The Bi-Level "Gallery" commuter car continues to be a favorite design of many commuter rail agencies throughout the United States and Canada. The design debuted on the Chicago Burlington & Quincy railroad for their Chicago area commuter service.

The Chicago & North Western quickly followed their lead and eventually owned the largest roster of this car design anywhere on the continent. They also had an innovation of their own: the Cab-Coach. This development meant that the railroad would not have to turn the locomotive at the end of a run. Additionally, a locomotive facing out of the terminal meant that exhaust would be kept outside of the passenger train shed. Trains are pushed into Chicago and pulled back out to the suburbs.  

Amtrak purchased a dozen former C&NW Bi-Level cars that had been used on C&NW's trains to Green Bay, WI and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Once repainted, they could be found in service on various Amtrak routes fanning out from Chicago. 

These cars feature: