TransLink begins field-testing new Mark V trains

TransLink began field testing its new Mark V SkyTrain vehicles on March 8.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the transit agency is conducting the testing to assess the trains’ on-board systems, performance along the Expo and Millennium lines, and the upgrades made to stations to accommodate the Mark V’s longer five-car design.

Station upgrades and vehicle testing of the initial Mark V cars is expected to be completed in the next few months, TransLink officials said in a press release. Field testing procedures will continue until all 235 new Mark V cars are fully integrated, which is expected in 2029.

Mark V trains feature new seating arrangements with wider aisles, flex areas for mobility devices, strollers, bicycles and luggage, driver’s seats at the front and back of each train, and upgraded interior systems such as displays, door indicators and climate controls.