Nippon Sharyo DMU explained

Nippon Sharyo DMU
Interiorimage:SMART train interior, August 2018.JPG
Interiorcaption:Interior of a SMART train
Manufacturer:Nippon Sharyo
Nagoya, Japan
Assembly:Nippon Sharyo
Rochelle, Illinois, United States[1]
Nagoya, Japan
Yearconstruction:2013–present
Yearservice:2015
Numberbuilt:SMART

18 (9 A & 9 B)
UP Express: 18 (14 A & 4 C)

Capacity:79 seated
80 standing
Carlength:852NaN2
Entrylevelorstep:Level
Maxspeed:UPX: 900NaN0[2]
SMART: 79mph
Engine:Cummins QSK19-R[3]
Poweroutput:760hp
Transmission:Hydraulic
Acceleration:0.78 mph/s [4]
Deceleration:2.1 mph/s
Aarwheels:2-B
Brakes:Regenerative
Safety:FRA Tier 1 compliant
Coupling:Type H

The Nippon Sharyo DMU is a model of diesel multiple unit passenger train designed and manufactured by Nippon Sharyo for the North American market, and compliant with FRA Tier 1 crashworthiness standards. It has been ordered by Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) in Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, and by Metrolinx for the Union Pearson Express airport link in Toronto, Ontario.

Design

Each Nippon Sharyo DMU is powered by one Cummins QSK19-R[3] diesel engine with hydraulic transmission and regenerative braking, and meets US EPA Tier 4 emission standards. Structurally each DMU is FRA Tier 1 compliant with crash energy management features, making it capable of operating on the same line with standard North American freight trains without the need of special waivers. Braking energy is converted into electricity by the auxiliary power generator, and helps to provide on-board lighting and heating.[5]

The DMU is offered in three variants that shared the same mechanical design:

The vehicles are designed to be convertible to electric multiple unit operation.[6]

Operators

Overview

!Operator!Numbers!Model!Quantity!Notes
SMART101-118A/B-car18First 14 units delivered by 2015. Last 4 delivered in 2018.
UPX1001-10123001-3004A-carC-car18Only C-car operator.

Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit

Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) ordered 14 cars in December 2010.[7] Half of the cars were ordered as A-car and the remaining as B-car.

In June 2015 SMART received a grant from California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) to purchase 3 C-cars.[8] These would have allowed SMART to use 3 train sets with a third car in the middle. In April 2016, SMART's general manager negotiated with CalSTA and Nippon Sharyo to adjust the order so SMART will receive 2 more full train sets bringing their fleet size to the required 9 (18 cars) needed for service to Cloverdale.[9]

The first cars, numbered 101 and 102, were delivered to SMART in April 2015. The final cars from the original order, numbered 113 and 114, arrived in December 2015. The four additional cars, numbered 115 through 118 and assembled in Japan, were delivered to SMART in October 2018.

Union Pearson Express

Seven trains comprise the fleet of Union Pearson Express (UP Express), grouped into 4 three-car and 3 two-car train sets (for a total of 18 cars).[6] Union Pearson Express units feature enclosed overhead luggage bins as required by Transport Canada, and an enhanced enclosed luggage tower.

The first cars were delivered to UP Express in August 2014. All 18 cars ordered (12 A-car & 6 C-car) were delivered and entered service by June 2015.

Canceled procurements

TriMet considered ordering a two-car train for its Westside Express Service to supplement its fleet of Colorado Railcar DMUs; however, this procurement was canceled when an agreement could not be met with the manufacturer on a price.[10] The Indigo Line, a proposed MBTA regional rail service that has since been indefinitely postponed, originally planned to use DMUs as rolling stock in 2014; this procurement was canceled in 2016.[11]

Incidents and accidents

A July 2016 fire aboard one of UP Express's units revealed a design flaw in the Cummins engine's crankshaft that would severely shorten engine life if not corrected. While Cummins advised that correcting the design flaw could be deferred until engines' mid-life overhaul, SMART chose to have the crankshaft replaced before the service start, as it was also facing delays caused by grade-crossing warning issue and PTC certification.[12] All SMART units had the crankshaft issue corrected before the service started in spring 2017.

In November 2018, four cars were damaged during shipping in a freight collision while en route to SMART. The agency did not accept the cars as delivered, and Nippon Sharyo dispatched a team to California to assess the damage and plan for repairs.[13]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NEWS AND MEDIA - 2014 August. 2016-02-16. Union Pearson Express.
  2. Web site: Nippon Sharyo USA Products. 2015-04-21.
  3. Web site: CUMMINS QSK19-R TO POWER NIPPON SHARYO DMU TRAIN DESIGNED FOR NEW TRANSIT ROUTES IN NORTH AMERICA. 2014-04-25. 2014-08-11.
  4. Web site: Windsor TMA Final Report. 2016-03-01. 2020-07-14.
  5. Web site: SMART Technical Specification for Diesel Multiple Units . 20 January 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140606215154/http://www2.sonomamarintrain.org/userfiles/file/Vehicles%20-Draft%20DMU%20Technical%20Specification%201-20-10.pdf . 6 June 2014 .
  6. Web site: Union Pearson Express: The Project/Vehicles. 2016-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20150318222720/http://www.upexpress.com/en/project/vehicles.aspx. 2015-03-18.
  7. Web site: SMART Rail and Pathway Project Overview. 2014-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20140606214900/http://main.sonomamarintrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Project-Overview-English-April-2014.pdf. 2014-06-06. dead.
  8. News: SMART secures $11 million grant to purchase three more rail cars. Marin Independent Journal. 2015-06-30.
  9. "SMART Board of Directors Packet April 6th 2016." N.p., n.d. Web. http://www2.sonomamarintrain.org/userfiles/file/SMART_Board_of_Directors_Packet_04.06.2016.pdf .
  10. Web site: WES Ridership and Fleet Requirements. April 9, 2014. 2014-10-01.
  11. Web site: 2016-02-10 . Fairmount line setback: No DMUs says MBTA . 2023-05-09 . The Bay State Banner.
  12. News: Moore. Derek. SMART spurred by engine failure on Toronto rail car to replace engines on its brand-new cars. 16 October 2016. The Press Democrat. 14 October 2016.
  13. News: Rodriguez . Adrian . Four new SMART cars worth $11 million damaged in transport . 29 November 2018 . Marin Independent Journal . 27 November 2018.