Mafersa coaches

The Mafersa coaches are a class of 38 passenger railroad cars built by Brazilian manufacturer Mafersa. Originally built for Virginia Railway Express (VRE) in 1991–92, they are currently operated by Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) for CT Rail service and by QIT-Fer et Titane.

Mafersa Coach
A consist of Mafersa coaches leaving Old Saybrook station in 2018
Interior of a CTDOT coach on Shore Line East service in 2018
Manufacturer	Mafersa
Constructed	1991–1992
Entered service	1992
Number built	38
Operators	CT Rail QIT-Fer et Titane
Lines served	Hartford Line from New Haven to Springfield
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel
Car length	85.3 feet (26.0 m)[1]
Width	10 feet (3.0 m)[1]
Height	13.29 feet (4.05 m)[1]
Floor height	51.5 inches (1,310 mm)
Doors	2 pairs end doors, manual operation
Maximum speed	90 miles per hour (140 km/h)
Power supply	480 V AC
Coupling system	AAR type H
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

History

Mafersa built the coaches new for VRE for $24.7 million.^[2] VRE sold 33 of the coaches to CTDOT in 2004 for its Shore Line East service.^[3] QIT-Fer et Titane, a Quebec mining company, purchased the remaining five cars in 2008.^[4] The CTDOT cars were used for Shore Line East service until 2022, then moved to Hartford Line service.^[5]

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a contract with Alstom for 60 single-level passenger cars, which will replace the Mafersa coaches in Hartford Line service (as well as Shoreliner cars on other lines) beginning in 2026.^[6][7]