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Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

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 #1219595  by Jeff Smith
 
The official release:

Billions To Build New Rail Cars

To Be Constructed In Yonkers
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has approved a contract with Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. for up to $1.83 billion to design and build the next generation of rail cars for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad.

The MTA expects up to 676 cars will be assembled at Kawasaki’s plant in Yonkers and anticipates up to 1,500 people will be employed in New York State.

“We have been constantly working to improve the state’s infrastructure and transit systems to better serve New Yorkers,” said Cuomo. “This contract will not only make the Metro-North and LIRR more efficient and resilient, but the additional cars will be assembled right here in New York, helping create jobs and grow the regional economy. I thank Kawasaki Rail Car for their partnership and look forward to seeing further upgrades to our mass transit system.”

The cars will be used to replace 1980s-era M3 railcars that serve the LIRR’s eight electric branches and Metro-North’s Harlem and Hudson Lines and to expand fleet capacity for both railroads to allow for ridership growth. A portion of this contract and related development costs are funded with $355.5 million from the MTA’s 2010-2014 Capital Plan. The initial contract will provide 92 cars to the LIRR.

If funding is available in the forthcoming 2015-2019 MTA Capital Plan and the railroads choose to exercise future options, Kawasaki will manufacture up to 304 additional cars for the LIRR and up to 280 cars for Metro-North.

The cars will incorporate the most successful and popular features of the railroads’ two recent electric car classes, the M7s that serve the LIRR and Metro-North’s Harlem and Hud- son Lines, and the M8s serving Metro-North’s New Haven Line.

The cars will have larger windows than the M3 cars they are replacing, automated public address announcements in car interiors and exteriors, and single leaf doors for improved reliability. They will also continue the M7/M8 configuration for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that has proven to be more resilient in extreme weather and more effective at providing customer comfort in all types of weather conditions.

“While we spend a lot of time and energy modernizing our railroads’ aging infrastructure, few improvements are more visible and more welcomed by customers than updating our trains,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “Our last major joint railroad car procurement produced highly dependable trains that have helped improve our on time performance and are providing years of reliable and safe transportation. We anticipate that this latest update to our fleet will produce the same positive results.”

As with railroads’ previous electric car classes, the majority of cars under this contract will be manufactured as “married pairs” composed of two nearly identical cars permanently coupled together and sharing a restroom, cabs for engineer or conductor, and electrical systems. Each pair is designed to seat 221 passengers, eight more than the M7 pairs.

The MTA benefited from competition for this contract. The MTA, with the LIRR acting as the lead agency, initially advertised a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the cars in June 2012. Twelve carbuilders received initial RFP packages from the MTA containing technical details of the cars.

After initial consultations, the MTA determined that six of them were qualified to submit initial price and technical proposals, and three ultimately did so. Best and final offers from each of the responding carbuilders were received in August 2013.

The proposals for the contract were evaluated on a host of financial and technical criteria, including price, percentage of New York State content going into the cars, and the percentage of U.S. domestically produced steel used in the cars. The winning proposer, Kawasaki, provided the most attractive pricing.

The M3 cars being replaced by the M9 cars entered service between 1984 and 1986. Upon their retirement, they will have served the region for more than 30 years.
 #1219711  by lirr42
 
I am quite fond of the black window trim that's seen on the M8's. Especially at the B-ends of the car.
 #1219817  by Tadman
 
I like how they cited "larger windows" like they did something nice for the passengers. I bet they're just large enough to meet the new federal regs for window size. These regs were made because in an emergency, it's hard to get a stretcher with a man on it through the old smaller windows seen on Budd products from the past generations.
 #1219845  by Jeff Smith
 
lirr42 wrote:I am quite fond of the black window trim that's seen on the M8's. Especially at the B-ends of the car.
Have you seen that commercial? The mom tells her daughters it's a "smokey", i.e. the raccoon look of makeup.

I'm inclined to agree with Tad; I'm sure it's safety reg related to help evacuate people of, um, larger girth. Hey, I'm 6'0 200 and not as flexible as I was years ago, so I appreciate it.

So the contract is let. Of course, Kawasaki is still finishing up the M-8's. The first few of those were built in Japan, and then they moved the production to Nebraska. When they say they'll be assembled in Yonkers, does that mean the entire manufacturing process?

I.e. what I'm asking is, what exactly are the logistics? Will 100% of the assembly be done here with the parts shipped in? Will anything be done in NE? It seems to me K'saki will be busy a while with M-8's. Or will they be done with them by the time design is done and construction is ready to start? Just trying to get a handle on the timeline.
 #1219848  by lirr42
 
Mr. Smith, I am under the impression that the cars will be assembled entirely at Kawasaki's Lincoln, NE plant. By time they work up and finish all the designs, the M8 order will be just about wrapped up and the factories will be prime to crank out more M9's.

