LI FL9-AC/C1 Coach Project Pilot Program

452Card, thanks for some great recollections. I'm a Chicagoan and I'd love to hear more about your test-ride to Joliet, was it over the Rock Island or IC/GM&O? We have two lines to Joliet.

Not sure which one it was. There were only five station stops, all very far apart. We had to wait for a freight to go by at Joliet, then we backed the train around a wye to turn it, then lay it up in the yard. We also passed right next to the prison. Jake was waving at us from his cell window. LOL.

and how the C3 cars were designed based on these tests

Looks like the testing did not go too well, as besides looks, the two cars have nothing in common.

I was involved with the testing and design of the M1.
I find, then and now, Testing has NO impact on design.
The ENGINEERS that design, will NOT listen to critiszem or even, hard data, if it slows down the money.

Ed

Ed,
You are 100% correct, I experienced that too. Even when we uncovered issues that would compromise the design when it was to be put in service! I guess us "end product users" just don't have a tangible effect on the "suits".
EM2000,
As an aside, the area of testing we were doing was acceptance testing, not testing to finalize the C1 production cars. There is a big difference between the two, and the C3s were supposed to be a result of the "lessons learned". However, at the final meetings our (meaning the "end users") criticisms were ignored by LIRR engineering and they marched on to the tune of "ease of maintenance". I will not get into the particulars because I absolutely despise the politics of the issue. Suffice it to say, if some would have listened, and compromised, a LOT of cash could have been saved later on in years. And saying "I told you so" later on just makes the situation worse.

Apparantly this post has run its course, so I am asking if anyone who took photos of the test trains and early in-service trainset let me know if I can get a copy for my train room display. I remember a few photogs along the ROW as we moved the train.

I've been trying to find interior pictures, but to no avail!

452 Card wrote:Apparantly this post has run its course, so I am asking if anyone who took photos of the test trains and early in-service trainset let me know if I can get a copy for my train room display. I remember a few photogs along the ROW as we moved the train.

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirr%2 ... r11-98.jpg

The thread is revived via this photo. Anyone know when the last GP38-2 units ran the C1s with the HEP unit #3100, or the start date for the FL9AC testing? Thanks. This is currently in the works (beta page): http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/C1-C3% ... 20Cars.htm