Short MBCR Commuter Rail Train

Train P556 Worcester to Boston train was 30+ minutes late today (Saturday) at Framingham on account of delays due to CSX Q421 switching activity. But the real newsworthy item is the train was only 3 single level cars. In the past, the single level trains were at least 5 cars long. Is MBCR a few cars short these days?

Yes there has been a coach shortage. (thread about that on the forum already).

As for the 3 car consist, that has been running in revenue service for a few weeks now.

Too bad MBCR is running with shorter trains all the time. You know, that is not too uncommon on transit's Montclair-Boonton line service west of Montclair State, especially some of the Hackettstown expresses at the height of the rush hour. Too bad, everyone has to stand. Well,anyway the service west of Montclair State is inconvienient. There is never a coach shortage on transit.

but isn't the worcester line one of the busiest on the system?

could it be a ridership issue...running the short train on the line that can afford to run a short train for a while during the weekend day?

It most likely has to do with 50-60 coaches being out of service as far as I know from another thread. I wonder how many coaches are now out of service at BET.

On the flip side, the 806 (Providence-Mansfield/express to BBY) had the eight car set this morning; it's usually seven. There were even middles open on the three-side on this usually packed train.

over on the lirr bord its says MBTA is lending some MBTa coaches to MN

Mr Met
over on the lirr bord its says MBTA is lending some MBTa coaches to MN

That would be very surprising. Maybe they are think of the coaches the VRE is selling to the CDOT??

- Stephen

It's rumored about the MBTA coaches down there, but without credible info.

901 is the only bilevel opearating the MN. the rest of the MBTA equip on MN is all bomb cars as i have found out, and seen earlier today and tonight, more MBTA equip will be arriving this mornning at 3am to MN to replace NYCTA subway cars which were operating toinghts rushhour.

Huh? NYC Subway cars operating on Metro-North?

It's BS. Pure BS. It would have been posted here and on NETransit that they were going down to New York. The claim that NYCT subway cars are operating outside the confines of the subway and on commuter rail trackage seals it. Someone is spreading around a false rumor and it needs to either be substantiated with PROOF or stopped.

The only reason I can see the MBTA sending down cars is to make money they are 16 million short on the budget nice way to make a quick buck on a quick lease.On another note at a time when alot of equipment is down is this the best choice to make clearly the taxpayers and riders who pay fares get the stiff with a few shorter trains.Has 901 even been fully tested yet why would they send it down. As of 4:15 today it was sitting next to the fuel depot at BET with 900 and 903 and 17-- control cab and Power.

i doubt the MBTA is sending cars down there, rush hour trains are short when they need to be long, does Dave have any confirmations on this?