Canada: The first five-car trainset has entered service on the Expo Line of the SkyTrain light metro system. Another five LRVs are currently undergoing dynamic tests to be commissioned by the end of this year.
The Mark V is the retrofitted version of the four-car Mark III metro train, operated in Vancouver since 2016. With a 25% increase in passenger capacity, the new LRV can accommodate 672 people. In addition, the Mark V features dedicated areas for bicycles, wheelchairs and prams, as well as leaning pads for standing passengers.
The contract for the delivery of 41 Mark V trains worth CAD 723 mln (USD 526.8 mln) was signed in 2020 with Bombardier Transportation, which was eventually acquired by Alstom in 2021. Last May, Vancouver’s operator TransLink exercised an option for an additional six trainsets valued at CAD 123 mln (USD 89.6 mln). The whole fleet is scheduled for delivery in 2029. The rolling stock is manufactured at the La Pocatière facility in Canada.
