M9 and M9A Procurement & Acceptance

When will the M9s do #1501?

Of the 92 cars that they have ordered, the highest numbered car I've seen is #9019, which means that car #9020 must be on the rails. Any word on how many M9 cars have run the rails?

MattAmity90 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:08 pm Of the 92 cars that they have ordered, the highest numbered car I've seen is #9019, which means that car #9020 must be on the rails. Any word on how many M9 cars have run the rails?

As stated earlier, 12 in service, 6 in testing and 2 that are o/s for repair/mod

Thanks, so I was right that 20 of the 92 cars were delivered, #9001-#9020. I just hope that the reason those two that are out of service are for modifications only because we all know what happened when the M1's came out from 1968-1974, and the M7 with the arm rest sleeves. Then again this is normal for when a new fleet is introduced to a railroad, it's like a video game where some bugs need to be corrected. At least the "updated patch" that comes with EMU's doesn't have to be downloaded.

There are higher numbered pairs on the property. 9024 is part of the 6 car set that is currently testing.

Just curious. Anyone seen the M-9s recently? The last time I saw them was a week ago Wednesday on Train 1060 (Penn Station to Wantagh).
Have not seen them since.

AlKaLI wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:45 am Just curious. Anyone seen the M-9s recently? The last time I saw them was a week ago Wednesday on Train 1060 (Penn Station to Wantagh).
Have not seen them since.

A couple of days ago, some railfans that I'm subscribed to on YouTube caught the M9's going down the Main Line at Mineola, and Westbury. Another caught the M9's stopping at Bellmore where the Eastbound went to Babylon (was on the LEDs on the front of the train). Then it came back as a Westbound to Penn Station. Car #9002 was the head car on the Eastbound, while car #9019 was the head car on the Westbound.

Observed at the Kawasaki plant today:
9033,34,35,36,55,56,57,58,64

Read on the M9/M9A's Wikipedia page that of the 92 car base order, 66 have been built, and an article stated that 12 cars a month will be delivered. Either way, the M3's will be on the tracks in the early 2020's.

MattAmity90 wrote: Read on the M9/M9A's Wikipedia page that of the 92 car base order, 66 have been built, and an article stated that 12 cars a month will be delivered. Either way, the M3's will be on the tracks in the early 2020's.

Since the M-3's will be around for some time, where will all this extra equipment be stored ?

Is the expanded Ronkonkoma yard finished ?

newkirk wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:32 pm

MattAmity90 wrote: Read on the M9/M9A's Wikipedia page that of the 92 car base order, 66 have been built, and an article stated that 12 cars a month will be delivered. Either way, the M3's will be on the tracks in the early 2020's.

Since the M-3's will be around for some time, where will all this extra equipment be stored ?

Is the expanded Ronkonkoma yard finished ?

Only about 90 of them (ones equipped with ACSES) are staying. For every M9 set that enters service, one set of M3s will be retired.

gregorygrice wrote: ↑Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:55 am

newkirk wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:32 pm

MattAmity90 wrote: Read on the M9/M9A's Wikipedia page that of the 92 car base order, 66 have been built, and an article stated that 12 cars a month will be delivered. Either way, the M3's will be on the tracks in the early 2020's.

Since the M-3's will be around for some time, where will all this extra equipment be stored ?

Is the expanded Ronkonkoma yard finished ?

Only about 90 of them (ones equipped with ACSES) are staying. For every M9 set that enters service, one set of M3s will be retired.

We all know that I get my sources through pictures taken by Edward Hand on Flickr (known as EdEddieEdward) and I have a friend who works at the Ronkonkoma Yard. Photos show that the space for the expanded yard is well underway, and the gravel/ballast is being laid as we speak for the base. It really doesn't make any sense since the current yard sees fixated tracks (similar to Babylon Branch viaducts at Lindenhurst through Massapequa Park, along with Bellmore and Merrick). The yard expansion is far from completion, and I think is scheduled to be completed by Summer 2020.

I think I saw somewhere that the 3's will be staying until M9-A's come into service for when ESA opens. They haven't even settled on a supplier for those yet. It may not be Kawasaki, which has its hands full getting the 9's into service, and then has to go and restart M8 production for CtDOT/MNRR.

Sat in car 9017, 10 car train of M-9s, this morning on Train 1003 which gets to Penn Sta around 7:12 AM and turns around as the 7:22 to Jamaica.
A few observations as compared to the M-7s:
- M9 is quieter. You don't hear as much outside noise. The "jack-screw" door noise is gone. The doors open and close very quietly. Also door closing alarm is low, almost too low. Barely hear it from the middle of the car.
- The traction motor hum is gone too.
- Interior is very similar to the M-7s. Supposedly seats are wider. I usually sit in a two-wide bench. Maybe a little wider total?
- New lighting (LED?) is too bright.
- New voice (female) for announcements. In my car, volume was too loud. Somehow the new voice seems irritating.

Overall, great to have new equipment. Let's see how they hold up after a few million miles.
AlKaLI

I just saw a blue GMTX GP38-2 with 1 pair of M9s coming down the Fremont secondary, going towards fresh pond yard. Sorry unknown numbers.