Propulsion is provided by four 150-HP, air-cooled, electric traction motors - one per axle. Tractive energy is furnished via the third rail operating at 1000 volts DC. In brake mode, the cars are designed to regenerate energy to the third rail.
The BART Board of Directors passed the proof of payment requirement on October 26, 2017, to deter fare evasion. The new ordinance took effect January 1, 2018. Any person inside the paid area of BART must be prepared to show a magnetic stripe ticket or Clipper card with valid fare.
BART has 8 DMU train cars which each have a seating capacity of 104. 70 mph maximum; 35 mph average, including 20-second station stops. For BART to Antioch DMU trains, the maximum speed is 75 mph; 60 mph average.
Constructed in 57 sections, and reposing on the bay floor as deep as 135 feet beneath the surface, the remarkable $180 million structure took six years of toil and seismic studies to design, and less than three years to contract.
The BART server calculates the earthquake's seismic intensity within nanoseconds, and if the seismic intensity -- or MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale) -- is greater than IV, the server will automatically signal trains to reduce speeds. Trains then automatically begin slowing to 27 mph.
Like most trains, BART wheels are tied together with rigid axels and no differentials. This means the wheels always rotate at the same speed, even around corners. Because the inner radius is smaller, there is less distance to travel, which can cause a slippage between the wheels and track, which is noisy.
Taking the train has long been less expensive than driving when considering bridge tolls and parking — and now it's an even more affordable option when you consider most Bay Area gas stations are charging more than $6 a gallon.
The operating budget funds the annual operation and maintenance of the BART system. Operating budget sources include passenger and parking revenue, taxes, and financial assistance from local, state and federal sources.