Kawasaki bi-levels or tri-levels?

I am look for the official name/designation of MARC's Kawasaki double level cars? The car in fact has 3 levels with seating on the middle or entry level with an upper and lower level. What is the correct way to refer to these cars? I am looking for more than a guess.

What is the number of seats on the entry level?

World wide this type of car is known as a bi-level, as service level over truck is not of significant us.
the service level is mainly vestibule, toilet, lugage storage.

A tri-level is a type of freight car used for automobile transport.

Kawasaki calls them bi-levels.
http://www.kawasakirailcar.com/mta.htm

There are 11 (S-cars) or 12 (T-cars) seats in each entry area.

Edit: Unless the car has a restroom, then it has 8 (I'm pretty sure, I'll count in the morning if exact numbers are important)

Yes, they're bi-levels and not "double-deckers"--a word which I hear too often (even by the crew), causing me to cringe. They're not "Multi-levels" either, a name the NJT/B'dier guys invented for the exact same type of car.

realtype wrote:Yes, they're bi-levels and not "double-deckers"--a word which I hear too often (even by the crew), causing me to cringe. They're not "Multi-levels" either, a name the NJT/B'dier guys invented for the exact same type of car.

Well, Bombardier already had a different car they called BiLevels. One manufacture can't have two model trains called the same thing. Think about all the confusion that would cause....
Bombardier BiLevel

Bombardier MultiLevel

Kawasaki BiLevel

Nippon Sharyo Galley

electricron wrote:

realtype wrote:Yes, they're bi-levels and not "double-deckers"--a word which I hear too often (even by the crew), causing me to cringe. They're not "Multi-levels" either, a name the NJT/B'dier guys invented for the exact same type of car.

Well, Bombardier already had a different car they called BiLevels. One manufacture can't have two model trains called the same thing. Think about all the confusion that would cause....
Bombardier BiLevel

Yeah, I understood that. It's basically a brand name, but a lot of people think that it's the type of car. A gallery car is a type of bilevel, with a totaly different configuration to the "standard" bilevels. Amtrak's Superliners are also configured differently. I think they should have called it something else (eg. Bilevel II).

realtype wrote:

electricron wrote:

realtype wrote:Yes, they're bi-levels and not "double-deckers"--a word which I hear too often (even by the crew), causing me to cringe. They're not "Multi-levels" either, a name the NJT/B'dier guys invented for the exact same type of car.

Well, Bombardier already had a different car they called BiLevels. One manufacture can't have two model trains called the same thing. Think about all the confusion that would cause....
Bombardier BiLevel

Yeah, I understood that. It's basically a brand name, but a lot of people think that it's the type of car. A gallery car is a type of bilevel, with a totaly different configuration to the "standard" bilevels. Amtrak's Superliners are also configured differently. I think they should have called it something else (eg. Bilevel II).

The MultiLeels have a different name because they are NOT the same thing as the BBD BiLevels. Door placement (MLs are on the middle level, not the bottom) and overall height are just the two biggest differences in what is a rather differen configuration. Obviously, BBD used their experience with the BiLevels in designing the MultiLevels, but they also owe a lot to the Comets. In short, they deserve a different name. (As a side note, there's already been a BiLevel II, as well as a few more generations since.)

oknazevad wrote:The MultiLeels have a different name because they are NOT the same thing as the BBD BiLevels. Door placement (MLs are on the middle level, not the bottom) and overall height are just the two biggest differences in what is a rather differen configuration. Obviously, BBD used their experience with the BiLevels in designing the MultiLevels, but they also owe a lot to the Comets. In short, they deserve a different name. (As a side note, there's already been a BiLevel II, as well as a few more generations since.)

Yeah I get that. My point was that they're the same configuration as the Kawasaki bilevels, and even with the doors on the lower level the traditional B'dier bilevels still have a "middle" level at each end. LIRR's Kawasaki bilevels don't have vestibules and can only board at high platforms. Basically I'm saying that they're all slight variations on the same basic design. Even gallery cars, which are a very different design, still fall under the same category of bilevels.

"Multilevel," therefore is just a poorly choosen "brand name" and not a "type" of car. I think Comet VI bilevel should have been used instead.

realtype wrote:

oknazevad wrote:The MultiLeels have a different name because they are NOT the same thing as the BBD BiLevels. Door placement (MLs are on the middle level, not the bottom) and overall height are just the two biggest differences in what is a rather differen configuration. Obviously, BBD used their experience with the BiLevels in designing the MultiLevels, but they also owe a lot to the Comets. In short, they deserve a different name. (As a side note, there's already been a BiLevel II, as well as a few more generations since.)

Yeah I get that. My point was that they're the same configuration as the Kawasaki bilevels, and even with the doors on the lower level the traditional B'dier bilevels still have a "middle" level at each end. LIRR's Kawasaki bilevels don't have vestibules and can only board at high platforms. Basically I'm saying that they're all slight variations on the same basic design. Even gallery cars, which are a very different design, still fall under the same category of bilevels.

"Multilevel," therefore is just a poorly choosen "brand name" and not a "type" of car. I think Comet VI bilevel should have been used instead.

The problem with tht is there also very different than the Comets, which are a true series where each successive generation is an evolution of the previous (even the Alstom built Comet Vs), and which have distinct role in NJT history. Anyway, we've gone far afield o the original question, and are on a completely different railroad at this point. Let's get back to the state of Maryland.

Bi-level has nothing to do with brand or looks, its in same realm as a sedan is not a brand of car. it is a designation of layout of car.