Butterfly Flexible Seating Solutions has entered the rail industry with its first commercial installation, adapting its successful convertible motorcoach seat for use on long-distance passenger trains.
Partnering with Canadian Railway Services (CRWS) and Morelli Design Transport on the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation modernization project, the new Butterfly seating will debut on refurbished train cars serving a 12-hour route between Sept-lles and Schefferville, Quebec.
The collaboration was announced during the Red Cabin Railway Interior Innovation Summit and represents a significant milestone in the full fleet refurbishment of North America’s first Indigenous-owned and operated railway.
Launched by Transport Ferroviaire Tshiuetin Inc., the project aims to create a more comfortable, inclusive, and culturally reflective passenger experience for the Innu, Naskapi, and Cree communities of northeastern Quebec and Labrador. Known as a lifeline for food, fuel, medicine, and mobility, the railway connects people to both essential goods and traditional lands.
Butterfly Seating introduces a 3-in-1 flexible system that transforms from upright recliners to a private lounge or a full 78-inch lie-flat bed — all with the simple pull of a lever. The design gives passengers the space and comfort to rest, relax, or work throughout Tshiuetin’s 12-hour journey. For operators, this flexibility means adapting to real-world passenger needs without the limitations of fixed layouts.
About Butterfly
Butterfly Flexible Seating Solutions combines visionary aesthetics with business practicality, using state of the art aerospace engineering techniques to craft convertible seats for air, rail, and road travel, with a focus on longevity and reliability. We are on a mission to help operators unlock the untapped value of flexibility — in comfort, design and revenue potential.
Learn More
Butterfly Flexible Seating – Flexible Seating for First Indigenous-Owned Railway
Canadian Railway Services – Tshiuetin: Coach Car Overhaul Program
