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Multiple Unit Trains
Subtypes

Electric Multiple Unit
Diesel Multiple Unit
Push-pull train
Technology

Multiple-unit train control
By Country

Britain (DMU)
Britain (EMU)
Ireland
DMU, type SA108 of Great Poland Voivodship in Poznań, Poland
DMU, type SA108 of Great Poland Voivodship in Poznań, Poland
The Transwa Prospector DEMU capable of up to 200 km/h provides a passenger service between Perth, Western Australia and the mining town of Kalgoorlie
The Transwa Prospector DEMU capable of up to 200 km/h provides a passenger service between Perth, Western Australia and the mining town of Kalgoorlie

A Diesel Multiple Unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still An electric multiple unit or EMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using Electricity as the motive power Push-pull is a mode of operation for Locomotive -hauled Trains allowing them to be driven from either end Multiple-unit train control, sometimes referred to simply as multiple-unit or MU, is a method of simultaneously controlling all the traction equipment in a Train This is a list of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes. Pre-nationalisation designs GWR railcars LMS railcars This page lists every electric -powered multiple unit allocated a TOPS classification or used on the mainline network since 1948 (i A wide variety of diesel and electric Multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways Greater Poland Voivodeship (also known as Wielkopolska Province or by its Polish name of województwo wielkopolskie or simply Wielkopolskie) is a Poznań Lublin Voivodeship This article is about the city in Poland Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The Transwa Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa that runs between Perth, Western Australia, and the Goldfields Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still A diesel engine is an Internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle (named after Dr They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor depending on country. A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway Vehicle designed to Transport passengers Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar

Contents

Design

The diesel engine may be located above the frame in an engine bay or under the floor. Driving controls can be provided at each end of the car, at one end only, or totally omitted, giving pure 'trailer' cars that still have motors which rely on cab cars for control.

Types

German DMU of class 628
German DMU of class 628

DMUs are usually classified by the method of transmitting motive power to their wheels. Deutsche Bahn AG ( DB AG, DBAG or DB) is the German national Railway company

Diesel Mechanical

In a Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit the rotating energy of the engine is transmitted via a gearbox and driveshaft directly to the wheels of the train, much like a car. The transmissions can be shifted manually by the driver, but in most applications gears are changed automatically.

Diesel Hydraulic

In a Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Unit, a hydraulic torque converter, a type of fluid coupling, acts as the transmission medium for the motive power of the diesel engine to turn the wheels. A torque converter is a modified form of Fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an Internal combustion engine Some units feature a hybrid mix of hydraulic and mechanical transmissions, usually reverting to the latter at higher operating speeds as this decreases engine RPM and noise.

Diesel Electric

In a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) a diesel engine drives an electrical generator which produces electrical energy. A diesel engine is an Internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle (named after Dr In Electricity generation, an electrical generator is a device that converts Mechanical energy to Electrical energy, generally using Electromagnetic Electric energy is the potential energy associated with the conservative Coulomb forces between Charged particles contained within a system, where This current is then fed to electric traction motors on the wheels or bogies in the same way as a conventional diesel electric locomotive. A number of vehicles use a diesel-electric Powertrain for providing locomotion. A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train.

In most modern DEMUs, each car is entirely self-contained and has its own engine, generator and electric motors. In older designs some cars within the consist may be entirely unpowered or only feature electric motors, obtaining electrical current from other cars in the consist which have a generator and engine.

Direct-drive diesel locomotives often require an impractical number of gears to keep the engine within its powerband; coupling the diesel to a generator eliminates this problem. Power still needs to be transmitted to the generator or alternator via a simple gearbox but this is advantageous because;

Two SŽ class 711 DMUs connected
Two SŽ class 711 DMUs connected

Benefits

A train composed of DMU cars scales well as it allows extra passenger capacity to be added at the same time as motive power. SŽ class 711 is a Diesel multiple unit, produced by MBB Donauwörth in 1970 and currently operating in the Slovenian Railways It also permits passenger capacity to be matched to demand, and for trains to be split and joined en-route. It is not necessary to match the power available to the size and weight of the train- each unit is capable of moving itself, so as units are added, the power available to move the train increases by the necessary amount.

