Passenger Stock Overview
The passenger stock consists of high-floor, bi-directional, single-articulated electrical multiple units. The cars have four doors on each side and each train is normally composed of two 28-metre (92 ft)-long cars. A third car was added on the busiest routes in 2010. Each car has 70 seats and has a total capacity of 284 passengers.
The cars have no driver's cab, although there is a small driver's console concealed behind a locked panel at each outer car end from which the Passenger Service Agent (PSA) can drive the train when necessary. Other consoles at each door opening allow the PSA to control door closure and make announcements whilst patrolling the train. Because of the absence of a driver's position, the fully glazed car ends provide a panoramic forward (or rear) view for passengers. At least one PSA is required on each train to close the doors upon departing and for emergency situations, such as taking the controls or evacuating the train, especially in tunnelled sections.
Despite having high floors and being highly automated, the cars are derived from a German light rail design, which was intended for use in systems with elements of street running. All the cars that have operated on the system look similar, but there have been five separate types, three of which are still in operation on the Docklands Light Railway. A further car type, with quite different styling, was first displayed in March 2008 and entered service in September 2008.
The DLR stock units have a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), but the fastest speed reached is 80 km/h (50 mph) in the tunnel under the River Thames to Woolwich Arsenal station.
Read more about this topic: Docklands Light Railway Rolling Stock
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