#4 Red Line Cars 1900-2151

[Head-end View]

Yeah Ian, I also remember when the 01800s were coming in by truck to replace the antiquated 01400s, 27 years ago in early 1993 and it would b another year before they debuted. No I’m looking forward to the new CRRC red line cars hopefully they’ll be in service by the holiday season at least one or two train sets.

Ya know Rob, this is a lot like the New York area's PATH System debacle about ten years ago. They replaced their entire fleet of cars all at once including the newest, best cars they had, the Kawasaki PA-5's from 1987 that weren't even 25 years old yet. What a crime! I can't believe even rapid-transit cars are becoming part of our society's "throw away culture".

[R36 Combine Coach]

I can't believe even rapid-transit cars are becoming part of our society's "throw away culture".

Give credit to PATCO for doing a full rebuild and also to NYCT for milking the R32s as long as they can (which may needed as reserve or part time fleet given the R211 delay).

[Head-end View]

Right on both counts, R36. PATCO is the opposite extreme; rebuilding over forty year-old cars!! LOL I would have said replace them. Forty-plus years, and you've gotten your money's worth.

[apodino]

I saw a recent YouTube Video from Cabot and some of this is mentioned in this thread but I am curious on something. It is obvious why the cars destined for the Red Line would be in Cabot, but why are Orange Line deliveries also sitting in Cabot and not Wellington? Are the Orange Line cars being tested on track 61 before shipping to Wellington, rather than on the test track between Wellington and Community College?

Also, any timeline on when the first Red Line cars acceptance testing will be complete and we may see entry into service?

[Robert Paniagua]

I agree, Ian regarding the PATH Kawasaki cars which were built at the same time as the 01700 Red Line MBTA cars. Although the 01700s are 34 years old so they are kind of due for retirement and definitely the 015/01600s which came from 1969/70, 51 years ago!

[Red Wing]

I saw a recent YouTube Video from Cabot and some of this is mentioned in this thread but I am curious on something. It is obvious why the cars destined for the Red Line would be in Cabot, but why are Orange Line deliveries also sitting in Cabot and not Wellington?

The cars are very similar. the Orange set is there to familiarize the Red Line staff.

[rethcir]

I remember reading the RFP for the RL/OL order, it demanded a full justification for every single different part between the two cars. It’s nice that they are standardizing these, too bad they couldn’t have aligned the timing so the BL cars could be in the order as well, for a unified heavy rail fleet.

[BandA]

Aren't the Blue Line cars too new to need replacement?

[rethcir]

Yeah, the timing would not have worked, but imagine if it had.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Despite only a year older (1979-80 vs. 1980-81) the Blue Line cars were retired a full decade and change earlier.

[typesix]

Being so close to the salt water caused much more corrosion for the Blue line cars.

[MBTA3247]

That, and the #4 cars were built with carbon steel. Had the T spent the extra money up front for stainless steel, they could've lasted much longer.

[R36 Combine Coach]

That, and the #4 cars were built with carbon steel. Had the T spent the extra money up front for
stainless steel, they could've lasted much longer.

Hawker Siddeley (UTDC) in Thunder Bay did not have stainless construction capability. It is specialized in
aluminum construction (first with the GO Transit coaches and PATH PA3s, then BBD Bilevels since the 70s
and TTC cars). In fact the 1979-81 MBTA cars were among the few carbon alloy cars built there.

[Robert Paniagua]

So, has a another Red Line CRRC Trainset entered T property yet? Only one full trainset is on property that I could see

[CSRR573]

Saw the new cars doing a few test runs tonight passing by Southampton St yard tonight around 700pm