Southcoast Rail

Set came out of Rochester Friday. 1138/1848-1851-865-870 & 224. Returns to Rochester Monday via Mass Coastal

Is it stored equipment? Why else would they use equipment sitting in Rochester?

The "set" was probably made up at Rochester. The 1138 is an overhaul down there and those are new Rotem coaches probably fresh out of acceptance testing.

He is correct! 1138 was overhauled and 1848-51 and the 2 blinds were recently delivered and built new for acceptance testing. Not sure why the cafe or bike car was used but my guess is to keep the rotems away from the engine since they are being tested. This set was also used in New Bedford for the fire dept training excercise, not a test extra.

The 224 was likely being used as an example of a single level coach. These Emergency Training Drill Extras are supposed to
have single and double level coaches.

New "Supposed Date" For SCR completion is spring 2024. Service will follow in early summer 2024.

What is the projected operating deficit, and do they have funding in the budget? Maybe that is why they are waiting until "summer 2024" - kick the can to the next fiscal year.

I believe the date being pushed back is because of non-completion of the line

They need to add ptc and atc to the lines before any testing can be done because of the federally mandated system. Also, it allows them more time to make sure that they are doing the work properly since the Mbta has new management. I know Keolis is a contractor, but this isn’t the place to get into it.

So the whole construction & updates to the line is an MBTA project, not a Keolis project, I assume since it is huge. Once they are done then they turn it over to Keolis to operate.

MBTA site has an SCR update - they are finishing up the line and plan to start "simulated service" in late spring/early summer (ex. how the T ran E trains to medford as test trains after unloading all at lechmere before actually opening the line.) They'd prob run revenue BOS-Middleboro and run nonrev Middleboro-Fall River/New Bedford.

This would require the new Middleboro station to open before the rest of SCR because of where Middleboro/Lakeville is located. Now that being said, I believe that since the new station is near the current layover yard, the crews would be qualified to work it in revenue service. But there has to be a lead time to let the current Middleboro/Lakeville customers know to use the new station.

So what I see happening is for the dry runs to be made out of the Middleboro Layover yard, and for the current station to be used until the launch of SCR, when the new Middleboro station will open. I do not see the GL extension thing here where the trains would continue to FR/NB based on what I have already stated.

BandA wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 11:14 am So the whole construction & updates to the line is an MBTA project, not a Keolis project, I assume since it is huge. Once they are done then they turn it over to Keolis to operate.

Correct. It is a MBTA project, Middlesex Corp is doing the physical construction and once completed with PTC, Cabs, xing circuits, all RR things, etc, the test trains will begin and Keolis will operate the trains to NB/FR as an extension of the Middleboro line trains

Are they ever going to plan on extending stoughton line service once this starts or will it stay like this forever?

not in our life time