F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:So 3686 takes the prize as the very last original-paint unit left in service. Get your photos while you can.Kudos to K-S for building such dependable cars, but I've refused to photograph rustbuckets like 3686 for the last few years. I have plenty of images of Type 7's in the original scheme before they developed those giant rust blotches, and I'd rather not remember that the MBTA allowed cars to run in such decrepit condition for so long.
Railroad Forums
Type 7 Overhaul Program
- Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
3686 is now out of service for overhaul, meaning there are no original green type 7s left in service. 5 other non-rehabs remain in service, 4 of which are teal, and one of which is the new green.
With the testing line clearing fast, we're probably looking at 2 more departees in the next 7 days as "in-testing" and "prep-to-ship" cars rapidly trade places. Thus, the countdown to the final non-rebuilt 3600 revenue trip should hit the first week of October at current pace.
This brings up an interesting quirk in the timetable. Per the contract Alstom has a full calendar year to return 3700-series pilot car 3714, which departed Riverside for Hormel the final week of Oct. 2016. It's possible they may take a mini-pause during October to let Alstom flush out the 3600 rebuild line rather than maintaining an unbroken pace of 20 OOS cars @ Hormel by immediately picking up more 3700's after w/o 10/1. Could mean they start doing some prelim work on wreck rebuild 3609. Could mean the T takes the opportunity to clear out the dead line of all the other cars that are going to be scrapped for parts (they need to clear out some yard space anyway for when the first Type 9 pilot arrives in a few months). Could mean Riverside gets a built-in break on the testing line to free up bandwidth for fixing a few of the 8 OOS Bredas before winter hits. Any way you slice it the itinerary and pace could get revamped now that we're on the cusp of crossing the 3600-to-3700 pivot in the rebuild program.
This brings up an interesting quirk in the timetable. Per the contract Alstom has a full calendar year to return 3700-series pilot car 3714, which departed Riverside for Hormel the final week of Oct. 2016. It's possible they may take a mini-pause during October to let Alstom flush out the 3600 rebuild line rather than maintaining an unbroken pace of 20 OOS cars @ Hormel by immediately picking up more 3700's after w/o 10/1. Could mean they start doing some prelim work on wreck rebuild 3609. Could mean the T takes the opportunity to clear out the dead line of all the other cars that are going to be scrapped for parts (they need to clear out some yard space anyway for when the first Type 9 pilot arrives in a few months). Could mean Riverside gets a built-in break on the testing line to free up bandwidth for fixing a few of the 8 OOS Bredas before winter hits. Any way you slice it the itinerary and pace could get revamped now that we're on the cusp of crossing the 3600-to-3700 pivot in the rebuild program.
Per the contract Alstom has a full calendar year to return 3700-series pilot car 3714, which departed Riverside for Hormel the final week of Oct. 2016. It's possible they may take a mini-pause during October to let Alstom flush out the 3600 rebuild line rather than maintaining an unbroken pace of 20 OOS cars @ Hormel by immediately picking up more 3700's after w/o 10/1.Hormel is a meat packing company.
Hornell in a city in New York where Alstom has a plant.
Lee
ebtmikado wrote: Hormel is a meat packing company.Good to know.
Hornell in a city in New York where Alstom has a plant.
Lee
ebtmikado wrote:Too much Spam for this threadPer the contract Alstom has a full calendar year to return 3700-series pilot car 3714, which departed Riverside for Hormel the final week of Oct. 2016. It's possible they may take a mini-pause during October to let Alstom flush out the 3600 rebuild line rather than maintaining an unbroken pace of 20 OOS cars @ Hormel by immediately picking up more 3700's after w/o 10/1.Hormel is a meat packing company.
Hornell in a city in New York where Alstom has a plant.
Lee
Puke-teal 3620 yanked for prep-to-ship. Be on the lookout for it if you're driving the Pike westbound this weekend to go apple-picking.
The final four non-rebuilds:
3647 (teal)
3674 (teal)
3682 (teal)
3694 (new green)
Rebuilt 3655 has been in-testing for almost 10 days now, so probably will see another one drop out Mon./Tues.
The final four non-rebuilds:
3647 (teal)
3674 (teal)
3682 (teal)
3694 (new green)
Rebuilt 3655 has been in-testing for almost 10 days now, so probably will see another one drop out Mon./Tues.
3600 has been back for a while too, not sure why NETransit doesn't mention it.
3694 (new green) yanked for prep-to-ship. Final three non-rebuilds are puke-teals 3647, 3674, 3682.
3600 and 3655 are back in-service, and 3695 has entered testing. Since there are only 19 OOS cars in the program at-present, after 3694 leaves town on a flatbed there'll be a 20th Alstom slot to immediately fill by yanking another non-rebuild.
3600 and 3655 are back in-service, and 3695 has entered testing. Since there are only 19 OOS cars in the program at-present, after 3694 leaves town on a flatbed there'll be a 20th Alstom slot to immediately fill by yanking another non-rebuild.
Down to just 3 original Type 7s now. 3694 has been withdrawn from service.
3687 has returned and is in testing. 3609 is now listed as being prepped to be shipped to Alstom, after finally getting its repairs. Also, NETransit now mentions that 3702, 3718, and 3711 or 3719A/3711B will be overhauled by Alstom.
We've passed the year mark since 3714 went to Alstom. While obviously not their top priority, they do have to get the pilot in testing before they can start grabbing the other 37's. So 3714 is either going to show up at Riverside very soon now that there's only 3 more 3600 non-rebuilds to exchange into the program, or there's going to be a little bit of a lull coming in November to flush the rebuild line with returnees before carting away more 37's. Since the Type 8 dead line hasn't budged all summer, maybe they're better off prioritizing loading up for winter with returnees.
What is the extent of the differences between the 3600s and the 3700s?
Nothing major, but it's S.O.P. to separate out each generation of ordering batches with a designated pilot unit or two that gets extra-long lead time for turnaround in order to shake down any subtle evolutionary differences that may affect systems integration in the rebuild. Even the K-car rebuilds are front-loading 1 single BTC-4A (1997-era) pilot and 1 single BTC-4B (2001-era) pilot into the program with extended deadlines while they are still working on the second half of the BTC-4/CTC-4 ('91-era) roster.
For the 37's, the luxurious deadline for returning pilot 3714 probably has way more to do with the T's desire to keep foot pressed firmly on gas for getting all 3600 rebuilds back in service before winter than it has to do with actual technical differences with the 37's chewing up more time. This is simply the emphasis that keeps car availability at its absolute highest over winter, vs. potentially slowing down the pace of returnees by attempting to multitask work on the batch that's barely 20 years old and still running in better condition unrebuilt than the supposedly "newer" Bredas. Choice of priorities.
For the 37's, the luxurious deadline for returning pilot 3714 probably has way more to do with the T's desire to keep foot pressed firmly on gas for getting all 3600 rebuilds back in service before winter than it has to do with actual technical differences with the 37's chewing up more time. This is simply the emphasis that keeps car availability at its absolute highest over winter, vs. potentially slowing down the pace of returnees by attempting to multitask work on the batch that's barely 20 years old and still running in better condition unrebuilt than the supposedly "newer" Bredas. Choice of priorities.
Last edited by CRail on Wed Oct 25, 2017 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Nesting quotes removed.