by Jeffrey Rosen
As far as them being used on specific lines, I do not ever remember seeing any on any of the diesel lines although I understand the prototype (the car presently at Riverhead) was intended for diesel use.
As JJ stated only MP54's (and I guess MP41's) only went to Flatbush and since some lines are Bklyn oriented and some Penn oriented some lines had more of them than others. I remember in the 60's Hempstead was basically a Flatbush line so there were very few double deckers, those few being on the rush hour trains to Penn. I do remember as a kid, my grandmother taking us on a special all doubledecker train from Hempstead to the Worlds Fair. The train changed direction in Woodside to go on the Port Washington Line and I assume they used the double deckers since they were the only trains at the time where you didn't have to reverse the seats. (That is only my assumption, there might have been other reasons)
I also remember them being very abundant on the Babylon Branch, on almost every train. I distinctly remember as a kid always seeing them laid up on the siding between Merrick & Freeport just W/O the Meadowbrook Pkway.
As far as Paul's comments as to why he liked the lower compartments, my wife still doesn't know the real reason I like the lower level on today's tri-level cars, especially in the summer.
As JJ stated only MP54's (and I guess MP41's) only went to Flatbush and since some lines are Bklyn oriented and some Penn oriented some lines had more of them than others. I remember in the 60's Hempstead was basically a Flatbush line so there were very few double deckers, those few being on the rush hour trains to Penn. I do remember as a kid, my grandmother taking us on a special all doubledecker train from Hempstead to the Worlds Fair. The train changed direction in Woodside to go on the Port Washington Line and I assume they used the double deckers since they were the only trains at the time where you didn't have to reverse the seats. (That is only my assumption, there might have been other reasons)
I also remember them being very abundant on the Babylon Branch, on almost every train. I distinctly remember as a kid always seeing them laid up on the siding between Merrick & Freeport just W/O the Meadowbrook Pkway.
As far as Paul's comments as to why he liked the lower compartments, my wife still doesn't know the real reason I like the lower level on today's tri-level cars, especially in the summer.
