Deux Montagnes conversion

[Bill R.]

Once the ATM Deux Montagnes is converted to Light Rail (assuming it eventually will happen), what will happen to the EMU single level rolling stock?

No other commuter rail line in Montreal is electrified, and certainly the cost of electrification wouldn't be justified simply to continue use the EMU cars elsewhere in the area.

[deathtopumpkins]

They may well just be retired. They are more than 20 years old. While that's certainly not ancient, there's been plenty of other rolling stock retired earlier than that.

They could also potentially find a home with NJT, since they also use 25 kV 60 Hz electrification.

Other interested parties may include Denver RTD or CT SLE, based on electrification. Maybe Ontario depending on the specs settled on for eventual GO electrification.

[NH2060]

They may well just be retired. They are more than 20 years old. While that's certainly not ancient, there's been plenty of other rolling stock retired earlier than that.

They could also potentially find a home with NJT, since they also use 25 kV 60 Hz electrification.

Other interested parties may include Denver RTD or CT SLE, based on electrification. Maybe Ontario depending on the specs settled on for eventual GO electrification.

Yeah 20 years old is not bad for railroad equipment. Although Metro-North/ConnDOTs M-6 cars were only 17-18 years old when they were retired because they were so unreliable; when the M-8s came online they would go first in fact!

-NJT wouldn't take them since they're going full multilevel and have no use for single levels
-RTD might I suppose.
-GO would definitely go for either all new equipment or electric locomotives so no go there.

Now Shore Line East? That could actually work. Since they feature high level and low level boarding they would be perfect for both Old Saybrook and New London service. And with the fleet size totaling 58 cars that would be more than enough to provide expanded service and even pilot project service to Westerly without building new station infrastructure. They wouldn't run to GCT (no 3rd rail shoes) nor Penn Station (Amtrak would definitely object having a NYP-OSB-NLC competitor), but they would be a perfect fit for SLE in every other way.

[mtuandrew]

Problem: the MR-90 only has a top speed of 75 mph. Good luck dodging Acelas on SLE!

They’d actually be pretty good as a SEPTA fleet, if SEPTA wasn’t 25Hz in part. Same issue with NJT, they’d otherwise be perfect for ridding themselves of the last Arrow IIIs.