I’ve lived in or near 3 different cities (DC, Philly, and Trenton) and all of their local metro trains have had flat fronts. Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to be shaped more like cars or Amtrak trains when it comes to aerodynamics? I don’t understand how the flat front design could be efficient.
In: Engineering
There is the practical standpoint of maximizing interior face. A box has more room than an oval.
Commuter lines also need to worry about hitting people or running over them. If a person is on the track and the train hits them, a flat surface will do less harm than a point and is less likely for someone to get sucked under. Cars in recent times have modified bumper standards that prevent [too pointed of a front end](https://photos7.motorcar.com/used-1967-chevrolet-corvette-427435-8031-17585619-1-1024.jpg). Now they need to be like [cow catchers](https://cars.usnews.com/static/images/Auto/izmo/i67064107/2019_chevrolet_corvette_angularfront.jpg).
The flat face, like a school bus, can allow the driver to see anything in front.
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