I was under the impression that the Yonkers plant would be tied up producing subway cars for the next while so the M9's would not be constructed there (there may be some modifications done there at a a later date, but they are to be built in NE).
 #1219854  by Jeff Smith
 
One other question: will the M9's be just that, i.e. just M9's? Or will there be an "A" version? A lot of my reading has discussed the inter-operability between LIRR and MNRR.

I assume that at a minimum that means the dual DC shoes. But since there's no direct DC connection, what's the difference? I understand having dual shoes on the M-8's for PSAS. Is this just to pool the entire fleet in case there are issues? Are we talking coupling, train lines, signals, controls, etc.? What were the differences in the past?

Are their plans somewhere for electrifying the Empire Connection south of SD? What would that be, four or five miles? I guess that would be similar to the DC extension from Woodlawn to Pelham...
 #1219855  by DutchRailnut
 
The M-9's and M9a's will be assembled in Yonkers, the shells will probably still come from Lincoln Ne
 #1219856  by Jeff Smith
 
Thanks Mr. 42. I figured the work at Yonkers would not be the bulk of it. Would be great if Kawasaki could use some of the old rust belt manufacturing capacity around here that closed up long ago and hasn't been redeveloped...
 #1219866  by lirr42
 
Jeff Smith wrote:One other question: will the M9's be just that, i.e. just M9's? Or will there be an "A" version? A lot of my reading has discussed the inter-operability between LIRR and MNRR.

I assume that at a minimum that means the dual DC shoes. But since there's no direct DC connection, what's the difference? I understand having dual shoes on the M-8's for PSAS. Is this just to pool the entire fleet in case there are issues? Are we talking coupling, train lines, signals, controls, etc.? What were the differences in the past?

Are their plans somewhere for electrifying the Empire Connection south of SD? What would that be, four or five miles? I guess that would be similar to the DC extension from Woodlawn to Pelham...
I could have been misled with this too, but from the wordings of the RFI, RFP, and subsequent press releases from the MTA, I am under the impression that the M9 will be one car for both the LIRR and MNCR. They will have virtually everything the same and will most likely have double sided shoes and likely both cab signal systems. While there wouldn't been any direct connection (there are currently no pans on electrifying the Empire Connection, those only exist in some people's minds...) I think just having one design for simplicity's sake is the main idea here. The base order of 92 cars for the LIRR only will be financed through the 2009-2014 capital plan. Subsequent option cars (including any possible option cars for MNCR) would be financed through future capital plans.

The M9A cars would be additional cars for the LIRR only. They would most likely be procured with funding that is related in some sort to East Side Access. I'm not sure exactly what that entails, it probably has to do with some sort of federal grants that were earmarked for ESA. Cars purchased with that money can't really be wondering around Metro-North, so these cars would be in a separate order. That separate order will come much further down the line after most of the M9's are already in production. They will be visually similar to the M9's and they must be interoperable with them (Kawasaki must provide any relevant technical information about the M9's should the M9A contract go to a different manufacturer.) And if you believe everything you read in the LIRR forum, they might even be fitted out with some special belt-pack technology experiment for yard movements or something like that.

I also said this stuff in a sightly different way in this comment on my site.
 #1219872  by DutchRailnut
 
Don't forget the press releases are written by non-railroaders, so take things with a grain of salt.
the way it reads , does not guarantee its how it will be.
 #1317788  by runningwithscalpels
 
Front of it is hideous in yellow, but in blue I don't think they'll look too bad.
 #1354846  by Jeff Smith
 
Thought I'd refresh the topic and provide a couple of links and developments:

First, in the news: LoHud
Metro-North: New train cars, station upgrades on way
<SNIP>
Next-gen train cars: The railroad is looking to spend more than $500 million to give passengers a more comfortable ride as early as 2019.

