Background
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The distinctive shape of the A car lives on today as the A2 car. These A2 cars feature the iconic sloped fiberglass cab and space age styling of the original A cars, but with modernized equipment and interiors. For more details on the design of the BART car, see the Design page. For more details on the rebuilding program, see the rebuilding program page. All A cars were converted into either B2 cars or A2 cars.
All 59 A2 cars were previously A cars. For the A car number, subtract 1000 from the current A2 car number. These cars were only used as lead or trailing units in revenue service. In common parlance, A2 cars are known as A cars. This is common practice, since the rebuilding program finished over 20 years ago, however it has lead to some confusion regarding the original A cars that ran in years past (#101-276) and the later (#1164-1276) A2 cars. |
1225 at South Hayward Station
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For a brief time (roughly 2000-2004), the A2 cars had no safety marker light. BART Picture.
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Full fleet numbers are as follows:
1164, 1195*, 1203, 1204*, 1205*, 1206*, 1208*, 1210*, 1212, 1218*, 1219*, 1220*, 1223*, 1225*, 1226*, 1227*, 1228*, 1229*, 1230*, 1231*, 1232*, 1233*, 1234, 1235*, 1236*, 1238*, 1239*, 1241*, 1242*, 1243*, 1244*, 1245*, 1247*, 1248*, 1249*, 1250*, 1251*, 1252*, 1253, 1254*, 1255*, 1256*, 1257*, 1258*, 1259*, 1260, 1261*, 1262*, 1263*, 1264*, 1265*, 1266*, 1267*, 1269*, 1270*, 1272*, 1274*, 1275*, 1276* * denoted scrapped Bold green denotes cars that found new lives outside of BART. All other cars were decomissioned and scrapped. (Gaps between fleet numbers indicate those missing cars became B2 cars (Fleet No. 1801-1913). See the A to B conversion page to learn more about this conversion process.) |
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As of 2021, they can be found with regularity on the Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green line. They are not as frequently seen on the Blue line.
A2 car 1208 was the first to be scrapped. A2 car 1267 collided with a D car in 2021, and was scrapped following the incident. Car 1204 derailed in June 2022, and 1205 hit a crashed pickup in May 2023, leaving 55 A2 cars in service. Starting around October 2023, the A2 cars began end-of-life scrapping (outside of accident wrecks as listed prior). The final A2 car to be scrapped was #1235 in May 2024. As of December 2024, 6 of the 59 A2 cars found second lives outside of BART, and one of those has been delivered to its new owners. The remainder (53) were scrapped. |
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General Details
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Original Builder: Rohr Industries, Inc.
Original Build Location: Chula Vista, CA Rohr Plant, Building 61 Original Years of Construction: 1973 (1164-1250), 1975 (1251-1276) Rebuilder: Adtranz/Bombardier Rebuild Location: Pittsburg, CA Rebuild Years: 1997-2002 Rebuild cost: Aprox $1.0 million/car Quantity: 59 Length: 75 feet Weight (Empty): 61,500 lb Seats: 60, 53 (1218 only) Propulsion: Adtranz AC IGBT-VVVF drive with 4 X 140 HP ADtranz 1507C motors Brakes: Knorr dynamic/regenerative to 3 mph, Hydraulic friction braking below 3 mph. Auxiliary Power Supply Equipment (APSE): Bombardier HVAC: Wabtech, 15 ton Truck: LFM-Rockwell cast steel, model HPD-3 Electronic Horn: Federal Signal Air Horn: Grover Coupler: Wabco N3 (Mechanical only, typically stowed - for Y end. X end has mechanical and electrical connections) Average mileage (A2 car): 2.1 million miles Average mileage (A+A2 car): 6.4 million miles Disposition: Number scrapped: 53 cars Number preserved: 1 car Number alternative use: 5 cars |
Photos
For a full photo roster and details of all 59 A2 cars, click here.
Exterior
Click on each photo to view the full size image.
The A2 cars feature a brushed (now, more of a chalky) aluminum carbody with four blue trim stripes. Each side has two pairs of side doors allowing for entry and exit.
Each car is equipped with 18 tinted windows (two sizes for the passenger interior and two triangle shaped cab side windows), 1 cab windshield; and two trouble lights (which indicate conditions such as a door open or brakes stuck on).
Each A2 car has 10 intercar barriers (5 per X end corner), which prevent passengers from falling in between cars.
Each car is equipped with 18 tinted windows (two sizes for the passenger interior and two triangle shaped cab side windows), 1 cab windshield; and two trouble lights (which indicate conditions such as a door open or brakes stuck on).
Each A2 car has 10 intercar barriers (5 per X end corner), which prevent passengers from falling in between cars.
Interior
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Almost every A2 car was equipped with 60 seats (exception: 1218 with 53 seats). Each seat is generously cushioned, and measure about 21 inches in width with 34 inch pitch (comparable to economy plus in the airline world, and still a bit wider than most).
On A2 and B2 cars, there are four "pods" (sets of seats facing each other) allowing for multiple riders to converse (or something - it's useful for families but not individual commuters). The arm rests are of the "beige-millstone aluminum/melamine" theme type, a contrast to their original lives as A/B cars and the C1 cars (which had the "wood" theme). There are dozens of grab straps and grab bars located along the ceiling and at certain seats (in lieu of an seat-mounted grab bar). The straps were a relatively recent addition (from the past 10 years), and come in both standard and lowered sizes. Each car is equipped with two maps, two emergency evacuation instructions, and eight ad holders. Both the X and Y ends of each car are equipped with intercar closure doors and tubes, allowing for safe passage between moving cars. |
Last updated 12/12/24
