GO Transit Series IV Bilevel cars

GO Transit 2300-2341 and 224-241 are Can-Car Rail Bilevel coaches and cab cars built in 1989-1990.

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 been 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 was the third order of BiLevel cars that include some cars equipped with cabs. The cab is situated where the washroom is located in the coaches, but is larger than the cab in the Series II cars - as a result, the number of seats was reduced by 2.

These coaches were originally delivered as 2254-2295, but were renumbered into the 2300's prior to entering service.

In 1995, all of the coaches were modified for accessible service by installing flip-up benches in the lower level and doorway controls at the "A" end doorway, with a loss of 20 seats. With the arrival of the Series VI and Series VII accessible coaches, all of the Series IV accessible cars have been converted back into non-accesssible cars, but with only 156 seats as the fixed seats were spaced the same as the flip-up seats. Some cars from this series had remained in their accessible configuration (including retaining their flip-up seats and accessible ramps) until refurbishment in the mid-late 2000's (although they rarely if ever saw use as accessible cars).

Refurbishment

Both the Series III and Series IV Bilevels have undergone refurbishment from 2005 until July 2011. Refurbishment was done at Ontario Northland's shops in North Bay. Initial rebuilds were brought up to Series VII styling, which includes the following features:

Replacement of seat cushions to a blue and mottled yellow pattern, with blue vinyl headrests that wrap around back-to-back seats
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 incandescent exterior doorway lights and door closing chimes
Cabs were expanded to the full width of the coach through rearranging the seats, adding a partition and door and adding a second end window

Cars rebuilt since late 2009 have had the following additional features that bring them up to the more recent Series VIII styling:

Headrests are taller and of a more square design
Exterior doorway lights and door closing indicators are LED
Exterior numbers are of a new, thinner font

This contract was seen as something as a coup for Ontario Northland, as all previous contracts to rebuilt equipment had gone to well-established companies with long records of contract rebuilding, such as Bombardier, Alstom and CLC-Capreol. ONR was not initially equipped to handle such a large-scale refurbishment, and delays have resulted in the contract's end date being pushed back from 2009 until July 2011.

Interior photos

Lower level interior of an unrefurbished Series IV car with wheelchair positions.
Upper level interior of an unrefurbished Series IV car.
Lower level interior of refurbished Series IV car.

Coaches

Fleet number	Date	Serial no.	Notes
2300	1989	88-85-1827	First unit built. Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2007.
2301	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in October 2007.
2302	1989-90	88-85-1829	Car rebuilt and returned to service in September 2008.
2303	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in May 2008.
2304	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2009.
2305	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in January 2010.
2306	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in March 2008.
2307	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in October 2006.
2308	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in March 2007.
2309	1989-90
2310	1989-90	88-85-1837	Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2008.
2311	1989-90	88-85-1838	Car rebuilt in 2007.
2312	1989-90	88-85-1838	Former wrap car. Car rebuilt and returned to service in May 2007.
2313	1989-90		Wrap car - currently wrapped for BMO-Bank of Montreal.
2314	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in September 2007.
2315	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in May 2008.
2316	1989-90		Former wrap car. Car rebuilt and returned to service in November 2008.
2317	1989-90	88-85-1844	Car rebuilt and returned to service in May 2008.
2318	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in September 2007.
2319	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in January 2008.
2320	1989-90	88-85-1847
2321	1989-90		Former wrap car. Car rebuilt and returned to service in September 2007.
2322	1989-90	88-85-1849	Former wrap car. Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2007.
2323	1989-90
2324	1989-90
2325	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in June 2009.
2326	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in July 2009.
2327	1989-90		Car rebuilt and returned to service in June 2009.
2328	1989-90
2329	1989-90
2330	1989-90
2331	1989-90	88-85-1858
2332	1989-90	88-85-1859
2333	1989-90
2334	1989-90
2335	1989-90	88-85-1862
2336	1989-90	88-85-1863	Car rebuilt and returned to service in July 2008. Photo before refurbishing: Unrefurbished GO 2336
2337	1989-90
2338	1989-90
2339	1989-90		Car rebuilt in 2007.
2340	1989-90
2341	1989-90	88-85-1868

Cab cars

Fleet number	Date	Serial #	Status/Disposal	Notes
224	1989-90		Retired 1999	Traded to TRE 1999 along with 223 for 5 BiLevel coaches previously sold to them.
225	1989-90	88-85-1810	Active	Converted to a commuter coach in October 2016.
226	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2007. Converted to a commuter coach in July 2016.
227	1989-90		Active	First cab car rebuilt by ONR. Car rebuilt and returned to service in August 2006. Converted to a commuter coach in July 2016.
228	1989-90	88-85-1813	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in October 2009. Converted to a commuter coach in June 2016.
229	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in March 2008. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
230	1989-90		Active	Had a collision with a truck near Dixie Go Station on Jan. 21, 2014. Converted to a commuter coach in July 2016.
231	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in October 2009. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
232	1989-90	88-85-1817	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in May 2009. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
233	1989-90	88-85-1818	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in September 2008. Converted to a commuter coach in July 2016.
234	1989-90	88-85-1819	Active	Car rebuilt. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
235	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt. Converted to a commuter coach in July 2016.
236	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in October 2007. Converted to a commuter coach in September 2016.
237	1989-90	88-85-1822	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in December 2007. Converted to a commuter coach in September 2016.
238	1989-90	88-85-1823	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in July 2008. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
239	1989-90		Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service in 2008. Converted to a commuter coach in August 2016.
240	1989-90		Active	Converted to a commuter coach in October 2016.
241	1989-90	88-85-1826	Active	Car rebuilt and returned to service summer 2010. Converted to a commuter coach in March 2017.