On Saint Patrick's Day 2009, I finally got the opportunity to inspect the DMU demonstration rolling stock in South Florida. Miami’s Tri-Rail uses a very small fleet of very large double deck self-propelled diesel rail cars. I rode the DMU train set southward from Pompano to Sheridan Street in midday revenue service.
My reactions were mixed.
On the positive side, the seating was very comfortable and the views from the windows were absolutely spectacular, especially from the upper deck. The reported maintenance and reliability statistics are positive.
But, the negatives make the car a hard sell; lackluster fit and finish, rocky ride quality, lots of clutter on the lower deck, and a floor covering that doesn’t seem to be responding well to the wear and tear of daily use. I’d find the ride quality and finish acceptable in a car that’s 25 to 30 years old but unsettling in a car with less than 1,000 days of operation.
My reactions were mixed.
On the positive side, the seating was very comfortable and the views from the windows were absolutely spectacular, especially from the upper deck. The reported maintenance and reliability statistics are positive.
But, the negatives make the car a hard sell; lackluster fit and finish, rocky ride quality, lots of clutter on the lower deck, and a floor covering that doesn’t seem to be responding well to the wear and tear of daily use. I’d find the ride quality and finish acceptable in a car that’s 25 to 30 years old but unsettling in a car with less than 1,000 days of operation.
David Nelson (david.nelson@jacobs.com)
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