railbus

A railbus is a lightweight railcar for passenger-transport with resemblance to buses. Constructions can share many aspects to buses, and may even have a (original or modified) bus body and wheel axles on a fixed base instead of on bogies.

Originally designed and developed during the 1930s, railbuses have evolved into larger dimensions with characteristics similar in appearance to a light railcar, with the terms railcar and railbus often used interchangeably. Railbuses designed for use specifically on little-used railway lines were commonly employed in countries such as Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. Modern diesel-electric railcars, which can be run coupled as multiple units, like the Stadler RS1, the RegioSprinter of Siemens, or the successor Siemens Desiro, share the role and specifications with railbuses (albeit with improvements in noise, low floor design, fuel efficiency, speed, and other measures), but are usually not referred to by the term "railbus" any longer.