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

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

  by robelybasis
 
With PSA coming online in 2028 and electrification in the works for Hartford, Waterbury, and Danbury Lines, not to mention SLE being short on sets and additional NH ridership, it seems like CDOT and MNR are going to need additional rolling stock in the next 5-10 years. Does anybody know what the official plans are if there are even plans in place or what these next generation cars could look like?
  by gregorygrice
 
M9As to replace M3s are the next MU order. The last of the M8 option order arrived not too long ago and should cover what is needed for the most part. Aside from PSA, all of the other electrification projects you mentioned are at the pipe dream stage and will not require more electric trains in or lifetime. All of thode lines are slated to use coaches from CTDOT's new coach order.
  by robelybasis
 
Thanks for the info, CDOT however did state at last weeks CPTC meeting that for next SLE schedule change with the 5 million already approved, one of the 2 thru trains to Stamford being reinstated will be using diesel equipment due to a shortage of M8s, raising the question do they have a shortage of cars now?, branch lines aside?
  by ST Saint
 
The SLE M8 sets have their 3rd rail shoes removed due to bridge clearance somewhere on the eastern end of the line. If they were to pull more M8s from Metro North, they would need to be modified first. I don't believe there is any plan to pull more over than what they have since the contract for new M8s is done (I believe?).

Assumptions aside, they have plenty of diesels available so running one round trip diesel would be easy to do immediately.
  by R36 Combine Coach
 
gregorygrice wrote: Tue Jul 02, 2024 4:08 am M9As to replace M3s are the next MU order.
Haven't heard any developments from the MTA Capital Program for additional cars, as all LIRR M-9s have
been delivered, but not fully accepted.
  by gregorygrice
 
ST Saint wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2024 10:09 am The SLE M8 sets have their 3rd rail shoes removed due to bridge clearance somewhere on the eastern end of the line.
The clearance issue is with one of the first overgrade bridges east of Division Post.

ST Saint wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2024 10:09 am If they were to pull more M8s from Metro North, they would need to be modified first.
The only modification that is done to sets that run in SLE service at any given time is having the shoes screwed off. This is something that is done by mechanical overnight and does not require much effort. Sets that are currently in SLE service are usually rotated every PM cycle.
  by Jeff Smith
 
Greg, aren't the SLE sets painted with a special logo?
  by gregorygrice
 
Jeff Smith wrote: Wed Sep 11, 2024 8:21 am Greg, aren't the SLE sets painted with a special logo?
Its a rectangle vinyl that goes over the "MTA Metro-North Railroad" decal to help passengers at NHV differentiate between SLE trains and a standard MNR train. They can be removed and slapped on any cars they want.
  by NH2060
 
gregorygrice wrote: Tue Jul 02, 2024 4:08 am M9As to replace M3s are the next MU order. The last of the M8 option order arrived not too long ago and should cover what is needed for the most part. Aside from PSA, all of the other electrification projects you mentioned are at the pipe dream stage and will not require more electric trains in or lifetime. All of thode lines are slated to use coaches from CTDOT's new coach order.
Prediction:

Either the Mafersa cars + some of the existing locos will go back to SLE (as Adessia deliveries will commence in 2026) or more Adessia option cars + new Siemens diesels (or perhaps surplus ex-Amtrak ACS64s?) will be used for SLE service in place of the allocated M8s when PSA opens. If no more EMUs are on order -they’d have to be if they were going to be delivered in time by the end of 2027- then the 16 allocated M8s for SLE will need to go back into the equipment pool. The service levels and train lengths required will need every single M8 available; and contrary to what that op-ed in whatever CT publication it was published in a year ago said, the Adessia cars will *not* be used for the East Bronx trains.


I’ll go even further to predict that PSA trains will initially only ping back and forth between NYP and New Rochelle instead of running NYP-Stamford to allow for maximum equipment utilization. I’m not buying any claims from anyone about MNRR redirecting existing New Haven Line trains from GCT. If they do, commuters from Westchester and Greenwich will rightfully throw a fit over having their commuting options cut back forcing them to take other now more crowded trains.
  by Jeff Smith
 
I’ll go even further to predict that PSA trains will initially only ping back and forth between NYP and New Rochelle instead of running NYP-Stamford to allow for maximum equipment utilization. I’m not buying any claims from anyone about MNRR redirecting existing New Haven Line trains from GCT. If they do, commuters from Westchester and Greenwich will rightfully throw a fit over having their commuting options cut back forcing them to take other now more crowded trains.
Maybe they'll have learned from the LIRR GCT Madison controversy.
  by BM6569
 
Replacing the M3's is in the new 5 year capital plan that was just released
  by NH2060
 
I asked one of the operations employees at the Open House about what equipment would be used for Penn Station Access and he said there are no plans in the near future to order any more EMUs. Didn’t even mention anything about designing/planning long term for any M10 rail car.


So my prediction about the M-8s being repurposed away from SLE and being replaced once again by diesels might be onto something; PSA is as of now scheduled to open by the end of 2027 and those 24 cars designated for SLE will be needed to make 3-4 trainsets of 6-8 cars.