The inaugural car of the new Mark V SkyTrain has left Alstom’s factory in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, destined for TransLink in Vancouver, British Columbia, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The first car of the Alstom Mark V SkyTrain

Upon arrival in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, five cars will be assembled into a single train, commencing trials on the TransLink network and entering service by the end of 2024.

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Each new five-car Mark V train can accommodate 672 passengers, a 25% increase compared to the current four-car Mark III trains (533 passengers) in operation.

The first car of the Alstom Mark V SkyTrain

The interior design features flexible seating configurations, a large video screen above the doors for programmable information display, as well as light indicators and door chimes for passengers with hearing or visual impairments.

The contract for the delivery of 205 new Mark V cars (40 trains) at a total cost of $565 million was signed between TransLink and Bombardier Transportation in December 2020.

The first car of the Alstom Mark V SkyTrain

It also includes an option for up to 400 additional cars of the new model.

Following Alstom’s acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in 2021, the rights to the Mark V model, the Kingston factory, and the fulfillment of the TransLink contract transitioned to Alstom.

All 40 trains from the solid part of the TransLink order are expected to be in operation by 2028.

Video: youtube.com/@TransLink

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