Guys,
The LIRR selects M-1 cars for decommissioning based primarily on when 3 year air brake is due. They have figured that with the cost of rebuilt parts and labor, the cost of performing 3 year air brake is considerable.
Take 9001 and 9002, for example. The problems that cropped up would have been easily repaired at any time in the last 30 years. But, when they saw it was due for 3 year air brake in 42 days from when those problems arose, they said to heck with fixing it...scrap it now. It's going scrap in 42 days, anyway.
Now, there are a lot of rumors circulating, including that the highest numbered M-1s will be saved....forget all the rumors. Consider that 755/756; 763/764; and the highest numbered M-1s, 769/770 have already been canned. The overhauled M-1s will be saved. Their numbers run the gamut, as the worst cars were selected for overhaul. That may have seemed to be a sensible decision at the time, but in retrospect, one has to wonder....If the RR pretty much knew the M-7s were coming, shouldn't they have selected the
best M-1s to overhaul, and get rid of the crappy ones?
All M-3s will also remain in service for the forseeable future. There are only 678 M-7s coming (until if/when more funding arises in the capital budgets pending or of the future). They absolutely cannot replace all legacy cars, unless our ridership goes down 33% with the fare hikes.
Tom