GO Transit Series VIII Bilevel cars

GO Transit 2545-2560, 2700-2857 and 251-257 are Bombardier Bilevel coaches built between 2008 and 2015. Collectively, they are known as the Series VIII Bilevel cars.

The multiple orders in this series has increase the number of accessible cars beyond the number of Series IV cars. This has allowed GO to convert the rest of the 2300-series cars back to non-accessible cars as well as allow for additional trainsets to be put together. The additional orders also includes several new cab cars. On March 14, 2011, GO Transit announced they have ordered 50 more BiLevel cars to accommodate increased demand. Production was expected to begin in June with deliveries expected to begin that fall. The final car was delivered in early 2013. Shortly after, an order for 28 more cars was placed for delivery in 2014.

This series of cars are the third ordered by GO of the second-generation BiLevel design, of which 2499 was a prototype. They have a number of improvements over the previous cars, such as a larger accessible washroom on the first level of the car, larger side windows, welded aluminum exterior, and more easily accessible HVAC and doorway equipment. GO ordered these cars with a number of additional options, such as LED exterior step lights, operators' control at one of the doorways, larger windows in the side doors, higher seat headrests, and powered end doors. Cars in the second batch onwards have emergency lighting above the aisles on each level. Cars from the third batch onwards have exterior and interior door release buttons at every door. Doors will stay open for a short period before closing again while the buttons are activated.

Cars 2743-2746 were delivered as bicycle coaches, with the bottom and mid-level windows wrapped, and the lower level seating replaced by bicycle racks. These four coaches are exclusively used on the Niagara Falls weekend train service, with two coaches for each trainset operating the service. Both cars are placed between the accessible coach and the cab car.

The Bilevel design (as it is now known) was arrived at expressly at GO Transit's behest. In the early 1970's, GO quickly found out that the single-level cars then being used were simply not able to provide the capacity required within the track time that they were allotted by CN. After tests with leased "Gallery-style" equipment from C&NW and later CPR, it was decided that an entirely new car style would be the best way to attack the problem.

Interior photos

Typical interior of the upper level.
Interior showing a car with bicycle racks on the lower level.
Interior of the new Metrolinx two tone livery coaches with the new green upholstery.

Order history

Delivery period	Regular coaches	Accessible coaches	Cab cars
2008-09	2700-2729 (30)	2545-2546 (2)	251-253 (3)
2010	2730-2754 (25)	-	-
2010-11	2755-2770 (16)	2547-2549 (3)	254 (1)
2011-13	2771-2814 (44)	2550-2552 (3)	255-257 (3)
2014	2815-2838 (24)	2553-2554 (2)	-
2014	2839-2857 (20)	2555-2560 (6)	-

Regular Coaches

Fleet number	Date	Serial #	Notes
2700	2008-09
2701	2008-09
2702	2008-09
2703	2008-09		Car arrived October 9, 2008.
2704	2008-09		Car arrived October 9, 2008.
2705	2008-09
2706	2008-09		Car arrived October 9, 2008.
2707	2008-09
2708	2008-09
2709	2008-09
2710	2008-09
2711	October 2008	242-017
2712	2008-09
2713	2008-09
2714	2008-09
2715	2008-09
2716	November 2008	242-022
2717	2008-09
2718	2008-09
2719	2008-09
2720	2008-09
2721	2008-09
2722	2008-09
2723	2008-09
2724	2008-09
2725	2008-09
2726	December 2008	242-032
2727	2008-09
2728	2008-09
2729	2008-09
2730	2010
2731	2010
2732	2010
2733	2010
2734	2010		Vandalized before delivery.
2735	2010		Entered service February 24, 2010.
2736	2010
2737	2010
2738	2010		Entered service March 31, 2010.
2739	2010		Entered service March 31, 2010.
2740	2010
2741	2010
2742	2010
2743	2010		Delivered as a Bicycle Coach, with bike racks instead of seats on the bottom level and wraps over the lower and mid-level windows.
2744	2010		Delivered as a Bicycle Coach, with bike racks instead of seats on the bottom level and wraps over the lower and mid-level windows.
2745	2010		Delivered as a Bicycle Coach, with bike racks instead of seats on the bottom level and wraps over the lower and mid-level windows.
2746	2010		Delivered as a Bicycle Coach, with bike racks instead of seats on the bottom level and wraps over the lower and mid-level windows.
2747	2010
2748	2010
2749	2010
2750	2010
2751	2010
2752	2010
2753	2010
2754	2010
2755	2010-11		Car arrived early 2011
2756	2010-11		Car arrived early 2011
2757	2010-11		Car arrived early 2011
2758	2010-11
2759	2010-11
2760	2010-11
2761	2010-11
2762	2010-11
2763	2010-11
2764	2010-11
2765	2010-11
2766	2010-11
2767	2010-11
2768	2010-11
2769	2010-11
2770	2010-11
2771	2011
2772	2011
2773	2011-13
2774	2011-13
2775	2011-13
2776	2011-13
2777	2011-13
2778	2011-13
2779	2011-13
2780	2011-13
2781	2011-13
2782	2011-13
2783	2011-13
2784	2011-13
2785	2011-13
2786	2011-13
2787	2011-13
2788	2011-13
2789	2011-13
2790	2011-13
2791	2011-13
2792	2011-13
2793	2011-13
2794	2011-13
2795	2011-13
2796	2011-13
2797	2011-13
2798	2011-13
2799	2011-13
2800	2011-13
2801	2011-13
2802	2011-13
2803	2011-13
2804	2011-13
2805	2011-13
2806	2011-13
2807	2011-13
2808	2011-13		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2017.
2809	2011-13
2810	2011-13
2811	2011-13
2812	2011-13
2813	2011-13
2814	2011-13
2815	2014
2816	2014
2817	2014
2818	2014
2819	2014
2820	2014
2821	2014
2822	2014
2823	2014
2824	2014
2825	2014
2826	2014
2827	2014
2828	2014
2829	2014
2830	2014
2831	2014
2832	2014
2833	2014
2834	2014
2835	2014
2836	2014
2837	2014
2838	2014
2839	2014
2840	2014		Final coach built to "classic" design; completed February 12, 2015
2841	2014
2842	2014
2843	2014
2844	2014
2845	2014
2846	2014
2847	2014
2848	2014
2849	2014
2850	2014
2851	2014
2852	2014
2853	2014
2854	2014
2855	2014
2856	2014
2857	2014

Accessible Coaches

Fleet number	Date	Notes
2545	2008	Car arrived October 9, 2008.
2546	2008
2547	2010-11
2548	2010-11
2549	2010-11
2550	2011-13
2551	2011-13
2552	2011-13
2553	2011-13
2554	2011-13
2555	2014
2556	2014
2557	2014
2558	2014
2559	2014
2560	2014

Cab cars

Fleet number	Date	Notes
251	2008-09	Entered service October 3, 2008. Converted to a commuter coach in January 2018. Converted back into a cab car in December 2018.
252	2008-09	Converted to a commuter coach in December 2017. Converted back into a cab car in May 2019.
253	2008-09
254	2010-11
255	2013
256	2013
257	2013