How To Catch an "Old Train"

I just moved back to ny from Texas, and have resumed riding MNRR Harlem line trains from White Plains or Hartsdale into Grand Central, mostly on Saturdays.

I miss riding on the M6's. Before I moved four years ago, I used to be able to catch them all the time. Now, it's always an M-7. Is there any way anyone knows how I can better my chances of catching an M-6?

Yes - go to the NH line - M6 trains dont run on the Harlem or Hudson.

As noted above M6s only run on the New Haven Line. I take it you mean the M3s instead? If so, it is extremely rare to see M3s on the weekends.

If you're looking for older M series cars, your best bet is to go on the New Haven Line and try to catch an M2/4/6 consist. However, according to MNR stats it's nearly a 50% chance you will get an M8 set off-peak and weekends.

M3's on the Harlem have been discussed before here, but it's more oriented towards weekdays. However, it might help you out.

But yeah - head to the New Haven line if you want to ride a dinosaur

Terminal Proceed wrote:Yes - go to the NH line - M6 trains dont run on the Harlem or Hudson.

M2/4/6's have been known to make revenue runs on the H&H lines, but on very rare occasions.

M3's are normally used on the more crowded H&H runs, as they seat more people, but seeing them on weekends is very rare nowadays.

lirr42 wrote:

Terminal Proceed wrote:Yes - go to the NH line - M6 trains dont run on the Harlem or Hudson.

M2/4/6's have been known to make revenue runs on the H&H lines, but on very rare occasions.

M3's are normally used on the more crowded H&H runs, as they seat more people, but seeing them on weekends is very rare nowadays.

i remember last fall they ran them up there a few times

By the way, WELCOME BACK TO CIVILIZATION!!!!!

M2's, M4's & M6's operate on the New Haven Line AKA "Jurrasic Park", where the dinosaurs roam!!!

For the older M2/4/6 on a weekend, head to the New Canaan branch for your best chance of getting one. For the first time ever last Sunday I got an M8 both directions heading to and from Bridgeport however I did see plenty of the older trains still running. Its just a luck of the draw, I would try your best to get as many older New Haven rides as you can because next year its likely to become more and more rare getting an older train on the New Haven line as more and more M8s come in. Not even the newer triplets are safe because the MTA decided to add to the M8 order. (a waste in my opinion since the M4 and M6s aren't that old and have plenty of life left)

Another way to ensure you get the older trains if you are riding on a weekday is look on the timetable for the drink icon, those are the trains with the bar car in them and there arent any M8 bar cars.

Surprisingly, we are seeing a decent number of M8's on NH weekend runs. I don't go down there enough to good statistics, but they're not a rare occasion like I thought they would be on the weekends.

As of January 7, M8's make up 63.3% of Saturday trains and 67.9% of Sunday trains.

Last Sunday 1/06 I saw the old cars in New Rochelle on the 1:03 PM Local from Stamford, CT, 12:31 PM Express from New Haven, CT - Union Station, 1:30 PM Local from Stamford, CT, 2:03 PM Local from Stamford, CT, 1:31 PM Express from New Haven, CT-Union Station and the 1:53 PM from New Haven, CT-Union Station seen in Mount Vernon.

Unless things have changed recently almost all the first or second AM(535) trains bound for Stamford and NH out of GCT have the older CDOT equipment. That goes for during week or weekend.

Terminal Proceed wrote: M3's are normally used on the more crowded H&H runs, as they seat more people, but seeing them on weekends is very rare nowadays.

Hudson line Semi Train #8742 from Croton - Harmon to GCT had a M3 set this afternoon and I went on it from Hastings-on-Hudson to Yonkers.