by farecard
Unlike Europe, there seems to be some deep phobia in the US over delivering transit vehicles via railroads.
Yes, they lack RR standard couplers.
Yes, they have different brakes
Yes, they don't meet spec 27Bstoke6
etc.
But in Germany, a country where the state religion is rules, they manage. I've seem imagery of, and read about, an intermediate flatbed car used for same. On the front, it has a coupler and brake connection to the locomotive. On the rear, ones that matches the transit cars being delivered. Also it has a small diesel powerplant to provide electricity and compressed air & some interface controls that slave the transit brakes to the locomotive's.
Now, obviously BART cars will be the wrong gauge, but besides them, I'd bet 99% would be viable. I suspect the real issue is, when it come to change, the railroad industry makes the old Bell System look like a Ferrari.
Yes, they lack RR standard couplers.
Yes, they have different brakes
Yes, they don't meet spec 27Bstoke6
etc.
But in Germany, a country where the state religion is rules, they manage. I've seem imagery of, and read about, an intermediate flatbed car used for same. On the front, it has a coupler and brake connection to the locomotive. On the rear, ones that matches the transit cars being delivered. Also it has a small diesel powerplant to provide electricity and compressed air & some interface controls that slave the transit brakes to the locomotive's.
Now, obviously BART cars will be the wrong gauge, but besides them, I'd bet 99% would be viable. I suspect the real issue is, when it come to change, the railroad industry makes the old Bell System look like a Ferrari.