Distribution of the propulsion among the cars also results in a system that is less vulnerable to single-point-of-failure outages. Many classes of DMU are capable of operating with faulty units still in the consist. Because of the self contained nature of diesel engines, there is no need to run overhead electric lines or electrified track, which can result in lower system construction costs. Railway electrification supplies electrical energy to railway Locomotives and Multiple units so they can operate without having a Reciprocating A third rail is a method of providing Electricity to power a railway through a continuous rigid conductor alongside the railway track or between the rails

Around the World

Australia

TransAdelaide's 3100-class diesel-electric railcars operating in Adelaide, South Australia
TransAdelaide's 3100-class diesel-electric railcars operating in Adelaide, South Australia
See also: Rail transport in Australia

DMUs were first introduced to Australia in the early 20th century for use on quiet branchlines that could not justify a locomotive hauled service. TransAdelaide is a publicly owned corporation which provides suburban train and tram services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Rail transport in Australia is to a large extent state -based For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Today a range of modern DMUs are extensively used across Australia for both commuter and intercity routes:

Germany

German ICE-TD DMU near Rostock
German ICE-TD DMU near Rostock

The Flying Hamburger of Germany, introduced 1933, established the then-time fastest regular railway connection of the world. The InterCityExpress or ICE (German pronunciation) is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries The DRG Class SVT 877 Hamburg Flyer – sometimes also "Flying Hamburger" or in German Fliegender Hamburger – was Germany 's first Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Top speed was 160 km/h, the average speed being 124 km/h on the tracks between Berlin and Hamburg. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany

The Trans Europ Express travelled international traffic between countries like Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands in the 1950s and 1960s. The Trans Europ Express is a former international Train network in Europe. They were diesel multiple units since the electrical systems varied a lot.

Also from Germany is the CargoSprinter concept. The CargoSprinter is a Multiple unit (or Articulated) Freight car;it could also be thought of as a container lorry that runs on rails With two motorized units and three flatbed wagons between them, this DMU container train tried to compete with container road trucks by profiting from existing railway access to factories and businesses, but eliminating the need for inflexible locomotive-pulled cargo trains. Containerization (or containerisation) is a system of Intermodal freight transport Cargo Transport using standard ISO containers The payload was 160 tons. Suffering from technical problems and failing political support for short-haul cargo railway connections, the prototypes were sold to Austria.

Currently DMUs are used in large numbers for local traffic (e. g. DB Class 642) and fast, tilting regional traffic (e. Desiro is a brand name of modular train manufactured by Siemens of Germany A tilting train is a Train with a tilting mechanism that enables increased speed on regular Railway tracks g. DB Class 612). The RegioSwinger is a tilting Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU Passenger train used for fast regional traffic on unelectrified lines The introduction of DB Class 605 as a diesel variant of the tilting EMU DB Class 411/415 in 2001 was not successful. Siemens Venturio is a product line of tilting high speed trains Siemens Venturio is a product line of tilting high speed trains

Ireland

DMU 2751 in Colbert Station, 2006
DMU 2751 in Colbert Station, 2006
Main article: Multiple Units of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland the Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), which controlled the republic's railways between 1945-86, introduced DMUs in the mid-1950s and they were the first diesel trains on many main lines. Trivia Parts of the video for the Westlife song My Love were filmed at Colbert Station A wide variety of diesel and electric Multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Córas Iompair Éireann ( abbreviated CIÉ) is a statutory authority which is owned by the Irish Government. The Great Northern Railway, merged into CIE at this time, also brought some DMUs of its own of a similar style. They were not well suited to the long-distance tasks and were replaced in a few years by traditional trains with new diesel locomotives, being then mostly restricted to Dublin commuter lines. The power systems were worn out by the 1970s so they were converted to normal carriages pulled by diesel locomotives on these suburban routes, and DMUs disappeared from CIE. But since 1987, Iarnród Éireann (IE) have been increasing the use of this type of train, in order to replace older locomotives and carriages, using new types of train manufactured in a number of overseas countries. rail transport in Ireland Iarnród Éireann ( IÉ;; in English, Irish Rail) is the national Railway system operator of the Republic

In Northern Ireland the Northern Ireland Railways used DMUs extensively from the 1950s throughout its system, notably the NIR 80 Class introduced in the early 1970s and currently being replaced (as of 2007). Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of NI Railways also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time Ulster Transport Railways (UTR is the Railway operator in

Japan

JR West Kiha 120 DMU on Kansai Main Line.
JR West Kiha 120 DMU on Kansai Main Line.

The development of DMUs in Japan started in 1950s following the improvement of fuel supply that was critical during World War II. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In 1953, the Japanese National Railways put the hydraulic torque converter into practical use. abbreviated or "JNR" was the national Railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987 This invention facilitated the development of DMUs, which spread all over the nation as not only on local services but also on long distance express services. In 1960, the 9-car KiHa 80 series DMUs debuted on Hatsukari limited express service connecting Tokyo and Aomori (about 750 km). is a major Railway station in Tokyo 's Taitō ward It is the station used to reach the Ueno district and Ueno Park -- which contains Tokyo

Presently, all the passenger railway companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group) operate DMUs on semi-trunk and local lines while almost all of trunk lines have been electrified. The Japan Railways Group, more commonly known as, consists of seven for-profit companies that took over most of the Assets and Operations of the government-owned On the JR lines not yet electrified, locomotive trains were abandoned but only small number of sleeper trains. There are also a number of independent railway lines that operate DMUs.

