#14 Orange Line Cars 1400-1551 (From Red/Orange Procurement discussion)

[chrisf]

Sounds expensive. I've ridden on one of the new cars and the monitors are nice, but I'm not sure we need to spend more money for more of them. Get intelligible announcements and maybe an ceiling mounted sign with station info and you should be good to go

The train cars already in service have the extra, larger, displays installed now. This would be an upgrade for the additional cars.
I rode one of the trains the other day which was quite crowded and the displays weren't visible anyway, so even with the additional screens, they're of limited value at peak times.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/ ... r-upgrades

[Rbts Stn]

Sounds expensive. I've ridden on one of the new cars and the monitors are nice, but I'm not sure we need to spend more money for more of them. Get intelligible announcements and maybe an ceiling mounted sign with station info and you should be good to go

The train cars already in service have the extra, larger, displays installed now. This would be an upgrade for the additional cars.
I rode one of the trains the other day which was quite crowded and the displays weren't visible anyway, so even with the additional screens, they're of limited value at peak times.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/ ... r-upgrades

I had no choice but to watch the screen as I was jammed up against it during rush hour on a day that my S. Station train stopped at Ruggles for a medical emergency. Was REALLY easy to see it from 5 inches away

[MBTA1052]

Has there been a hold up of cars hitting MBTA property it seems like no pairs have arrived since 1412/13 came in last year?

[RenegadeMonster]

It looks like they are running some odd sets on the orange line.

I notice a set with a New Orange car in the lead. But most of the train was still the old cars. Odd. I didn't know they could pair them together.

[jwhite07]

The new cars' couplers are mechanically compatible so they can tow or be towed. They are NOT electrically compatible, so you will never see them in mixed consists in revenue service.

[RenegadeMonster]

I saw this on a revenue train this morning at Sullivan Square. A inbound train.

It looked like there was 1 new orange line car out front, the rest of the train was old cars. I thought I was going crazy thinking there must have been a pair of them.

[jwhite07]

From the specification (emphasis added):

D. Vehicle design (including mechanical coupling, anti-climber height, etc.) shall be compatible with existing vehicles. The new vehicles will not be operated in consists with existing vehicles, so electrical and pneumatic coupling/trainline compatibility shall not be required. (Addendum No. 8)

Link to spec here, search for "compatibility":
https://bc.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/Busin ... sions).pdf

[MBTA DMA]

If you've wondered " when will another pair of new orange line cars arrive ", 1414/1415 according to the inventory page were delivered earlier this month. So we have 16 (completely-built) new orange line cars delivered. One more pair and then there will be a third trainset. The board last month said a third trainset will be ready by late this month but if they don't have one more pair delivered by this month, that will not come true.

[johnpbarlow]

I was walking past the Mass Ave Orange Line station on Thursday evening (after dining at New York Pizza) and heard a robo arrival announcement over the station PA system something to the effect of "Now arriving - a train to Forest Hills of brand new Orange Line cars".

[TurningOfTheWheel]

I believe it's a new Frank Oglesby recorded announcement. Can't remember if the text-to-speech announcements mention the new trains.

[MBTA DMA]

1416/1417 has arrived so there soon in a few weeks there will be a third trainset ready for service.

[rethcir]

I believe it's a new Frank Oglesby recorded announcement. Can't remember if the text-to-speech announcements mention the new trains.

Today's technology should allow his voice to be synthesized so he could provide announcements in perpetuity.

[jwhite07]

...and have the T pay a licensing fee for the use of his voice to him and his descendants in perpetuity too.

[RenegadeMonster]

Reported on the news this morning. All new Orange Line trains have been taken out of service today and will remain out of service for some time as they work on resolving an issue.

Anyone know what that issue is?

[ssresident]

From an MBTA Tweet this morning:

The new Orange Line trains have been temporarily taken out of service. Inspectors identified a fault with the bolsters which is being corrected to ensure the vehicles are reliable & safe for the duration of their service lives. We expect to return them to service later this week.

https://twitter.com/MBTA/status/1234780 ... 57888?s=20