[electricron]

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

Are these Colorado Rail Car passenger commuter trains?

No. Colorado Rail cars can be self propelled. All DMU cars are self propelled.
DMU is short for Diesel Multiple Unit. DMUs are made by many different manufactures, including Colorado Rail Cars.

In the Frontrunner photos included in this thread, you should notice the diesel locomotive at the front, or rear of the train. There are no passenger seats in the locomotive, just a few seats for the engineer and brakeman.

Here's are two photos of a Colorado Railcar DMU unit.

Single Level DMU


Double Level DMU


Note the lack of a dedicated diesel locomotive. The diesel engines are built within the passenger cars. As can be seen in both photos, Colorado Railcar also make just passengers cars, that don't have diesels.

Colorado Railcar equipment is FRA compliant, all their equipment can be used on same tracks with active freight trains.

There's many vendors who make FTA compliant streetcars, light rail, and DMU cars. The major difference, besides two different US governing agencies, between the two vehicles types is how strong they are built to survive a collision. FRA (Federal Railway Administration) compliant vechiles are built to withstand a crash with a freight train with little damage (on Train Tracks); whereas FTA (Federal Transit Administration) compliant vehicles are built to withstand a crash with a semi tractor truck with little damage (on Highways). I would like to note a freight train weighs much more than a truck.

That's the reason you'll find FTA compliant vehicles running down city street lanes, but you will not find FRA compliant vehicles running down city streets lanes, instead if they cross highways or streets, there's usually some form of crossing signal.

Here's some FTA compatible, Non FRA compatible DMUs in service in North America today. Note they also don't have diesel locomotives, and that the diesel engine is built into the passenger cars.

Ottawa's O Train by Bombardier


San Diego North County's Sprinter by Siemens


NJT's River Line by Stadler


You will not find Colorado Railcar FRA compatible DMUs running within city streets. But you can find them running on the same tracks as freight trains, at the same time.

You will not find the other non FRA compatible DMUS running on the same tracks as freight trains, but can find them running down city streets because they are FTA compatible.

I hope this helps you understand the difference between FRA and FTA compatible, and how that rating affects with what other trains they can run with.


You will not find these other