Type 7 Overhaul Program

I was looking at Stefan's tracker, and I noticed that one of the GL trains was marked as number "3679". It was running from Riverside to Kenmore. Since 3679B has been mated with 3636A, could this mean that 3636 has returned and is in testing?

Caught my first ride on a rebuild this morning. Haven't seen such a clean Type 7 since the 3700s were new! The faux wood grain panels were looking a little scuffed and worn but the rest of the interior looked like new.

You could do surgery under those interior lights!

Overhauleds seem especially numerous on the B of late. Was trainspotting BU Central last week from a barber's chair at Louie's while getting my hair cut. Seemed like every second or third consist that day had a shiny new 7 rebuild on it.

Type 7 3684 wrote:I was looking at Stefan's tracker, and I noticed that one of the GL trains was marked as number "3679". It was running from Riverside to Kenmore. Since 3679B has been mated with 3636A, could this mean that 3636 has returned and is in testing?

While theoretically possible, I have come to not really trust the car numbers put out by the tracker (99% confident that this is a raw data issue, not specific to Stefan's program). I have seen the Boeings (34XX, 35XX) show up on occasion, which certainly haven't been running any time recently.

There has been a slight delay in the transport of trains back to Boston.

ns3010 wrote:

Type 7 3684 wrote:I was looking at Stefan's tracker, and I noticed that one of the GL trains was marked as number "3679". It was running from Riverside to Kenmore. Since 3679B has been mated with 3636A, could this mean that 3636 has returned and is in testing?

While theoretically possible, I have come to not really trust the car numbers put out by the tracker (99% confident that this is a raw data issue, not specific to Stefan's program). I have seen the Boeings (34XX, 35XX) show up on occasion, which certainly haven't been running any time recently.

That's what I figured. I've seen some odd numbers on there.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Overhauleds seem especially numerous on the B of late. Was trainspotting BU Central last week from a barber's chair at Louie's while getting my hair cut. Seemed like every second or third consist that day had a shiny new 7 rebuild on it.

Yeah, I saw 3614, 3654, and 3677 today, all on the B Line.

I'm looking at NETransit and noticed that 3640 is still listed as being in the overhaul. It's been out for well over 2 years now. Any reason this car is taking so long to return?

3697 is on its way to Alstom!

It now looks like 3605 has returned and is in testing. Hasn't it only been out since at least March? Boy, Alstom is really speeding through these trains...

All vehicle programs have growing pains, which are built into the schedule to whatever degree possible. They'll pick up the production rate as time goes on.

Okay, I had been wondering why 3640 has been out for 2 years while 3605 took 5-6 months

I claim ignorance on this ,

Is it possible that some cars will need more work than others. Hence taking more time?

The way it worked is that the contract gave Alstom 1 full year to complete the pilot car, extra time for last-minute specs adjustments on the first batch after the pilot, and then eventual ramp-up to 4 in-service returnees per month once they got cranking. So we're now entering the 4-returnees-per-month main event.

Generally speaking they're doing the worst of the worst first and moving anything that craps out to the front of the line, so that pace could pick up to >4 per month once they get to the back side of the base contract and the best-condition units start getting rotated out.