GO Transit Series V Bilevel cars

Interior of the upper level.

GO Transit 2400-2455 and 2499 are Can-Car Rail Bilevel coaches built in 1989 and 1990. Collectively, they are known as the Series V Bilevel cars.

The Bilevel design (as it is now known) was arrived at expressly at GO Transit's behest. In the early 1970ies, 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.

This order was originally for 60 cars, to be numbered 2400-2459. Tri-Rail however approached GO and Can-Car Rail and requested a number of cars to allow them to increase service in the wake of sections of Interstate 95 being narrowed for major construction. Three cars from GO's order, which were to be numbered 2456-2458, were instead delivered to Tri-Rail as their 1013-1015.

As well, UTDC and Lavalin Industries saw that while the existing BiLevel design still had much life left, that it could use a bit of an update. The car that would have been numbered 2459 was designated to become the next generation prototype, and incorporated a host of improvements, such as welded sides, larger windows and a new modular door mechanism. It was numbered 2499, and also was unique in that as well as having the regular first generation bathroom on the intermediate level at the "A" end, it also featured a bathroom on the lower level at the "B" end which would be included in the new standard. Subsequent bilevel orders (starting with the Series VI cars) would reflect a lot of these design changes and improvements.

In July 2013, one side of car 2445 was experimentally repainted into the new "Metrolinx" two-tone green, white and black livery that future cars would be delivered in.

Refurbishment

The Series V Bilevels are being refurbished by CAD Railway Services as of 2012. Under the same contract, the Series I will be refurbished after these coaches. Refurbished coaches will have the following features:

Updated seats with improved ergonomics upholstered in a blue-based fabric and taller blue vinyl headrests
Repainted creme ceilings and side walls, with the end walls in a multi-toned grey mottled pattern and inter-car doors in flat grey
Addition of LED exterior step lights and door closing chimes
More recent coaches have been painted in the two-tone green livery

The contract for the refurbishment was awarded to CAD Railway Industries on June 24, 2011 and signed July 13.^[1] CAD's bid came in lower than Ontario Northland and Bombardier at $120,590,647.70. Politicians and workers in North Bay were upset by the decision. Mayor Al McDonald claimed had work been kept between the two Crown agencies, there would be more than $8.2 million in employer health and payroll taxes, plus HST, OHIP premiums and pension contributions in Ontario.^[2] In September 2011, NDP provincal leader Andrea Horwath vowed to cancel the contract with CAD and give the work to Ontario Northland.^[3]

Coaches

Fleet number	Date	Serial number	Notes
2400	1990		First unit built Wrap car - currently wrapped with multiple advertisements.
2401	1990-91		Wrap car - currently wrapped for Cuba Tourism.
2402	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2403	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2404	1990-91
2405	1990-91	89-85-1874	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2015.
2406	1990-91
2407	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2408	1990-91
2409	1990-91		Wrap car - currently wrapped for Showcase Television.
2410	1990-91
2411	1990-91	89-85-1880
2412	1990-91
2413	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2414	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2415	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2416	1990-91	89-85-1885	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2417	1990-91	89-85-1885	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2015.
2418	1990-91	89-85-1887	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2419	1990-91	89-85-1888	Wrap car - currently wrapped for Air New Zealand
2420	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2421	1990-91		Wrap car
2422	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2423	1990-91		Loaned to ONT begining end of November 2011 for consideration of use on Polar Bear Express
2424	1990-91
2425	1990-91	89-85-1894
2426	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2427	1990-91
2428	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2015.
2429	1990-91
2430	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2431	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in May 2016.
2432	1990-91	89-85-1901	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2015.
2433	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2434	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2435	1990-91	89-85-1904	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2436	1990-91
2437	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in July 2016.
2438	1990-91	89-85-1907	Formerly wrapped for Art Train
2439	1990-91	89-85-1908
2440	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in 2015.
2441	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2442	1990-91	89-85-1911	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2443	1990-91
2444	1990-91
2445	1990-91
2446	1990-91
2447	1990-91	89-85-1916	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2448	1990-91	89-85-1917	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in April 2016.
2449	1990-91
2450	1990-91	89-85-1919	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2451	1990-91	89-85-1920	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2452	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2453	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2454	1990-91		Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2455	1990-91	89-85-1924	Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.
2499	1990-91	89-85-1928	Prototype "next generation" Bombardier BiLevel car. Received modern "tall window" doors in 2003. Repainted in the two-tone Metrolinx livery in March 2016.