M9 and M9A Procurement & Acceptance

And speaking of the M-9's operating features, I'm told they have an interesting new something for stopping or slowing more smoothly than the M-7's. Called "safe stopping" or some similar name? Any engineers on here who could explain to us about that?

Head-end View wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:47 pm I'm surprised LIRR did that. I thought they would try to save money by not doing the M-3's since they're going to be gone anyway as the new M-9's take their place, if the rest of them get into service anytime soon. Kudo's to LIRR for having sense enough to keep some of the M-3's available.

Not much choice, operationally, PTC must be online the end of 2020. There wouldn't be enough M9s in service to meet the car availability need. 80 M3 cars were equipped with PTC, the other 40+ would not and cannot be the controlling units of the consist. Those will be the first to go, with the M9A replacing the remainder.

So does anyone know if any more M-9's have been delivered or gone into revenue service since August? It's been a while since we've heard any news about this.

Passing by on a work train it looks like class units 9101 and 9102 are ready to finally make their way to the LIRR from Yonkers. Looks they’re being prepped for shipping soon.

I have heard that more M9s are testing lately. Does anyone know how many are in service and how many are currently in service?

I saw an M9 test train today at Jamaica and the east car # was 9090, which surprised me. That's a much higher number than what we've seen up to now. Maybe some long awaited progress is finally being made.

Head-end View wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:00 pm I saw an M9 test train today at Jamaica and the east car # was 9090, which surprised me. That's a much higher number than what we've seen up to now. Maybe some long awaited progress is finally being made.

They are into the 9100s now.

Anyone know how many are actually in-service? Back in July we were told it was 52 at that time.

Head-end View wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:18 pm Anyone know how many are actually in-service? Back in July we were told it was 52 at that time.

This was the fleet availability today...

Engines
DE30 24 units - 17 available
DM30 21 units - 13 available
Totals 45 units - 30 available
66% available

Diesel Coaches
C3 134 units - 116 available
86% available

MU Coaches
M3 142 units - 0 available
M7 836 units - 750 available
M9 78 units - 70 available
Totals 1056 units - 820 available
77% available


So 70 available M9's. Whether that's the number used in revenue service, I don't know. There's usually a train set in the Hillside Boneyard used for non-revenue testing.

Anyone know why M9s are now being delivered from Omaha to NY by truck instead of rail? Were any M7s delivered by truck?

Pensyfan19 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:39 am Anyone know why M9s are now being delivered from Omaha to NY by truck instead of rail? Were any M7s delivered by truck?

This was discussed some time ago. After the Belt Railway of Chicago humped the original cars and heavily damaged them while they were in transit, Kawasaki made the decision to truck them instead. This was towards the beginning of the order. Since then the cars are pre-assembled in Lincoln, NE (not Omaha), trucked to Yonkers for final assembly, then picked up by CSX and delivered to Fresh Pond on rail for final pickup by LIRR.


Kawasaki resumed shipping by rail with the start of CDOT/Metro North's M8 option order, but has chosen to complete the M9 order by truck.

Why wouldn't they run via an MNRR extra to SHELL for pickup?

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:06 pm Why wouldn't they run via an MNRR extra to SHELL for pickup?

The M8 option order cars? They are interchaged at Croton West Yard on the Hudson Line, which is the official interchange point between MNR & CSX. MNR then brings them to New Haven for acceptance.


If you are refering to the M9s, LIRR does not own them until they are accepted after testing. Kawasaki determines how they ship their cars. Also CSX Yonkers to Pond via Hell Gate is done in one shot taking just a couple hours.

Assuming on the Oak Point link, right?

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:29 pm Assuming on the Oak Point link, right?

Correct. Yonkers to Oak Point Yard, run around and go directly to Fresh Pond. Each move is done as a straight shot with no "layover" at Oak Point.