Nov 6, 2009 6:38 am US/Eastern
Bi-Level Cars Approved For Penn Line
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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The Maryland Transit Administration says it has received federal approval to use 13 bi-level passenger cars for high-speed service on MARC's Penn Line.
CBS
The pains of MARC train commuters could be easing soon. The Maryland Transit Administration will soon be rolling out double-decker rail cars.
Andrea Fujii explains the new cars are expected to help ease passenger congestion.
Many times it's standing room only on MARC trains. But now there is good news--there will soon be more seats.
"I think it's an excellent idea. It carries more people, and hopefully it will be a more comfortable ride," said a passenger.
Thousands of people begin and end their daily commute at Penn Station.
Now MARC trains are one step closer to adding 13 double decker cars to join the 62 double deckers they currently have. It will add 1,755 more seats.
The cars were acquired from the Virginia Railroad Express in 2008 for $22 million. The new cars will replace single-level coaches on the Penn Line and will increase capacity, helping to alleviate complaints of overcrowding
The new trains will maybe get some folks home earlier who now wait for later trains.
Experts say current MARC train capacity is 29,000 and ridership is about 33,000.
The new cars will run on the Penn Line, which runs from Union Station in D.C. to Penn Station in Baltimore and other points in Maryland.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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