M8's and Shore Line East

robelybasis wrote: ↑Sun Dec 05, 2021 3:45 pm Does anybody know the status of the 66/94 (idk which) additional M8s coming into service and what they will be used for. Was SLE use planned with these cars and how many cars of the fleet will be earmarked for SLE?

I would think so, but I'm not sure if the SLE logo will be placed on the M8s in addition to the CDOT and/or Metro North Logo.

On an unrelated note, that is a great profile picture! Was that taken at the Siemens plant by any chance, based on the pole on the top left corner?

Apologies for the poor quality screen captures off the Deshler live cam but I think 4 CDOT M8s were on the marker of CSX manifest Q566 (Barr Yd Chicago to Collinwood OH) as it crossed the Deshler diamond Friday evening 12/10/21 at 2222.

I'm certain the 8's will be in pool service; if they're crossing the division post in New Haven, there will be a crew change from Amtrak crews to MNRR crews. So Amtrak SLE crews will have to qualify on the 8's. It's also possible that the SLE runs that terminate in Stamford may "turn" for MNRR runs, i.e. become Stamford locals, or New Canaan line sets. The new stub track 7 in Stamford may be where they turn; kinda makes sense.

As for consist lengths, 4 minimum of course. You could set these up as 5 cars, too, using the 8's "S" cars placed between two A/B sets. A train this short would likely not go to GCT, so that if CtDOT wants to exert some control over the additional cars, this would be a way to do it.

All of the latest order option cars are CtDOT cars, as are the "S" cars. For the original M8 order, I think the split was 60% CtDOT/40% NYS, including the original options.

NH2060 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 30, 2014 9:48 pm
1) Depending on how the sets are rotated perhaps a 2 car set would be better for midday Mon.-Fri. and weekend service. Given the uptick in ridership (esp. to New London on weekends) though I think 3 cars will stay as the bare minimum length consist.

A 3-car M8 train is impossible. M8s are "married pairs," the unpowered single "trailer cars" can only be used between two M8 "married pairs." They can't be used on the end of a train (no cabs) and they are not able to be inserted into the middle of a single "married pair."

So the minimum M8 train is two cars (one married pair). If you need longer than two cars, you go to four cars (two married pairs).

After that, allowing for the use of one single unpowered "trailer car" in any one train, you can have any number up to twelve, which is the max (too much current draw for anything longer).

Any insight on this board as to if we'll see these in service anytime soon?

DutchRailnut wrote: ↑Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:40 pm after 4 years there are still no test trains run and ACSES still has not been tested, if anyone expects M-8's on SLE they have a very long wait.

Seven (7) years has passed since this message was posted and CTDOT has yet to say when M-8s will enter revenue service east of New Haven.

Maybe we should just say it again, "if anyone expects M-8's on SLE they have a very long wait." If we wait another seven years it will be 2029.

west point wrote: ↑Thu Feb 10, 2022 1:05 am How many M-8s will CT DOT modify with tap changing transformers that will be required for Amtrak's 25 kV CAT? Or are the next deliveries having that option?

None. The M8's can already automatically switch between Metro-North's 12.5kv and Amtrak's 25Kv voltage (which was done with several test runs between New Haven and Shore Line Jct about 3 years ago).
Amtrak's voltage between CP-216 and GATE is also at Metro-North's 12.5Kv.

I understand from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QDz1CiRTE4 that ACSES is being (or at this point, has been) tested on M8s for Shore Line East service and that upgrades to track 6 and the north bound platforms at New London are scheduled to be complete in April 2022 (https://nec-commission.com/app/uploads/ ... Oct-21.pdf pages A3-46 and A3-47).

Been seeing pics on Facebook the past couple days of M-8s in SLE testing at New London.

Got screenshots or links?

From our own Gregory Grice on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CastWs8vLxk ... _copy_link

Here's a recent video. The caption reads "CTRail Kawasaki M8 Test Train on the Amtrak Shoreline arriving on track 1 station side platform during the midnight hours on March 2nd, 2022."

https://youtu.be/Kmh4YivJneU?t=208

Looks like they're making progress.

I believe that catenary has been installed on TK 3 Old Saybrook-Brook and TK 4 Triebel-Meadow. Is this a sign that we are getting closer to seeing the M8s in service?
Andy

I'm hearing end of May for the start of M8s on SLE. But that would surprise me. Nevertheless, things are moving along at a rapid pace to get this going.