Mayor Nenshi drives C-Train as Calgary Transit launches 4-car service

Mayor Nenshi has taken the controls ofa four-car C-Trainto mark the launch of the longerC-Trainservicein Calgary.

"Four-car train service will be a dramatic improvement to our public transit service," Nenshi said in a releasefollowing a successful three-week testing period.

"We are literally adding 33 per cent capacity when it's needed most," he said.

• Uber vs City of Calgary: Conflict moves into courtroom
• Calgary approves route for southeast Green Line

The fourth car creates room for 200 additional passengers per trip, giving the longer train a total capacity of 800 people.

Two four-car trains will now operate regularlyon the 201 Red Line between Tuscany and Somerset two weeks before the planned rollout in December, the city said in a release.

Plans to expand four-car train service will occur next year as new trains begin arriving in Calgary, the city said.

Calgary is getting 63 new transit cars worth roughly $200 million, which Nenshi says will help alleviate congestion especially on the north-south line.

Of those, 28 will be replacing the older U2-model cars, which have started breaking down after 34 years of service.

The new S200 light rail vehicles (LRV) are manufactured by Siemen's Canada and cost $3.2 million each.

Calgary Transit is also expecting its first new "Mask" C-Train car in January.

In 2013, Calgarians were asked to vote for their preferred car design.They chose theMask, said to be inspired by a goalie's face shield.