San Diego Coaster Debuts New Bombardier Bilevel Cars and Unique Horn

San Diego Coaster's New Fleet

• 🚆 The San Diego Coaster commuter train service has introduced brand new bilevel passenger cars into regular service.
• 💡 These cars were the last to be manufactured by Bombardier Transportation before its acquisition by Alstom.
• 🗓️ A contract signed in July 2020 included 11 new bilevel cars: 8 standard coaches and 3 cab control cars, with a total contract value of $43 million.
• 📅 The first cars were delivered in early 2024, and after a year of testing, they officially debuted in service on August 20th, 2025.

Design and Features

• 🛡️ The new cars feature a redesigned front end for enhanced protection of train crews and passengers, differing from older Bombardier bilevel cab cars.
• 🪟 Inside, the new cars maintain a layout similar to older equipment but are distinguished by noticeably larger windows.
• 🔢 New bilevel coaches are numbered 42101-42108, while cab cars are 3-digit numbers (421-423), and older cars have 4-digit numbers, a system designed for easy identification of new versus old equipment.

The "Boat Horn" - Nathan K5CA

• 🔊 A significant auditory change is the Nathan K5CA train horn mounted on the roof of the cab car, affectionately nicknamed the "boat horn" due to its discordant tone.
• 🇨🇦 This horn is designed to sound intentionally unpleasant, a requirement in Canada to better alert pedestrians and motorists in emergencies.
• 🔊 The K5CA horn can operate at a quieter half tone or a loud emergency tone, and it's also standard on newer cab cars for Seattle's Sounder and the Altamont Corridor Express.

Retirement and Fleet Expansion

• 📉 The introduction of the new cars has enabled Coaster to retire 5 of its oldest 2200 series cars, built in 1994.
• 🚚 These retired cars were sold to the Utah Transit Authority for use on their Frontrunner commuter train.
• 📊 As of early 2026, Coaster now operates a total of 34 bilevel passenger cars.

Filming and Future Content

• 🎬 The video includes footage of the new cars in action, filmed trackside and during a brief onboard night ride.
• 💬 Viewers are encouraged to share their thoughts on the new cars in the comments section.
• 📅 New railroading content is released every Friday at 9 AM Pacific time on the CoasterFan2105 YouTube channel.