What's shiny, blue, and coming to a station near you (in a year)?
The Mark V SkyTrain cars.
Vancouver's light rail system is getting some brand-new train cars soon; TransLink has released the first videos and photos from a factory in Kingston, Ont. where they're being built.
The Mark V's will be the fourth generation of SkyTrain cars, joining Mark I's, II's, and III's on the tracks. There are no Mark IV's in case the Mark III's get upgraded.
The first of the new cars are being tested right now, to make sure the brakes, doors, and other systems all check out. When all is said and done, the 205 cars will fill out the Expo and Millenium lines.
"The Mark V will make SkyTrain better and more convenient for our customers, with added amenities for people using mobility devices, strollers, and bicycles,” says Translink CEO Kevin Quinn in a press release.
The new cars are similar to the Mark III's but with a few upgrades.
"The new digital interior information displays will provide riders with improved onboard transit alerts," states Translink, noting there's also more space for bikes, luggage and leaning pads.
Previously TransLink has said the new Mark V's will arrive starting in 2024, with the full fleet on the tracks by 2028. At the same time the Mark I's, which have been running since the 1980s, will be retired in 2027.
