New Cars for the ME?

Stumbled across this picture and noticed the ME reporting marks and wondered if the ME purchased these. Anyone know? http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=1999591

Former LIRR MP72/75 coaches? I recall some were scrapped at South Jefferson in 2007.

These cars went to Stourbridge, Were picked up in Lackawaxen last night and brought up to the coach yard off of main street. Is going to be used for the Strourbdige line.

Those cars are SHARP looking.

Confirming what tim5405 said, We moved these from Lackawaxen on friday night. We placed them west of the LASB snowplow which is OOS in Honesdale, I was told these were original California Zephyr cars, they are set up for dinning service tables on one side and bar on other side. The plan as I understand it is to repaint all of the passenger cars that remain in service to match the Black/Orange/Gray of the BL2 # 54 This is a longer term goal. The 54 may be back in Honesdale by the end of the month.

bvesbc wrote:I was told these were original California Zephyr cars, they are set up for dinning service tables on one side and bar on other side.

The two cars pictured in the photo could not be original California Zephyr equipment, as all of the original CZ equipment was stainless steel cars built by Budd for CB&Q, C&S, D&RGW and WP.

This really looks like former LIRR cars built by Pullman Standard.

They look like former Montreal AMT cars that may now be surplus due to the MLV order.

I took photos of inside earlier today, not sure how to post them here?? everything inside is in french so since I dont speak french we will resort to the tried and true flip the breakers and see what comes on! Some of the markings are from the Butte Anaconda & Pacific Railway, but I dont believe that these were original to that railway. I have no idea about their use on the california zephyr thats just the story I got from some one else. Im no railroad historian and im sure that someone on here can tell me more about these cars than I could ever figure out! I can say that these cars likely originated from our friends to the north. ie, all control markings are in french and thay have Can-Car trucks.

bvesbc wrote:I took photos of inside earlier today, not sure how to post them here?? everything inside is in french so since I dont speak french we will resort to the tried and true flip the breakers and see what comes on! Some of the markings are from the Butte Anaconda & Pacific Railway, but I dont believe that these were original to that railway. I have no idea about their use on the california zephyr thats just the story I got from some one else. Im no railroad historian and im sure that someone on here can tell me more about these cars than I could ever figure out! I can say that these cars likely originated from our friends to the north. ie, all control markings are in french and thay have Can-Car trucks.

Which confirms what I said about them being ex-AMT Commuter cars.

Ken, that is very possible that they are ex AMT cars. If they are, the B A & P must of done some serious upgrades inside, I have never seen crushed velvet interior in a commuter car and they have a half dozen or more flat screen monitors mounted in the center of both coaches. Either way they are a cosmic step forward compared to some of our other equipment on the SBR. And I will be happy to see them repainted and put into service!

They are AMT cars end of that debate. Any chance that these cars will be seeing any action on the Whippany line?

I talked to a friend who is an engineer with CP In the Montreal area. He confirmed that the two cars in the photo are cocahes built by CC&F in 1953 for CPR. In total, 40 were built by CC&F; all were transferred from CP to the CTCUM (Montreal Transit Authority) in 1983, then to the AMT in the 1990s. The ME 802 number corresponds to the AMT car number.

Anything is possible, but I doubt that you will see these cars in NJ they were purchased for the exclusive use on the SBRy. But like I said anything is possible!

Well does the ME now actually own the SBRY? I was thinking if they did and if ridership declined, then maybe. I don't know anything about the SBRY and their ridership. They are located in a remote part of PA, and the line doesn't look flourishing so I'm assuming their ridership isn't at a high, but I really wouldn't know.

Mr. Brancato of Ideal Steel owns the Stourbridge Railway. The M&E operates it.

Ridership on the tourist runs has never really been all that phenominal in my past observations and with fewer than 50% of seats sold on the last run I was on. My opinion, the price is too high. The ride is lovely and the track has only been getting better and better with the M&E taking care of it.

Things are looking up for the Stourbridge Line. Keep your ears to the rails.