Type 8 acceptance sighting: 3869 test train

Tonight at Park St. I spotted car 3869 with "test train" signage rolling through northbound and then about 4 min. later southbound. (I'm assuming it looped at GC.)

According to NETransit http://members.aol.com/rtspcc/roster/MBTAroster.html it's in acceptance testing, but I'm wondering a couple things about what this means...

- I spotted it at 9:15PM; isn't that really odd, acceptance testing during revenue hours?

- There was a huge case (like a band's concert roadbox) in one of the wheelchair areas, with cabled draped from the handrails going up to the operator's cab. What are they monitoring that needs a box of gear that big?

- I think I counted four guys in that car. I swear one was lying down sleeping, and one guy was in the rear cab looking really zoned out. How long could they have been in there? Is acceptance testing some kind of equipment marathon?!?

This takes the cake for the strangest MBTA sighting I've had in a while.

Did you take any pictures of it??

And Im hoping this is good news for the rest of the M8 fleet also...

There have been a few times in the past when the T tested some of the Breda's in between revenue trains. Those boxes etc that you will see in the cars when they are testing are mostly the diagnostics tools to monitor and check different things. Would anyone happen to know what the three cars at Littleton are doing? The NET trainsit says that they are there for a modification program??? I'm guessing they are trying to hammer some more of the bugs out of them.

Robert Paniagua wrote:Did you take any pictures of it??

Nope - the wife needed the camera for a few days. Rats!!

People have posted here about having a disposable camera at all times - and now I'm a believer!

Oh bummer!

Maybe you should get your own recyclable camera, or better yet, a camera cellphone and even sneak pictures of the latest T8s that we may not be aware of.. A digital camera is the best way to get shots of such equipment too.

Ok while you disagree with the mod's comment I disagree with you. I don't think you have a good understanding on how he said "sneak". The Breda's are tested during the day in between revenue trains so it is not really sneaking when you take shots of them. Before you go off the deep end next time you should consider the direction of the post. I don't see anything that's not appropriate or wrong.

...except that you're supposed to have a photo permit to take photos on MBTA property. That's why it would be considered "sneaking" photos, because technically it's illegal. Granted, I'm sure many of us have done this before, but should it be publicly encouraged?

Now, of course there's nothing wrong with taking photos from public vantage points, but Park Street station doesn't exactly fall under that category.

astrosa wrote:...except that you're supposed to have a photo permit to take photos on MBTA property. That's why it would be considered "sneaking" photos, because technically it's illegal. Granted, I'm sure many of us have done this before, but should it be publicly encouraged?

Now, of course there's nothing wrong with taking photos from public vantage points, but Park Street station doesn't exactly fall under that category.

Exactly, you can take as many pics as you want if you are taking them from the street level because that is not part of the MBTA's property.

Ok while you disagree with the mod's comment I disagree with you. I don't think you have a good understanding on how he said "sneak". The Breda's are tested during the day in between revenue trains so it is not really sneaking when you take shots of them. Before you go off the deep end next time you should consider the direction of the post. I don't see anything that's not appropriate or wrong.

Thank you, AEM7AC 0920. I agree more with you than Mr. Tusk, he just likes to start trouble here.

And Mr. Tusk, if you haven't noticed yet, I have killed your last two posts in this topic, since they are in violation of this site-wide rules. Thanks for understanding.

Now, let's get back to the original topic!

I think the type 8 rollout has been done in an interesting way. Why only one line at a time? Will they ever return to the C? Or make an appearance on the D?

Jumbotusk, There is an occasional Type 8 now and then on the C line at night. The Green Line has barely enough cars to make their rush hours and have enough to cover the BC line with the cars they have. They are banned for now on the E Heath St and don't go on the D Riverside in revenue or a shop trip, has to be pretty scewed up to be sent to Riverside. Most all maintence is done at the Res.