The MLV form factor Bombardier came up with is designed to be 'universal' to all low-clearance tunnels: Penn + North River, GCT + Park Ave., SEPTA Center City, and AMT's Mt. Royal Tunnel. The only passenger route on the continent where they can't go is East Side Access, because of that recycled 1970's tunnel segment that was predicated to M1 car dimensions and not an inch taller. Any MLV order, be it from Bombardier or a copycat using different design/same dimensions, is going to be fine for both tight overhead clearance under catenary and tight underclearance over 3rd rail. Board search is being a P.I.T.A. at pulling up the exact confirming posts, but the Bombardier prototypes were clearance-tested in GCT years ago and other than some obstructing signal heads that need to be relocated on a couple of the tracks the vanilla design is A-OK for the full MNRR system.
It's no question the MTA needs them bad. Limited number of long platforms at GCT and dwell penalties for longer sets than will fit on many Upper Hudson and Upper Harlem platforms means the only way that can satisfy the crowding without ops compromises is to go vertical and max out the per-car capacity. Makes perfect sense for them to go whole-hog and knock out the Shoreliner I's + II's + III's in one mega-order w/ stepped-out options. CDOT's in a different place as its diesel routes don't run into GCT often enough to get pinched by availability of platforms of certain length, and are still short-enough consists that they're nowhere near maxed out on the very shortest 4- and 6-car platforms. Nor are dwell times on a Danbury or Waterbury platform going to be any problem. So they've got a more nuanced strategic decision to make on whether to join in on the MLV order or do an ownership swap for displaced MTA Shoreliner III's as rebuild-and-replace units for scrapping their I's, II's, and (maybe) Mafersas + padding for expansion.
It's no question the MTA needs them bad. Limited number of long platforms at GCT and dwell penalties for longer sets than will fit on many Upper Hudson and Upper Harlem platforms means the only way that can satisfy the crowding without ops compromises is to go vertical and max out the per-car capacity. Makes perfect sense for them to go whole-hog and knock out the Shoreliner I's + II's + III's in one mega-order w/ stepped-out options. CDOT's in a different place as its diesel routes don't run into GCT often enough to get pinched by availability of platforms of certain length, and are still short-enough consists that they're nowhere near maxed out on the very shortest 4- and 6-car platforms. Nor are dwell times on a Danbury or Waterbury platform going to be any problem. So they've got a more nuanced strategic decision to make on whether to join in on the MLV order or do an ownership swap for displaced MTA Shoreliner III's as rebuild-and-replace units for scrapping their I's, II's, and (maybe) Mafersas + padding for expansion.