North America

Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-1 #407 of the Cape May Seashore Lines
Budd Rail Diesel Car RDC-1 #407 of the Cape May Seashore Lines
South Florida Regional Transportation Authority Tri-Rail Bi-Level DMU.
South Florida Regional Transportation Authority Tri-Rail Bi-Level DMU. For other meanings of RDC, see RDC (disambiguation. The Budd Rail Diesel Car or RDC is a self-propelled diesel-hydraulic Cape May Seashore Lines is a Short line railroad in southern New Jersey. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority ( SFRTA) is a tri-county federal Public transit authority operated in Pompano Beach, Florida Tri-Rail is a Regional rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Two Bombardier Talent low-floor DMUs on the O-Train prototype line in Ottawa Canada
Two Bombardier Talent low-floor DMUs on the O-Train prototype line in Ottawa Canada

One of the first Diesel Multiple Units in North America was the Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC). Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier group The Talent is a Multiple unit Passenger train manufactured by Bombardier Talbot that was developed by Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen shortly The O-Train was introduced in 2001 as a pilot project for light-rail service in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which had long depended exclusively Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For other meanings of RDC, see RDC (disambiguation. The Budd Rail Diesel Car or RDC is a self-propelled diesel-hydraulic The RDC was a single passenger car with two diesel engines and two sets of controls. Any number of cars could be connected together and all the propulsion systems controlled from a single operator's station or cab. Introduced in the early 1940s, the cars were used on rural railway lines that did not warrant full passenger trains, or short commuter services.

In the United States of America only heavyweight DMU systems are permitted on freight rail corridors. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This is due to the Federal Railway Administration setting higher buff strength requirements than European regulators, effectively prohibited the use of lightweight European-style light-rail DMUs on main line railways. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA is an administration in the United States Department of Transportation. For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems.

Several rail operators in the United States use DMUs suitable for mainline use:

Canada generally follows similar buff strength requirements to the USA, but new services are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page As a result several types of lightweight DMUs have been used:

South Korea

Korail DHC-PP with new CI colour
Korail DHC-PP with new CI colour

Korail operates many DMUs. Korail is the national railroad operator in South Korea. Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea The DHC (Diesel Hydraulic Car), which made its debut for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, can reach speeds up to 150 km/h and serves Saemaul-ho trains. The Saemaul-ho or Saemaul is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea The NDC (New Diesel Car) serves Mugunghwa-ho trains and the CDC (Commute Diesel Car) serves Tonggeun trains. The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of Train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. The Tonggeun (previously called Tongil-ho) is a class of short-run commuter trains operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea The NDC and CDC can reach speeds up to 100 km/h and are not used for mountainous lines such as the Taebaek Line.

United Kingdom

A Class 221 Virgin Voyager unit approaching Bristol Parkway.
A Class 221 Virgin Voyager unit approaching Bristol Parkway. The Class 221 SuperVoyager is a train currently used by Virgin Trains and CrossCountry in the United Kingdom.
Further information: List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes

The first significant use of DMUs in the United Kingdom was by the Great Western Railway, which introduced its small but successful series of diesel-mechanical GWR railcars in 1934. This is a list of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes. Pre-nationalisation designs GWR railcars LMS railcars The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West In 1933 the Great Western Railway introduced the first of what was to become a very successful series of Railcars which survived in regular use into the 1960s when they The London, Midland and Scottish Railway also experimented with DMUs in the 1930s, both on its own system, and on that of its Northern Irish subsidiary, but development was curtailed by World War II. London Midland for the new (2007 railway company The London Midland and Scottish Railway ( LMS) was a British Railway company The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS introduced a number of railcars to service between 1933 and 1939 The Northern Counties Committee (NCC was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

After nationalisation, British Railways revived the concept in the early 1950s. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" At that time there was an urgent need to move away from expensive steam traction which led to many experimental designs using diesel propulsion and multiple units. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still The early DMUs proved successful, and under BR's 1955 Modernisation Plan the building of a large fleet was authorised. These BR 'First Generation' DMUs were built between 1956 and 1963, and some remained in service until 2003. Most were diesel-mechanical, but a few designs had hydraulic transmissions (these were generally less successful and were withdrawn earlier than the main diesel-mechanical types).

BR's owners, the British Government, required that contracts for the design and manufacture of new locomotives and rolling stock be split between numerous private firms as well as BR's own workshops, while different BR Regions laid down different specifications. The result was a multitude of different types, some of which were built only in small numbers, but in general the First Generation units fell into five distinct groups:

There were also a small number of 4-wheeled railbuses built for the most lightly-used branch lines, but these failed to prevent the closure of such lines, and all of the railbuses had gone by the end of the '60s.

Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs) were also developed during the 1950s and '60s, for use on the Southern Region. The Southern was largely electrified, but required diesel units for the remaining lines, in some cases as stop-gaps pending planned electrification. Diesel-mechanical and diesel-hydraulic units were judged to have inadequate acceleration, which would have caused delays to other traffic when operated over electrified lines. Examples of Southern DEMUs included Classes 205 and 207, which were nick-named "Thumpers" because of their characteristic sound. The British Rail Class 205 (or 3H) Diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962 The British Rail Class 207 (or 3D) Diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962

At the end of the 1950s, British Railways introduced its Blue Pullman high speed DEMUs. These were few in number and relatively short-lived, but they paved the way for the very successful British Rail "InterCity 125" or High Speed Train (HST) units, which were built between 1975 and 1984 to take over most principal express services on non-electrified routes. InterCity (or in the earliest days the hyphenated Inter-City was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services These 125mph trains run with a streamlined power car at each end and (typically) 7 or 8 intermediate trailer cars. Although originally classified as DEMUs, the trailer cars are very similar to loco-hauled stock, and the power cars were later reclassified as locomotives under Class 43. The British Rail Class 43 is the classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars built by BREL from 1976 to 1982 They remain in widespread use.

The popular Class 170, the best selling DMU of the last 10 years in the UK.
The popular Class 170, the best selling DMU of the last 10 years in the UK. The Class 170 " Turbostar " is a Diesel multiple unit (DMU built by Bombardier Transportation (previously ADtranz) at their

By the early 1980s, many of the surviving First Generation units were becoming life-expired, which lead to spiralling maintenance costs, poor reliability and a poor public image for the railway. A stopgap solution was to convert some services back to locomotive haulage, as spare locomotives and hauled coaching stock were available, but this also increased operating costs. Commencing in the mid '80s, British Rail embarked upon its so called "Sprinterisation" programme, to replace most of the first generation DMUs and many locomotive-hauled trains with three new families of DMU:

Following the privatisation of British Rail in the late '90s, several other diesel-hydraulic DMU families have been introduced:

As modern diesel-hydraulic units have sufficient performance to match the acceleration of Electric Multiple Units, they have replaced DEMUs on the former Southern Region local/commuter services. However the vast majority of British non-electric InterCity services are currently operated by Diesel Electric Multiple Units, the HSTs having been joined since privatisation by high speed Bombardier Class 220 Voyager, Class 221 Super-Voyager and Class 222 Meridian/Pioneer express units. The Class 220 Voyager is a class of Diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit Trains built by Bombardier Transportation The Class 221 SuperVoyager is a train currently used by Virgin Trains and CrossCountry in the United Kingdom. The British Rail Class 222 is a Diesel-electric multiple unit High-speed train capable of.

Gallery

Wessex Trains Class 143 Pacer DMU 143603 at platform 3 of Bristol Temple Meads station with a service to Avonmouth. Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The British Rail Class 143 is a Diesel multiple unit, part of the Pacer family of Trains introduced between 1985 & 1986 Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest Railway station in Bristol, England Avonmouth is a port and suburb on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon.

A four-car Midland Mainline Class 222 passing through Loughborough on 19 November 2005, one of the latest DEMUs to see service in the UK. History Intercity Midland Mainline were probably the forgotten operator in the 1990s Loughborough (pronounced locally as either /lɘfbɘɹɘ/ "LUFF-burra" /lɘf Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

A Virgin Trains Class 221, their replacement for the HST and used on cross-country services. Virgin Trains is a Train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West The Class 221 SuperVoyager is a train currently used by Virgin Trains and CrossCountry in the United Kingdom.

Japanese DMU "KIHA40"

Dutch DMU "DM '90" or "Buffel"

Dutch DMU "LINT". For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Buffel redirects here See Thomas Buffel for the Belgian footballer

Interior of a LINT train.

A former Soviet, now Lithuanian DMU in a Vilnius depot. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the

German DMU "Talent"

Interior of a Talent

The interior of an Canadian O-Train’s carriage. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Talent is a Multiple unit Passenger train manufactured by Bombardier Talbot that was developed by Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen shortly Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The O-Train was introduced in 2001 as a pilot project for light-rail service in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which had long depended exclusively

The cab of a German DMU of Class 628. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. 4 origin.

Manufacturers

DMU manufacturers include:

See also

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using Electricity as the motive power A Diesel locomotive is a type of Railroad Locomotive in which the prime mover is a Diesel engine. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. A wide variety of diesel and electric Multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways
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