Maine MEDOT proposed RDC service brunswick-rockland

electricron wrote:Did anyone get any photos over the July 4th weekend? If not, I hope somebody will either get photos or videos in early August. Come on guys and gals, a Texan would like to see what AllEarth has done to these RDCs.

Here's a video of one of the RDCs in transit to Maine via CSX in Ayer and another vid of the car being transported by MRS. The car itself is painted in a solid silver coating with only the AllEarth reporting mark & car # stamped on one end and the Midcoast logo placed on a window on the other end of the car. So a much simpler look than the TRE/DCTA colors, but my does it look sharp!

NH2060 wrote:The car itself is painted in a solid silver coating

That's stainless steel, not paint....

NHV 669 wrote:

NH2060 wrote:The car itself is painted in a solid silver coating

That's stainless steel, not paint....

*Drops to knees and begs for forgiveness for committing the unspeakable cardinal sin of innocuously mischaracterizing a type of metal I know exists as a longtime fan of vintage passenger train equipment *

The point is the car has barely any markings on it compared to the carriers it has served with previously….

No need to get so overly defensive over something so trivial.... calm down.

They took off the end/side wraps, and added a few stickers and a nameplate to acknowledge the current owner and operator, not much of a change.

Brings up a question. When ownership of car or loco changes does the RFID card have to be changed before unit moves? That might be in AAR rules?

lobster fest is first week of august correct? and is their rockland stop the bar in the old rockland station?

All of that info was posted multiple times on the previous page of this thread, as well as on their website:

https://coastlinerexcursions.com/excursions.html#

>is anyone planning to go see these (other than me)

Yes..it will be a Father's Day Family Train Outing

More testing with 2003 occurring presently.

IMO RDCs and DMUs are the answer not only for this route but others that have very limited potential. They are ideal for limited passenger potential. Flexibility to add cars at last minute for unexpected demand is also easier than fixed consists. A 4 - 6 car Downeaster just does not make sense.

Items"
a. 2 Completely independent power plants that can be interconnected if necessary in each car. None of this Amtrak nonsense that caused 2 power plant cars to have one RDC power plant to be removed due to crew issues.
b. one car and maybe 2 car trains to have just one 1 conductor / engineer required. Probably FRA approval needed. Those routes would have expedited grade cross upgrades with 4 quadrant gates within 2 years of start up.
c. Able to attach to regular passenger trains Capable of driving regular train from DMU cab. Full HEP capable to both regular trains and between cars if necessary.
d. Rapid connection of cars such as New Haven RR had around the Cape Cod locations.
e. Start service immediately with out studies and see if it works.
f. ADA exemption until determined it will work on any route.

I thought MU length trains made sense up to 4 cars, then Loco hauled for more than that?

west point wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2023 1:37 pm.
f. ADA exemption until determined it will work on any route.

I strongly disagree with ADA exemptions, especially for RDCs that have already been modified for wheelchair seating.
Miini-High platforms are not that expensive to install on low level platforms. DCTA and TRE had mini-high platforms on their station platforms, and still do.
Here's a few images that show how cheaply they can be built.
https://img.masstransitmag.com/files/ba ... 0&fit=clip
https://img.masstransitmag.com/files/ba ... width=1251
https://michaelminn.net/railroads/syste ... rected.jpg

TRE's mini highs iooked far more expensive and were used for over a decade, but the DCTA's mini-highs are just steel supported ramps and platforms bolted atop the permanent platform. My point is that they do not have to great works of art, they can be just functional.

My point for ADA is certainly use short platform with ramp. But off the ramp also needs work than takes time. But if regular passengers & ADAs have to wait for any service what benefit is that? At least some can use semi permanent ADA parts then so much the better. ie no service for 2 years or limited service for some + all regular passengers. Station waits for ADA have no excuse for no service for even some ADAs.

Now the NOL <> MOB certainly is an example as facilities are being built now at most locations. But do not stall service for that reason. But money has to be locked in so delays are not permitted.

west point wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2023 8:08 pm My point for ADA is certainly use short platform with ramp. But off the ramp also needs work than takes time. But if regular passengers & ADAs have to wait for any service what benefit is that? At least some can use semi permanent ADA parts then so much the better. ie no service for 2 years or limited service for some + all regular passengers. Station waits for ADA have no excuse for no service for even some ADAs.

I will agree that the entire station should be wheelchair accessible, should not all public buildings be so by now?
Mini-highs are sufficient with RDCs everywhere else, they should be so in Maine as well. As for delays, the tourism type of service they will be used for in Maine has far less schedule pressure than a commuting type train on TRE and DCTA. Where, in fact mini-highs have been used successfully for over a decade if service without scheduling conflicts.
I think you are making way too much fuss with any delays. You do not have to reinvent them, working designs already exist.

Adult tickets are 20 bucks for Lobster Fest next weekend:

https://coastlinerexcursions.com/excursions.html