General Information

Serial #

Prototype 2

Part Number

1

Total Parts

13

AKA

light rail car

Patents

N/A

General Description

metals [including aluminium] and synthetics

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

12.7 m

Width

2.55 m

Height

3.1 m

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Railway Transportation

Category

Public transportation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Urban Transportation

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Kingston

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Unknown

Canada

The Innovia ART 100 prototype no. 2 is an aluminium prototype rapid transit rail car. It was built in 1982 as a pre-build demo for Vancouver’s Expo Line or Intermediate Capacity Transit System (ICTS), later referred to as Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT) or Advanced Rapid Transit (ART). It is one of the first prototypes built for use with the rapid transit version of the Automatic Train Control (ATC) System. The ATC System uses a computer program to automate transit networks, thus allowing for “driverless” operation of rail cars. The Expo Line, or Sky Train, was launched in 1986 and was the world’s first fully automated driverless system that used steel wheels on a steel rail. The first fleet had 114 UTDC Innovia ART 100s but later increased to 150 vehicles. The line ran for 49 km (30 miles) and had 11 stations. In conjunction with the Vancouver line, UTDC also employed ICTS for Detroit’s downtown people mover system and for the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) subway system. However, the Vancouver project was the largest. The Innovia ART 100 was made and tested in Kingston, Ontario with a three month testing period in Vancouver. Afterwards, it was taken to the Bombardier testing facilities in Millhaven, Ontario where it was used as a general testing car. It was relabeled Test Car # 5 at this time. [Ref. 1]

Function

To move passengers between destinations on predetermined route.

Technical

This rail car features a number of innovations. It was designed and built with steerable axle trucks, or bogies. This design eliminated flange contact with the rail, improved ride quality, reduced maintenance costs, and substantially reduced noise (including wheel screech on curves). Other features (for a complete rail car) include station displays, a full PA system (two-way intercom), pan/tilt/zoom and fixed CCTV cameras and emergency telephones for communication. The ART 100’s two most distinctive technical features are the Linear Induction Motors on the car itself and the automatic close-headway control system which controls movement along the entire transit network. Linear Induction Motors, or LIMs, are quiet, lightweight propulsion units that don’t have any moving parts. Rather, the LIM propels the car using magnetic force. There were several benefits to the use of this type of motor over conventional ones. The lack of mechanical parts meant lower maintenance costs, and the acceleration, braking and climbing performance was not compromised by wheel slippage. Also, in Canadian winters the LIMs did not have the same adhesion problems that steel and rubber wheels have. The ART 100 has two modes of operation: automatic train operation (ATO)-also known as Automatic Train Control (ATC) and emergency manual. It appears as though ATC was first implemented as a failsafe on standard locomotives in the “event of inability or failure of the engineer to obey the signals.” In time, it's potential usefulness on rapid transit and for driverless train operation was recognized. In the mid-1980s, ATC was used on about 20 rapid transit and mass transit systems throughout the world. At the time of its construction, Vancouver’s system was the sixth to operate without drivers or attendants in cabs. The only attendants on the trains would be those circulating throughout the cars checking tickets. [Ref. 1]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Signage inside car includes "MULTIPLAX CONTROLLED/ TEST VEHICLE"; "CATS/ THE CENTRAL/ AUTOMATED TRANSIT SYSTEM" [poster]; "VANCOUVER REGIONAL RAPID TRANSIT/ not only serves Lower Mainland commuters..../ but stimulates our entire economy as well" etc. [poster]; BC [logo]/ This transit service/ is a partnership of/ the Province of/ British Columbia and/ your community" [plaque] and "ALRT" [poster]. Also present are several over-window ad panels

Missing

Numerous components missing: please see Preliminary Condition Assessments attached to Acquisition Proposal [Ref. 1]

Finish

Metal [including aluminium] rail car body exterior predominantly painted white; black synthetic [or rubber ?] seals around doors, windows, etc. Synthetic window panels [probably Lexan] have frosted appearance; interior features off-white and grey painted metals and synthetics; seats have red/orange and blue synthetic coverings; brown bubble-textured flooring.

Decoration

Remnants of red and blue decals [text and striping] decorating car exterior are present.