F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:They have a good track record purchasing secondhand rolling stock cheaply to plug gaps, but they've never hung onto any of it long enough to reach a rebuild cycle milestone. SLE's entire history of rolling stock was one of dilapidated old junk in 1990...traded-up to ever-so-slightly less dilapidated old junk in the mid-90's...traded up to lightly worn not-junk in the '00s.Not completely true. The 1600-series Bombardier coaches were purchased new in 1991-92(?) I guess as a piggyback order. Those included the 4 cabs, 2 trailers, and 4 HEP equipped trailers. I believe the only reason the SPVs got rebuilt afterwards was because ridership was increasing and there wasn't enough money in the coffers for more actual new coaches. Never had a chance to ride the PATrain coaches -though I do recall seeing them from I-95 parked behind the yard @ NHV) but rode the "Constitution Liners" many many times growing up so though they may have been "junk" they really weren't that bad; the seats on those beat those super uncomfy Mafersa seats hands down.
As for the P40s let's hope they stick with the same old thing paint job-wise and don't come back in something along the lines of the BL20GH livery!
