Interesting Consist Discussion for the North Side

BostonUrbEx wrote:406 died and 408 had to tie on. There were more than 3 cars on each set.

They also cancelled 408 (which is my normal train) for whatever reason so the entire train was just devoid of passengers.

RenegadeMonster wrote:Pretty sure I have seen 3 or 4 1600 series on a 7 car set recently. Only, pretty sure a few of them had their controls deactivated.


Also, recently I saw a set with 4 300 series. Is it just me, or do you not normally see to many 300s on the North Side.

Also, did any 1300s ever exist?

The 1300s were Pullman-built control cars. They were rebuilt into blind cars 245-258.

The 08-11-2017 402 had 3 1600s, a bi, another flat, and the 1033. There was a sery2831 post of mebbe a coupla years ago about the number of 1600s that had been deactivated as control cars.

MBTA3247 wrote:

RenegadeMonster wrote:Pretty sure I have seen 3 or 4 1600 series on a 7 car set recently. Only, pretty sure a few of them had their controls deactivated.


Also, recently I saw a set with 4 300 series. Is it just me, or do you not normally see to many 300s on the North Side.

Also, did any 1300s ever exist?

The 1300s were Pullman-built control cars. They were rebuilt into blind cars 245-258.

Aren't control cars more valuable / in demand than plain coaches? Maybe the controls were worn out/unreliable or obsolete.

One drawback: by rule, control trailer coaches have to adhere to the same inspection requirements as locomotives. Too many CTC's and you wind up overspending time and money.

speaking of control trailers. Are the orange work crew cabooses control cars/trailers?

No. If a caboose is leading a train, there has to be a crew member on the platform in radio contact with the engineer in the locomotive.

When they remove the control features, do they remove everything or just disable it with the ability to restore the features later?

1818 (the cab for the passenger count train) has migrated south again sometime in the past 48 hours. Saw it on service on Newbury/Rockport on Monday, now it's on Framingham.

KevinSun242 wrote:1818 (the cab for the passenger count train) has migrated south again sometime in the past 48 hours. Saw it on service on Newbury/Rockport on Monday, now it's on Framingham.

Might have been sooner than that. Most if not all of last week the passenger count train had a control cab of the 16xx series.

Would they have installed a count camera in the 16xx? Or would they have that car blocked off when counting?

RenegadeMonster wrote: Might have been sooner than that. Most if not all of last week the passenger count train had a control cab of the 16xx series.

From the OL platform at Sullivan just yesterday I saw the set, and it was all bilevels, no 16xx cab.

deathtopumpkins wrote:

RenegadeMonster wrote: Might have been sooner than that. Most if not all of last week the passenger count train had a control cab of the 16xx series.

From the OL platform at Sullivan just yesterday I saw the set, and it was all bilevels, no 16xx cab.

I know last week 1818 had been sitting in the line of coaches at BET too.

1821-777-803-623-1070

3 double deckers and not the passenger count train.

Passenger count train went south, now plying the Worcester Line.

Saw car 500 is running MassDOT logos. Also noticed a lot more locomotives are have a round MassDOT sticker on the front?

Is MassDOT buying MBTA equipment?