Many of the cars on the Harlem and Hudson lines are 30 years old and showing their age. Sometimes a train will feature both the older electric cars (the M3 fleet) and newer ones from the M7 fleet, further illustrating the differences.
<SNIP>
The MTA has a standing contract with Yonkers-based Kawasaki Rail Car to build up to 280 cars known as M9s. Built as "married pairs," the cars will feature larger windows, an automated public address system, single doors and upgraded heating and air conditioning systems.
<SNIP>
They'll also seat 221 people — eight more than the M7 pairs.
 #1354848  by Jeff Smith
 
And official sources:

http://web.mta.info/lirr/about/Procurem ... Status.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
M-9 Passenger Railcar Procurement

Current Status

Pursuant to MTA Board approval received on September 18, 2013 Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), on behalf of itself and Metro North Railroad (MNR), awarded a contract to Kawasaki Rail Car of Yonkers , NY to design, build, test and deliver 92 M-9 Railcars together with certain Apparatus (spare parts, special tools, bench test equipment, etc.) required to operate and maintain the cars. The Contract contains Options for up to an additional 584 M-9 Cars to be shared between LIRR and MNR, pursuant to authorization of additional funding in the future MTA Capital Program.
and older news from 2013

http://www.mta.info/news/2013/09/19/new ... rth-fleets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
New Railcars for LIRR & Metro-North Fleets
Select Language​▼
September 19th, 2013

The MTA Board has approved a contract with Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., to design and build the next generation of rail cars for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad. The MTA expects up to 676 cars will be assembled at Kawasaki’s plant in Yonkers and anticipates up to 1,500 people will be employed in New York State. The contract will have an ultimate value of $1.8 billion if all 676 cars are built.
“We have been constantly working to improve the state’s infrastructure and transit systems to better serve New Yorkers,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “This contract will not only make the Metro-North and LIRR more efficient and resilient, but the additional cars will be assembled right here in New York, helping create jobs and grow the regional economy. I thank Kawasaki Rail Car for their partnership and look forward to seeing further upgrades to our mass transit system.”
The cars will be used to replace 1980s-era M3 railcars that serve the LIRR’s eight electric branches and Metro-North’s Harlem and Hudson Lines and to expand fleet capacity for both railroads to allow for ridership growth. A portion of this contract and related development costs are funded with $355.5 million from the MTA’s 2010-2014 Capital Plan. The initial contract will provide 92 cars to the LIRR. If funding is available in the forthcoming 2015-2019 MTA Capital Plan and the railroads choose to exercise future options, Kawasaki will manufacture up to 304 additional cars for the LIRR and up to 280 cars for Metro-North.
The cars will incorporate the most successful and popular features of the railroads’ two recent electric car classes, the M7s that serve the LIRR and Metro-North’s Harlem and Hudson Lines, and the M8s serving Metro-North’s New Haven Line. The cars will have larger windows than the M3 cars they are replacing, automated public address announcements in car interiors and exteriors, and single leaf doors for improved reliability. They will also continue the M7/M8 configuration for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that has proven to be more resilient in extreme weather and more effective at providing customer comfort in all types of weather conditions.
"I am happy to congratulate Kawasaki Rail Car on winning the M-9 contract," said Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. "I have had the privilege of working with Kawasaki since they moved to Yonkers. Their presence supports the regional economy and sustains hundreds of jobs in the City's downtown. These are some of the reasons why I am proud to support them and look forward to many more years of partnership."
Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow said, “This contract is good news for our state. With its highly reputable track record as the MTA'a leading and trusted supplier of new subway cars, riders who rely on Metro-North (and the LIRR) can be assured that the safety, reliability and efficiency of the M9 rail cars will enhance their daily commute. I am thrilled that Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. will continue to serve the constituents of Westchester County, New York City and Long Island.”
“While we spend a lot of time and energy modernizing our railroads’ aging infrastructure, few improvements are more visible and more welcomed by customers than updating our trains,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “Our last major joint railroad car procurement produced highly dependable trains that have helped improve our On Time Performance and are providing years of reliable and safe transportation. We anticipate that this latest update to our fleet will produce the same positive results.”
As with railroads’ previous electric car classes, the majority of cars under this contract will be manufactured as “married pairs” comprised of two nearly identical cars permanently coupled together and sharing a restroom, cabs for engineer or conductor, and electrical systems. Each pair is designed to seat 221 passengers, eight more than the M7 pairs.
The MTA benefited from robust competition for this contract. The MTA, with the LIRR acting as the lead agency, initially advertised a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the cars in June 2012. Twelve carbuilders received initial RFP packages from the MTA containing technical details of the cars. After initial consultations, the MTA determined that six of them were qualified to submit initial price and technical proposals, and three ultimately did so. Best and final offers from each of the responding carbuilders were received in August 2013.
The proposals for the contract were evaluated on a host of financial and technical criteria, including price, percentage of New York State content going into the cars, and the percentage of U.S. domestically produced steel used in the cars. The winning proposer, Kawasaki, provided the most attractive pricing.
The M3 cars being replaced by the M9 cars entered service between 1984 and 1986. Upon their retirement, they will have served the region for more than 30 years.
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