M6 Double Deck Train for SNCB
Client
Bombardier Transportation
Description
Interior layout and design of double deck passenger saloons
Date
1997
Activities
- Colour, Material and Finish
- Human Factors, Usability and Inclusivity
- Industrial Design
- Interior Design
- Production Support
- Prototyping
- Research and Strategy
- Testing and Evaluation
This award-winning double deck design was created by DCA for a consortium led by Bombardier and Alstom.
The staggered window and seat layout was a design innovation created by DCA to optimise the interior layout, avoid daylight dead spots, remove pinch points when moving along the aisles and create a sense of space on both the upper and lower levels.
Passenger comfort was a priority with easy access provided by a wide curved staircase and curved, bi-parting glass doors introduced to insulate the saloons from the stairwells and vestibules, improving temperature control in the passenger spaces. Generous and convenient luggage space was provided throughout the passenger saloons between all seat backs as well as overhead on luggage racks on both decks.
The radical departure from a conventional layout configuration proved to be very popular and four production tranches of this M6 train format were manufactured in both Belgium and France.
DCA created the novel offset seat and window layout seen on M6 trains
