saw it-M-3's with blue striped fronts

At the US Open today I saw the rare M-3's that still have the blue striping on the front ends running Port Washington local service. They are 9843/4. Took a photo. Note they have no stiping on their sides.

Any other M-3's with blue front striping left?-I know some M-1's still do

Will keep an eye out for any.

There are no M-1's left with blue NOSE striping, all of them are yellow. There are several sets still left with the SIDE striping in blue, but unfortunatly, one set 9595/9596, was just recently sent out to be scrapped, so thats one less pair running around. The set you seen is the ONLY M-3 set with no side stripes and the blue nose stripe...seems like they needed a pair of cars in a hurry, and pulled them from the shop before the yellow could be applied. Will the pair eventually get the yellow nose stripe...I probably don't think so. It would be nice though if they gave the nose caps a nice fresh coat of paint (at least on the ones the railroad decideds to keep).

Bob, you work for the railroad, and forgot that there is one other Blue Striper front pair, and that is 9829-30 also. I thought that 9843 has the blue, and 9844 has the yellow front which is sort of a mismatched pair in a sense. I've seen that pair as recently as 4 weeks ago going under that set on Great Neck Road which goes under Copaigue on the Montauk Branch.

A few weeks ago, IIRC, 9843 was the front car of train #1019, which is a local AM peak seaford <-> flatbush avenue. It was the same exact train 4 days in a row.

Saw both pair of M-3s 9829/9830 and 9843/9844 in the same consist the other day. 9829 and 9830 do indeed have both end caps with blue stripe.
As Neil pointed out, 9843 has a blue end cap stripe, but 9844 has a yellow end cap stripe.

While we're here:
Updated list of LIRR cars seen still sporting blue side stripes:

9547/548
9627/628
9629/630
9637/638
9655/656
9659/660
9711/712
9803/804
9869/870
9915/916
9933/934

There may be others. (IIRC, 9591/592 may have blue side stripes, also.)

Tom

edit: added 9915/916
edit: added 9547/548
edit: added 9627/628

Iv' also seen a few M3 cars with blue side stripes/yellow fronts, they also have the M3 cab windos and AC intakes in the windows. can any one fill me on about thoes cars.

Which way was it going and round what time? I was on the eastbound 4:22.

Which way was it going and round what time? I was on the eastbound 4:22.

I think it was either Thursday or Friday afternoon. I just happened to look out at WSSY and the train was coming into the yard. I believe they were also successive pairs in the same consist.

Iv' also seen a few M3 cars with blue side stripes/yellow fronts, they also have the M3 cab windos and AC intakes in the windows. can any one fill me on about thoes cars

JoeLIRR,

All M-3s have the air intakes on the sides of the cars, replacing one window on each side. The air is used for traction motor cooling.
The A/C units in the M-3 are mostly similar to the M-1 A/C unit, although they are not interchangeable. The compressor and condenser is under the car, and the evaporators and overhead heat coils are in the vestibule ceilings.

Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the correction

I was asking why the M3's that i discribed have a blue side stripe and a yellow nose.

Were they one of the eairley M3 units to be Delivered ?

JoeLIRR,

The M-3s were delivered with blue stripe on the nose and down the sides.
The LIRR changed the end stripes to yellow for visibility, and removed the blue stripes from the sides of the M-1 and M-3 fleets. The blue stripes on the sides were removed because the LIRR wished to abolish some painter jobs, and rearrange those jobs to other positions. They didn't want to pay to maintain the stripes any longer. Any cars you see with blue stripes on the sides just never had the stripes removed.
The LIRR M of E dept. never does seem to be able to apply modifications and changes to it's entire fleet, except those mandated by FRA.
Many of our EMU cars are different from others in some little way...test item here, modification there, etc. (With no documentation or spare parts, of course!!)

Tom

Guess what? We had both pair 9829/830 and 9843/844 side by side on 3 and 4 tracks in WSS for PI Friday. Now, if only I can win the darn lottery......