Sooooo... can I catch this while railfanning? Like, does this happen regularly through Mineola? Or is it random? I don't have access to a scanner. Only a superzoom camera.
"Railfanning is a hobby. Railfanning M3s is a job. Railfanning rare moves is a way of life."-Railstormers leader aka me
PL: This was likely a equipment move combined with an at-times cab car shortage. I have never seen three DE30s run this way myself. Keep in mind this video is almost 10 years old (9/7/2008).
From what has been posted elsewhere on the LIRR Forum there is sometimes a shortage of C3 cab cars - if there are sufficient DE30 units available a train will be put together of two or three C3 cars with two locomotives if necessary - a recent Greenport Scoot had a doubleheaded two car set. I have heard of (but not seen myself) a doubleheaded single car used in Greenport Scoot service.
Equipment use like this is unpredictable - it depends when equipment shortages develop.
Over time the Greenport Scoot is one of the best examples and places to see short C3 consists. The usual Scoot consist equipment is assigned for a period of one week and is changed out each Friday. On Friday afternoons there are two consists in service - the one that will spend the next week on the line is deadheaded east during the afternoon to Ronkonkoma and makes the extra round trip to Greenport. At a point on Friday evening both trainsets sit side by side in Greenport. The set being replaced makes the through express Ronkonkoma-Jamaica run late evening.
MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS