Budget: 12 diesels, 17 "diesel territory" coaches

[bellstbarn]

Newsday today, 9.22.2019, has some details on how the LIRR hopes to spend new big bucks. One section says $242 million for 12 diesels and 17 "coach cars." I have complained since 1998 that that "diesel" order shorted the railroad on cab cars. 23 DE + 23 DM + 23 cab cars has been weighty on locomotives, short on cab cars. Buying just 17 coaches at the moment seems like heading for high price tag per car. I also question whether 20% of the ridership rides diesel.

[Backshophoss]

The DE's and DM's are getting too $$$$$ to maintain,LIRR is 1 party in the Amtrak/MN/ConnDOT/LIRR order of dual mode Chargers,
Which is still on the R and D drawing board.
LIRR made the "mistake" of sell off the C-1's,there was a bit of a shift to the East population-wise and
LIRR has been short coaches/cab cars for too long,that 1 season lease of MARC cars eased the pain for a too short time!
These cars that LIRR wants to order might be the BBD MLV II's(C-5) as part of a MNR/ConnDOT joint order.

[452 Card]

Cab cars do their intention well in a perfect, non-grade crossing world. In fact, they ruin the trainhandling skills aquired by engineers by not having any way to keep the slack in the train under control. And those who are mechanical engineers will say; the tightlock couplers eliminate that factor. Well guess what- after the couplers begin to wear and the train loosens up, the slack issue returns, without any way to control it but start off in the first notch at every station and hope nobody gets wacked in the consist. There is no independent brake, like on the power packs, to bunch up the train (albeit in the reverse situation desired), so its a crapshoot.