by Noel Weaver
The FL-9's from the day they were new were never a decent riding engine.
I can only imagine how bad they would ride if un-needed stuff were to be
removed to ease up on the dead weight and turn them into control cabs.
I would not want to be the engineer on these things if they ever were to
try to do it.
One problem, and it has been going on for years, is that both Metro-North
and CDOT have been very quick to put un-needed stuff in long term
storage in some area where it will be sure to be damaged or destroyed by
vandals or whatever.
If and when they ever do need to consider using this "un-needed stuff"
again, they are out of luck as vital parts, wire and other items have been
stolen and detioration has set in to the point of no return.
Some of us still remember the shortages of equipment a few years back
when all of the old New Haven 4400 class MU's were pre-matureally
stored. When there was a need for them again, most of them were too
far gone for decent use although a few of them ran for a while on the
New Canaan Branch and on the Hudson Line.
Nothing seems to get stored in good order and protected.
We are about to see the same thing with the 1100 class MU's which although not too pleasant to work on, still could be laid up for a while in
good order in the event of their need.
Suppose something happens to the M-7's and they all have to be taken
out of service for modifications at once, then what?
Noel Weaver
I can only imagine how bad they would ride if un-needed stuff were to be
removed to ease up on the dead weight and turn them into control cabs.
I would not want to be the engineer on these things if they ever were to
try to do it.
One problem, and it has been going on for years, is that both Metro-North
and CDOT have been very quick to put un-needed stuff in long term
storage in some area where it will be sure to be damaged or destroyed by
vandals or whatever.
If and when they ever do need to consider using this "un-needed stuff"
again, they are out of luck as vital parts, wire and other items have been
stolen and detioration has set in to the point of no return.
Some of us still remember the shortages of equipment a few years back
when all of the old New Haven 4400 class MU's were pre-matureally
stored. When there was a need for them again, most of them were too
far gone for decent use although a few of them ran for a while on the
New Canaan Branch and on the Hudson Line.
Nothing seems to get stored in good order and protected.
We are about to see the same thing with the 1100 class MU's which although not too pleasant to work on, still could be laid up for a while in
good order in the event of their need.
Suppose something happens to the M-7's and they all have to be taken
out of service for modifications at once, then what?
Noel Weaver
