Convert M-1's to push-pull trailers?

why dont they take the old M-1s and convert them to push-pull use with a jenny? i mean,honestly. those old cars cant just sit there and die! (i saw a homeless man in one on monday,btw...) are the old m1's just too shot to keep working,because i have ridden in other m1s recently,and it would seem that they were in good working order.

[quote="huntersails23" are the old m1's just too shot to keep working/quote]

Yes.

Converting MU's into Push pull would pose big problems and cost.

A] cars are no longer FRA compliant after a rebuilt(rebuilt applies new
standard) pluss MNCR does not have $4.7 million spare engines sitting
around.

B] no HEP or control trainlines usable for Push Pull.

C] incompatible brake system (MU's have Electro pneumatic brake)

D]Doors, interior, trucks etc still would need total rebuilt

Those M-1's are over 30 years old - Metro North and its predecessors got their money's worth out of them.

JD

For what you would spend on B & C, you could be halfway toward getting new coaches.

Dutch has pointed out correctly (yet again) that there are no spare Genesis engines. Boy, I wish I was in the engine business sometimes...

Nester

Nester wrote:For what you would spend on B & C, you could be halfway toward getting new coaches.

Dutch has pointed out correctly (yet again) that there are no spare Genesis engines. Boy, I wish I was in the engine business sometimes...

Nester

Other than the FL9s and the P32DM units, are there any diesels in the US that could be operated into GCT?

BTW, I saw the M&E's FL-9 units sitting in Hanover NJ the other day. M&E might be willing to lease these ex-Amtrak units to MNR for a buck or two..

There are no FL9's with a functioning 600v DC system onboard. There are no road diesels than can legally pull passenger trains into GCT in diesel mode.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:There are no FL9's with a functioning 600v DC system onboard. There are no road diesels than can legally pull passenger trains into GCT in diesel mode.

-otto-

Can you qualify your use of the term "legal"?

I was under the impression that any engine that could be used for service into GCT needed to meet certain dimensional requirements (and weight requirements for the viaduct), support overrunning third rail pickup at 600VDC, and have an emergency door in the nose.

Further, I was under the impression that most engineers operate into GCT with the diesel engines idling so that they don't waste time in the event that they become stuck in a gap.

I would think that someone could buy a scrap engine and rebuild it for much less than 4.7 million and still make a profit when selling it to the MTA. Given the crappy performance of the LIRR's DM fleet, they may be interested in a unit or two as well...

Nester

NO diesel may operate into GCT. It is a violation of the city code I believe due to the emission of carbon monoxide and diesel exhaust underneath office buildings and into the terminal.

Does it happen? Occasionally. But it's infrequent at best.

Terminal Proceed wrote:NO diesel may operate into GCT. It is a violation of the city code I believe due to the emission of carbon monoxide and diesel exhaust underneath office buildings and into the terminal.

Does it happen? Occasionally. But it's infrequent at best.

The MTA, as a state agency is exempt from local laws/codes. While it is enviornmentally un-friendly, no one is going to jail if they do it. Now, if it is the policy of the MTA or MN, or an operating rule, that is a totally different matter.

I was never suggesting that you should operate diesels into GCT as a means to securing more motive power for the railroad. I just wanted Otto to define his use of the word legal - was he referring to a rule or law?

Nester

Despite their not being a legal prohibition , MNCR promissed the DEP/EPA not to run Diesels in Revenue service into GCT.
for physical dimentions only a few engines fitted into GCT.
B23-7
FL9
E8/9
GP8
any genesis like P40/P42/P32acdm
Turbo's

Guys don't know how to tell you this but Metro-North is covered by the anti diesel into GCT laws. Summonses have been issued in the past and fines are assesed. As a matter of fact there are some taxes which the MTA and its subsidiaries have to pay.

There are no laws prohibiting Diesel in Park Avenue tunnel or GCT. the law applied to steam and not diesel.

Gotta agree with Dutch on this one - there's no law, but MNR has an agreement with DEP and EPA not to run them into GCT. In fact, when they occasionally do run a diesel engine in GCT, the complaints from 200, 230 and 245 Park start coming in furiously. The idea is to avoid those phone calls, so regardless of the legality of it, MNR tries its best not to run diesels in GCT.

Last time I saw a diesel in a passenger consist there was in December 2002, when the 2008, and NYC 2012 were paired up with 6 coaches. It was a rarity indeed, but was exciting to see for one final time to my surprise. Of coarse I was able to do a pic before the picture ban was put into effect on the platforms.