LIRR M1 car 9674-Question to N340SG TOM

TO N340SG Tom: As a LIRR buff interested in the M1 cars,I would like to know about car 9674. On the north side of the car as it points east there are at least two discernible shades of blue on this car side. The numeral digits on the carside stripe are white helvetica numerals-the same as used by MNCR in the early to mid 90s. The stripe on the east end of the car has perhaps the best shade of blue that I have ever seen on the M1s. The south side of the car has just a cracked-up blue decal stripe. AFAIK,this is the only M1 this way-did MNCR do this work for LIRR? I have NEVER liked the yellow stripes on the MU equipment or the cabcars from day one. I recall that the yellow stripes were the idea of former LIRR president Robin H.H. Wilson back in the early to mid 80s. I recall him telling me about this at a public hearing and that he was influenced by the mandatory use of yellow on trains in the British Isles. I can understand not using blue on the MU front ends-if it was up to me,it would have been super-reflectorized RED with white pinstripes across the top and bottom of the stripe area. I am getting off topic here - I should do another topic on MU cars with other observations - THANKS ALOT for any info in advance - MACTRAXX

I have seen that car, but do not know why it looks like that. I do know the one guy to ask that may know about it.

Tom

P.S. 9001/9002 are still in HMC car shop track 6 west, just sitting in that bay.

Tom: Thanks for the reply. I am currently in Philadelphia at the NRHS library doing archive work. Some interesting things occasionally come thru here - I have a copy of two interesting publications on the M1s: 1-A 4-page copy of brief specifications for the M1s by the Budd Company dated 10/28/68 and a study by Louis T. Klauder and Associates titled "THE DESIGN OF THE METROPOLITANS-THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD'S NEW ELECTRIC COMMUTER CARS" this book is upwards of 100 pages - they are not numbered. This study is not dated but must date back to the late 60s. A question I have is: How many of the original 1968 M1 cars remain in service if any? According to info I have seen they were 9001-9016. I for one am glad to see that 9001-2 are going to be saved hopefully for historical purposes. I would like to see them in the as-delivered livery as accurate as possible. On a personal note,when I first saw your N34*0SG I thought it was your NY Liberty license plate number - one of my hobbies is auto license plate collecting and history. THANKS AGAIN - MACTRAXX

I rode 9015/16 back home last week and as far as I know, that's the last original set still in service.

Thats funny because I never pay attention to the car numbers of the trains that I work on if they are not the lead or rear car. I did actually have one of those blue stripped cars on my consist on Saturday, but I forgot to look to see if it was an M-1 or M-3. It was tucked away in the middle of the consist, probably the 7th and 8th car of our 12 car train. Unless I keep running into the same pair, I have seen a few cars with the blue srtipe on the sides. I'll make a note of it this week to write down the car numbers.

Married pair 9673/74 was just shipped out for scrapping about 3 weeks ago. Car 9674 held a very light shade of blue while 9673 had a very dark shade, quite comparable to the shade when first delivered. Mac, check your private messages, I have a picture for you.

Guys: I found the following M1 info - dated April 30,1979 LIRR M1 cars : Years built: 9001 to 9016 in 1968; 9017 to 9246 in 1969;9247 to 9476 in 1970 9477 to 9620 in 1971 and 9621 to 9770 in 1972. Numbers not assigned at that time were: 9043,9074,9243-44 and 9379-80. Seats 120 in lavatory-equipped odd number car and 124 in the even number car. Thank you to all and I hope this info comes in handy - MACTRAXX

Guys: I found the following M1 info - dated April 30,1979 LIRR M1 cars : Years built: 9001 to 9016 in 1968; 9017 to 9246 in 1969;9247 to 9476 in 1970 9477 to 9620 in 1971 and 9621 to 9770 in 1972. Numbers not assigned at that time were: 9043,9074,9243-44 and 9379-80. Seats 120 in lavatory-equipped odd number car and 124 in the even number car. Thank you to all and I hope this info comes in handy - MACTRAXX

Guys,

Emfinite (Joe), you're way ahead of me. I thought I saw 9673/9674 on flatbed cars one of the first nights I worked at HMC. But, as you can imagine, I see many car numbers in and around the shop each day. I wasn't 100% positive.
9013 and 9014 are CCM overhauled cars. They are also still in service.
A Master Mechanic told me there was an organized list of decommissioning plans that he would give me a copy of. I'll have to take him up on that offer.

Mack,
I don't think 9001/9002 is being saved for anyone. It does tweak the imagination, though, since it's been OOS since late December. I'll ask 2 people who may know. One, the Gang Foreman from that side, and the other a Master Mechanic that should know.

Mark777,
I had a list going of cars with blue stripes that I had seen around town. It is not necessarily all-inclusive. And of course, some of the cars have since been canned. It's in the LIRR forum here somewhere. IIRC, many of the numbers were in the 600s.

Tom

The train I just got off of in Penn this morning had a set in the consist with blue stripes. M-3's 9933 and 9934. Has anyone checked back in old posts. I rememeber seeing a list of these cars somewhere a long time ago

I am now hearing info that 9001/9002 are in fact being saved.
See separate thread about future of 9001/9002.

Tom

Copied and edited from the other thread:

Saw both pair of M-3s 9829/9830 and 9843/9844 in the same consist the other day. 9829 and 9830 do indeed have both end caps with blue stripe.
As Neil pointed out, 9843 has a blue end cap stripe, but 9844 has a yellow end cap stripe.

List of LIRR cars seen still sporting blue side stripes:

9547/548
9627/628
9629/630
9637/638
9655/656
9659/660
9711/712
9803/804
9869/870
9915/916
9933/934

There may be others. Some of these (M-1 only) may not be around any longer.

Tom

Note: There was a logged item a couple months ago about one of the M-3 cars cited above that does not have the yellow end cap stripe. I don't know if the stripe was in fact changed to yellow at that time, or was let go the way it was. There's some homework for you sharp-eyed guys.

You can take 9655/56 off of that list. I think it was taken out for scrapping the same week as the 9673/74. I have seen that blue end cap striped car around here on the Ronkonkoma line lately.

Tom,Em and all: Thanks for the info - Are 9609-10 still around? This pair has blue stripes and is the last pair with the Gabreski-era WE SERVE WITH PRIDE still on them. Also car 9204 still has this too. I remember that it was separated from its mate for a time. I also remember noting that 9755-6 are out of service-I remember that there were two pair of original "Silver Bullets" from 1982- that pair along with 9701-2. I liked their "Stealth" look w/o the yellow front stripe. Any information? MACTRAXX

I dug up this shot I have of 9673/74 but it isn't the north side: