#4154

State-of-the-Art Car

🇺🇸 United States ·built by St. Louis Car Company· from 1972· Prototype rapid transit car

4 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. State Of the Art Car postcard: Boeing Vertol· Public domain
2. John A. Volpe in U.S. Department of Transportation State of the Art Car - NARA - 6882640 (1): Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
3. John A. Volpe in U.S. Department of Transportation State of the Art Car - NARA - 6882640: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
4. STATEOFTHEARTCAR: TriStateGuy· CC BY 4.0

what is it?

The State-of-the-Art Car (SOAC) was a heavy rail mass transit demonstrator vehicle produced for the United States Department of Transportation's Urban Mass Transportation Administration in the 1970s. It was intended to demonstrate the latest technologies to operating agencies and the riding public, and serve to promote existing and proposed transit lines. A single married pair was produced by the St.

who runs it

New York City Subway Chicago Transit Authority Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Delaware River Port Authority Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

base stats

speed 129 km/htop speed
weight 40.8 tin working order
seats 300passengers
built 2made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 54 years ago, in 1972.
Weighs about as much as 7 African elephants (~6 t each).
22.6 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
Seats 300: 6 full city buses (~50 seats each).
Served for 3 years (1974–1977).

metro: Urban rapid transit: frequent, high-capacity trains, often underground.

spec sheet

built: 1972
in service from: 1974
retired: 1977
status: retired
number built: 2
kind: metro
traction: electric
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: St. Louis Car Company
operators: New York City Subway, Chicago Transit Authority, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Delaware River Port Authority, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
top speed: 129 km/h
power: —
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
electric system: 600 V DC
length: 22.6 m
weight: 40.8 t
capacity: 300 passengers

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q7603817, Wikipedia: State-of-the-Art Car (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.