Stadler GTW

Stadler GTW
Stadler GTW Railcar, seen near Austin, Texas
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail AG
Number built	551
Specifications
Train length	30–39 m (98 ft 5 1⁄8 in–127 ft 11 3⁄8 in) (GTW 2/6) approx. 53 m (173 ft 10 5⁄8 in) (GTW 2/8)
Width	2.2 or 2.7 m (7 ft 2 5⁄8 in or 8 ft 10 1⁄4 in) (meter gauge) 3.0 or 3.1 m (9 ft 10 1⁄8 in or 10 ft 2 in) (standard gauge)
Maximum speed	115–140 km/h (71–87 mph)
Weight	37–62 t (36.4–61.0 long tons; 40.8–68.3 short tons) (GTW 2/6); 72.4 t (71.3 long tons; 79.8 short tons) (GTW 2/8)
UIC classification	2'+Bo+2' (GTW 2/6); 2'+Bo+2'+2' (GTW 2/8); 2'+Bo+0+Bo+2' (GTW 4/8); 2'+Bo+2'+2'+Bo+2' (GTW 4/12)
Multiple working	up to four trains
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21⁄32 in)

The Stadler GTW is an articulated railcar for local transport made by Stadler Rail of Switzerland. GTW stands for Gelenktriebwagen (articulated railcar).

The Biel–Täuffelen–Ins-Bahn near Bern, Switzerland was looking for a lighter train model to replace its aging fleet, so that a low floor system does not require heavy installations on the roof. Based on that requirement Stadler came up with a concept of placing most of the equipment in a central unit between the seating cars. While the BTI-Bahn tracks are meter gauge, Stadler presented the first prototype in 1995 set on standard gauge rails, and the Mittelthurgau-Bahn was testing three prototypes on its standard gauge network during 1996. The rolling stock for Mittelthurgau was later expanded to 10 GTW 2/6 (built 1998-1999) that are now part of the THURBO fleet (the three prototypes were sold to Italy). The next lots were produced in meter gauge being delivered to the BTI-Bahn and the CEV-Bahn (Chemins de fer électriques Veveysans) in 1997 - although the BTI-Bahn was first to order any GTW with its 7 trains, the CEV-Bahn ordered the biggest lot of the first generation with 20 trains.

In 1998 the Linzer Lokalbahn (Austria) placed an order which needed to be modified to conform to the safety DIN5510 class 2 standard as well as different electrification. These 8 trains were delivered in 2000 from the Swiss facilities and an option of 6 more trains was redeemed in 2005. Another modification was done for the River Line (New Jersey) with an order of 20 DMUs delivered in 2002/2003 from the Swiss facilities.

During that time the Hessische Landesbahn (HLB) in Germany was also looking at the new system but actual procurement was delayed until the second generation. In the beginning, Stadler was cooperating with ADtranz/DWA im Germany with the initial batch produced in 1999 at DWA Bautzen (Saxony). Its headshape design follows the style of the Deutsche Bahn trains as they were already on production at DWA, and eventually the DB Regio services did also order a batch of 30 trains of a similar type as the 30 trains ordered by the HLB (only the height of the low floor section differs). The full series were then manufactured at the new Stadler Pankow (Berlin) facilities being built in 2000 by a joint venture with ADtranz. Stadler acquired their shares in 2001 and the final vehicles were delivered from that plant in 2001 by Stadler alone.