M8's and Shore Line East

The logos, idk about that. They're magnetic and were on one set for a couple weeks about 6 weeks ago and then disappeared.

Westchesterrailfan wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:27 pm Over the last few months I have caught two Shore Line East diesel runs, once on December 14th and a round trip on February 24th. While rare diesels definitely do still run on the line. Also the Shore Line East M8s are getting their Metro-North logos replaced by CTrail logos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OfszK8z5hk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6U0Oy7oyZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0sX2i_I3gs

Guess I have to add a note to the M8 columns on my Metro-North roster to say "Some units labeled for CTRail Shore Line East"

Why did they take the logos off?

Westchesterrailfan wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 6:19 pm Why did they take the logos off?

The Metro-North logos are still on there, underneath the CTRail stickers.

They took off the CTrail logos about a month ago, is it known why?

Westchesterrailfan wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 5:09 pm They took off the CTrail logos about a month ago, is it known why?

Not a clue. Maybe an equipment swap was done and the cars in question went back into the Metro-North pool?

No, they were just taken off. The cars don't switch around, as the third rail shoes need to be taken on and off.

daybeers wrote:No, they were just taken off. The cars don't switch around, as the third rail shoes need to be taken on and off.

I was told by a Amtrak/Shore Line East crew member they do swap out sets if needed. A few people have see the original Shore Line East M8 sets along the New Haven Line.

Exactly where is the impediment that can knock the 3rd rail shoes off? It would seem that Amtrak / CT DOT could apply for a small starts grant to fix that problem. IMO it is important that if passenger metrics suddenly changed it would be very easy to use any M-8 available.

East Haven. What's shocking is that there is a structure that close to the gauge. The third rail shoes by definition have to go outside of the plate C clearance in order to get to a non-interfering third rail, but it's not THAT far out, so it's shocking that there are any other structures in the way. Plate H well cars interfere with third rail, so apparently they wouldn't fit through there either (assuming only one level of containers as full Plate H is 4'8" too tall for that area).

It's a bizarre problem and kind of nuts that there's a clearance that tight in the first place, but it's not really that big of a deal operationally, as the third rail shoes could be put back on the SLE M-8s to make them back into MN M-8's. It does prevent direct service to GCT from OSB, although there probably isn't much appetite for running 9-car or larger M-8 sets out to OSB, just to run them more than half empty to NHV, as it's sort of a waste of equipment.

ElectricTraction wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:18 pm. It does prevent direct service to GCT from OSB, although there probably isn't much appetite for running 9-car or larger M-8 sets out to OSB, just to run them more than half empty to NHV, as it's sort of a waste of equipment.

What is the time to couple and test say a 4 car SLE to an 8 car GCT train for thru service. Also splitting M-8s? Any idea yet how much to fix this clearance problem? Is it a bridge abutment?

I had understood the obstacle to be the end of a structural member of a curved bridge in East Haven, but don't know which bridge (or which end or which track).

Seems such a waste and a hurdle that should have been avoided or known about beforehand. I suppose you could limit the 8’s to the track with the good clearance.

This prevents turning the 35xx-series Super Express Trains (NH-BPT-STM-GCT) into an SLE continuation. Or you could just terminate and turn them at Stamford which is a nice inta-CT service that would save a lot of time.

I would guess any through trains from OSB or New London would still be the usual 4-car sets, but express from New Haven, with just the stops the former Stamford-extended trains did (if any), and then nonstop to 125th and GCT.

RandallW wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 5:46 am I had understood the obstacle to be the end of a structural member of a curved bridge in East Haven, but don't know which bridge (or which end or which track).

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3155785 ... a=!3m1!1e3

I believe it's that one. The tracks are exceptionally close to the bridge on opposite ends of both sides.