opened and closed by operators.
There would be door buttons on the inside and outside of cars, and the operator could choose to enable them when stopped at the end of the line. The switch would illuminate when it’s available for passengers to use.
Passenger WiFi
As Metro wires its tunnels for cellular use, the agency says it has observed a continued desire to access WiFi inside the rail system. One possible solution would be to equip all of its newest cars with WiFi modems, the document says. The feature would be particularly useful to passengers traveling long distances, Metro says.
In its request for comment, Metro raises concerns, however, that WiFi might be used for real-time video streaming during a crash or “crisis situation.”
Heated floors
Metro is exploring whether the equip the cars with heated floors, a more efficient and comfortable way to heat trains, according to its research.
Trains are currently heated by floor-level heaters that wrap around the railcar perimeters and overhead electric heating systems, the agency says. Among Metro’s concerns: whether heated floors could be easily repaired, whether they would reduce the weight (and therefore increase efficiency) of trains, and whether they might cause flooring to come apart from the ground.
Wider doors, bigger windows
Mostly self-explanatory. Like open gangways, bigger doors and windows would make for a more pleasant riding experience, bolstering security and ensuring riders flow more freely through the railcars, Metro says.
Compatibility with older cars
The cars are certain to be a technological leap from the models they’ll replace — outdated but still-reliable cars from the 1980s. But Metro says they’ll also “represent an evolution from the 7000 Series cars” being put into service now, which the agency expects will comprise a third of its rush-hour fleet by the end of the year.
One big question: will they be compatible with earlier models?
From an electronic standpoint, the documents indicate the 8000-series would shed “backwards compatibility” with the most recent 7000-series, meaning, they would have to run independently of any other trainset. Either that, or Metro would run trains consisting of 7000- and 8000-series cars, but their electronics wouldn’t work in sync.
Metro says that when it does eventually place its order, it will base the cars’ technical specifications partly on comments it receives in response to the document issued this week. But the agency warns not to become too married to any of the concepts outlined this week.
“There is no timeline, nor even a decision that this is the direction Metro will ultimately take,” Stessel said.
Metro says responses on the expression of interest will be accepted through April 18.