Bay Area Rapid Transit District Rohr cars

**Bay Area Rapid Transit District 1164-1276, 1501-1774,** and **1801-1913** are Rohr **A2** and **B2** cars.
They were originally 1971-1975 Rohr **A** and **B** cars **101-276, 501-774.**

## History

On July 3, 1969, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District awarded Rohr Industries, an aerospace manufacturing company based in Chula Vista, California, the contract to build the system's first cars. There are two types of cars that were built by Rohr: '**A'** cars and '**B'** cars. The 75-foot A cars are equipped with a cab and distinguished by a sleek, sloped front end. The shorter B cars, at 70-feet, are simply passenger cars and do not have a cab. The car's structure is constructed from aluminum alloy with steel reinforcement. The outer skin is also aluminum alloy, with molded fiberglass used for the sloped ends of the A cars.

The cars were given an upscale interior that included plush seats and carpeted floors. The majority of the seats are transverse with half facing one end of the car and half facing the other end. The interiors used primarily warm brown colours with woodgrain finishes. When the cars were refurbished in the 1990s, they received a teal interior colour scheme. As ridership grew, and with the increased usage that followed, concerns were raised over the hygiene and cleanliness of the finishes used in the cars. From 2012 to 2015 the wool seat covers and carpeting were replaced with easier-to-clean materials. All cars now have vinyl seats and composite floors.

The original order was for 150 A cars, numbered **101-250** and 100 B cars, numbered **501-600** built from 1970 to 1973.

BART received a total of 10 prototype cars for testing: 7 A cars (101-107) and 3 B cars (501-503). Cars 103 and 105 were involved in a collision on November 2, 1971 – a two car train under manual control collided with a parked two car train. The attendant was injured, and the two colliding cars were written off. The other A cars – 101, 102, 104, 106 were scrapped after the completion of the prototype program. (A local newspaper called them “incomplete aluminum bodied cars, dented and battered by months of extensive testing…”. Car 107 was retained, and runs to this day. It was converted from an A car to a B2 (aka B) car during its midlife overhaul by Adtranz in 1999, and runs today as car 1887. The other 3 cars, cars 501, 502, and 503 also survived, and were rebuilt in 1972(?). They were later rebuilt in 2000 by Adtranz, and remain rolling today as cars 1501, 1502, 1503. Major problems encountered during testing delayed delivery of the remaining cars. In addition, an earthquake in 1971 as well as a strike a Rohr added to the delay.

An expansion order of 100 B cars, **601-700** was initiated c. 1972.

In 1975, 100 more cars were ordered, for a theoretical car count of 450. These consisted of A cars **251-276** and B cars **701-774.** Major reliability problems with A cars forced most of the new A cars to be stored at Hayward yard for up to three years.

From 1978 to 1983, 35 damaged A cars were rebuilt as B cars (by Hayward Shop) and numbered **801-835**. Two more A cars were converted to B cars by Delaware Car Works in 1993 and numbered **836-837**.

From 1998 to 2002, all surviving Rohr **A** and **B** cars were refurbished by Adtranz/Bombardier, gaining the monkier **A2** and **B2** cars. Fleet numbers changed by adding 1000 to each rebuilt car. In addition, 66 A cars were converted and rebuilt into B2 cars, numbers **1838-1913.** Changes between the original A and B cars from the new A2 and B2 cars include new propulsion, new cabs, replaced auxiliary equipment, cleaned and repaired carbody, and rebuilt trucks and suspension.

Refurbished cars have four-digit numbers beginning with a "1".

The refurbished Rohr fleet, before end of life scrapping, consisted of A2 cars **1164-1276** (gaps); and B2 cars **1501-1774** (gaps), **1801-1913**. Since all remaining Rohr cars were rebuilt, it is now in common parlance to refer to A2 and B2 cars as A and B cars, respectively.

## Prototype A Cars (101-107)

A total of 10 prototype cars were delivered by Rohr in 1970-1971. Of those, 7 were A cars and 3 were B cars. The only A car kept for revenue service was 107.

## Original A Cars (101-276)

Production A cars.

A cars from 1972 to the rebuilding program 1998-2002. For 107, see prototype A cars.

## A2 Cars (1164-1276)

A total of 59 A cars were chosen to be rebuilt into A2 cars.

## B2 Cars 1501-1774 (Ex B Cars 501-774)

Originally built as B cars. Rebuilt into B2 cars (adding 1000 from original car number), 1998-2002.

## Converted B2 cars 1801-1913 (Ex 801-837)

1801-1913. B2 cars, converted from former A cars.

Cars 1801-1837 ex 801-837 (converted before rebuilding in 1998-2002).
Cars 1838-1913 were converted from A cars and rebuilt at the same time in 1998-2002.

## References

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ [2]
3. ↑ Demoro “BART Open House” 9/25/1971
4. ↑ [3]
5. ↑ Pacific News, November 1979
6. ↑ The Western Railroader, November 1980