Washington Metro car on a flatbed in Central PA??

[Spro]

Someone I work with was out in Central PA and he told me he about a Metro car on a flatbed heading east on Rt. 11 near Danville. It was complete car less trucks.

Any idea where this was going??

[octr202]

Alstom in Hornell, NY is overhauling older Metro cars, and will be building new ones as well.

Alstom Press release

ALSTOM is awarded an order for 120 cars for the Washington subway

October 27, 2004


The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has awarded ALSTOM an order worth around 150 million euros for the supply of 120 heavy rail subway cars.

This order is the exercise of an option provided in the initial contract awarded to ALSTOM by WMATA in June 2002 for the supply of 62 heavy rail subway cars for the Blue Line extension to Largo Town Center.

WMATA’s bus and metro lines serve nearly 336 million passengers per year in the Washington area. The 120 cars will serve to accommodate continued growth on the Metrorail system, and will also be used to help WMATA expand to eight-car trains.

The cars will be assembled in ALSTOM’s Hornell, NY facilities. They will be fitted with ALSTOM’s proven propulsion technology, ONIXTM traction drives, and an advanced cab signaling system.

In 2000, WMATA had already awarded ALSTOM a contract for the overhaul of 364 subway cars which were built between 1983 and 1988. This contract represented Washington Metro’s largest single order.

[Spro]

Thanks for the Reply, seems strange to flatbed it, but then again getting to Hornell by rail is no small task.

[Robert Paniagua]

I see that they are getting new cars from scratch as well from Alstom? That's nice news then to supplement their order with the new addition to the Blue Line.

Also, does anyone know if any of the 1983-88 cars have been fully modified yet?

[Yonge]

Yes, some Breda cars are back in service after their overhauls at Alstom. I’ve seen quite a few overhauled 2000-series cars but only a few from the 3000-series.

[R142A]

Yes, some Breda cars are back in service after their overhauls at Alstom. I’ve seen quite a few overhauled 2000-series cars but only a few from the 3000-series.

ALSTOM did a very good job with the Breda cars. They look brand new.

[Robert Paniagua]

Yeah, I was VERY surprised when I saw the rehabbed Breda units, they were identical to the 5000s, I had to look down at the number to tell them apart, if it was a 2xxx or a 3xxx, then it would be an older coach.

[Mike Morris]

5000 have different trucks and the HVAC outside box is silver.

[Mike Morris]

Actually there is no way to transport the cars to Hornell via rail. Its easier to transport by truck.

We disconnect the married pair in Alexandria and one car is loaded onto a flatbad. We ship a pair when we recieve a new rehabbed pair from Hornell. The pair is kept in "jail"enclosed area where the money trains are kept) in Alexandria till we prep it and it passes inspection from us(Alstom) and WMATA. Then its accepted by WMATA and under warranty for 2 years. We also perform FMIs on this and other warranty cars as well.

[Sand Box John]

"Mike Morris"
We disconnect the married pair in Alexandria and one car is loaded onto a flatbad. We ship a pair when we recieve a new rehabbed pair from Hornell. The pair is kept in "jail"enclosed area where the money trains are kept) in Alexandria till we prep it and it passes inspection from us(Alstom) and WMATA. Then its accepted by WMATA and under warranty for 2 years. We also perform FMIs on this and other warranty cars as well.

Would I be correct in assuming that all of the rolling stock that is being rotated off the property for rehabilitation is being processed through Alexandria Yard, while all of the new 6000 series Alstom car are received and processed at Greenbelt?

[Mike Morris]

Greenbelt is no longer used for the 6000s. The lifts are defective though they are delivered there and Alexandria. The company that made them are no longer around and other companies due to liability reasons will not touch them
The 6000s since early this year have been at Branch ave for testing sans the ones sent back to NY. When the program continues Branch Ave will be used for delivery though I am not sure how they will off load them.

As for the rehabbed ones-you are 100 percent correct.

[Sand Box John]

b"Mike Morris"
Greenbelt is no longer used for the 6000s. The lifts are defective though they are delivered there and Alexandria. The company that made them are no longer around and other companies due to liability reasons will not touch them.

Interesting about the lifts.

The 6000s since early this year have been at Branch ave for testing sans the ones sent back to NY. When the program continues Branch Ave will be used for delivery though I am not sure how they will off load them.

The only place I can think of the might have enough room is to pave the area on shop tracks 3 and 4 between the access road and the apron just outside of the shop doors.

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As for the rehabbed ones-you are 100 percent correct.

Thank you.