DMU's - In Use Anywhere

[Jeff Smith]

While adding some forums, I researched Nippon Sharyo a bit, because I've heard of their DMU's (there was talk of using them on the LIRR which did not come to pass). So I wondered if they were in use anywhere, and if they'd be OF use anywhere.

Here's the catalog, which doesn't go into much detail other than to say they meet US Safety Regulations. Whether that's for use on mixed roads (passenger AND freight) or closed systems I don't know.

http://www.nipponsharyousa.com/nisshadmucatalog.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

Interesting.

The PDF says "unrestricted operation on the general railroad system" — to me, at least, that implies they're OK for use on mixed freight/passenger lines.

[dowlingm]

Wondering if this is a trick question, given they are in service in Toronto and soon to be in California.

[Rockingham Racer]

Aren't DMUs used for the Denton, TX service? The Westside service in Portland, OR? Sprinter in Southern California?

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Not Nippon's. AFAIK theirs are only used so far by SMART and Metrolinx on this continent.

[dowlingm]

WES were supposed to have bought an option on an NS DMU but apart from appearing in a PowerPoint slide nothing else seemed to come of that

[electricron]

Aren't DMUs used for the Denton, TX service? The Westside service in Portland, OR? Sprinter in Southern California?

Yes, and in many more locales too.
DMU transit operators in North America:
NJT River Line (Camden - Trenton) 20 Stadler GTWs - Non FRA compliant - since 2004
NCTD Sprinter (Oceanside - Escondido) 12 Siemens Desiros - Non FRA compliant - since 2008
CapMetro Rail (Austin - Leander) 6+4 Stadler GTWs - Non FRA compliant - since 2010
DCTA A-Train (Denton - Carrolton) 11 Stadler GTWs - Alternate FRA - since 2011
BART eBART (Pittsburgh - Antioch) 8 Stadler GTWs - Non FRA compliant - testing line 2016
FWTA TexRail (Ft. Worth - Grapevine) 8 Stadler Flirts - Alternate FRA - starts construction 2016

TRE (Dallas - Ft. Worth) 13 Budd RDCs - FRA compliant - since 1996 but idle since 2014
TriRail (Miami - West Palm Beach) 4 Colorado DMUs + 2 trailers - FRA Compliant - since 2006
Alaska Railroad (Anchorage - Chugach) 1 Colorado DMU - FRA Compliant - since 2009
TriMet WES (Beaverton - Wilsonville) 3 Colorodo DMUs + 1 trailer - FRA compliant - since 2009
TriMet WES (Beaverton - Wilsonville) 2 Budd RDCs - FRA compliant - since 2011
Metrolinx UP Express (Toronto) 18 (3x6) Nippon Sharyo DMUs - FRA compliant - since 2015
SMART (Santa Rosa - San Rafael) 18 (2x9) Nippon Sharyo DMUs - FRA compliant - testing line 2016
Additionally, VIA rail owns and operates Budd RDCs, but where and how many are in operations varies too much to list here.

As far as LIRR future operations, I'm thinking the Nippon Sharyo DMUs will best fit their operation requirements being fully FRA compliant. But I'm not sure they need DMUs when they have diesel locomotives and trailer cars available for use.

[dowlingm]

VIA operates RDCs on the White River-Sudbury route, and has been running some trials in the London, ON area with a view to taking over some services to Sarnia, the results of which are not yet public. The former Vancouver Island service is suspended. The website admits to 6 (one of which is an RDC-4 bag) but CPTDB wiki lists the same total but 2 bags.