Metro-North wrangles with failing cars and cold weather

NHV looks like a junk yard right now with equipment laying over. Any track they could store equipment is currently being used including Alley track (trk 6).

The Danbury shuttle this weekend (or at least at midday Saturday and late yesterday afternoon) was a maxi-bomb, but on the way out to Ridgefield on #6522 on Saturday morning I saw what looked like a pair of BL20GH's and at least one three-car mini-bomb set in the Stamford yard. Are those engines damaged or were the sets just being cycled out for fueling and to have the toilets pumped out?

Happened to come across this interesting article on the Stamford Advocate website.

STAMFORD -- Three hard-hatted technicians at the Connecticut rail maintenance facility on Cherry Street worked to install a new air compressor underneath an M-2 rail car Monday morning, just one of more than 19 cars at the hangar-like structure waiting for repairs due to the recent streak of brutal winter weather.

The air compressor was damaged by moisture from snow along the tracks being ingested into brake lines, said John Hogan, assistant mechanical officer for Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line.

Although outfitted with an event-reporting system meant to help identify why a car has faltered, additional problems are not readily apparent and extend the time it take mechanics and engineers to fix worn-down M-2 cars, all of which are 33 to 40 years old, Hogan said.

"It's usually more than one problem," he said. "Once we repair a problem, we might find another while we're testing that it works."

Read more: http://www.norwalkcitizenonline.com/new ... z1Cjcpx2vh

Link to the article:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default ... hp#photo-5

Also happened to come across this article titled Metro-North battles to keep trains on track.

STAMFORD -- Nearly one-third of Metro-North's Railroad's New Haven Line trains have been knocked out of service by this winter's continuing harsh conditions, leading to overcrowding this morning as commuters returned to work on Monday.

Trains on the New Haven line were delayed by about 15 minutes or more Monday morning because of weather-related issues, and bus service is being subed for trains on the Waterbury branch, which suspended train service to Bridgeport because of the weather.

The railroad implemented a reduced Sunday schedule for Saturday in an effort to allow crews to dig out frozen rail switches, clear rail yards and sweep snow off the pantographs on the tops of trains. Over the weekend, the railroad planned to use six trains equipped with jet blowers to keep rails along the New Haven Line clear, said Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders.

"We are still battling, it is not over," Anders said adding the railroad has repair crews working around the clock to fix broken rail cars and maintain the infrastructure of tracks and overhead catenary wires.

Read more: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/ar ... z1CjebX1cS

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/ar ... 984206.php

33 to 40 years old? Another typical media error. The M-2s were delivered 1972-1977.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:33 to 40 years old? Another typical media error. The M-2s were delivered 1972-1977.

A minor one only a railfan would care about.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:33 to 40 years old? Another typical media error. The M-2s were delivered 1972-1977.

Not sure I see the error? This is 2011; delivery in 1972 would be (depending on "date of birth") of 39 years max. That's 1 year off the max. Delivery in 1977, again, depending on DOB, would be 33-34 years. No glaring error.

M2s enter service in April 1973. The last pair was in service by August 1976. There were 244 cars in three body styles, "A", "B" & "C" (cafe) in three seperate orders.

All M2's (except #'s 8840 & 8517 wrecked in Mt. Vernon NY 4/6/88) were overhauled at Morrison-Knudeson's Hornell NY shop between 1984 & 1990. 33 pairs received a second rebuild by M-K between 1994 and 1997. The CSR program was started in 2004 and 65 pairs were overhauled.

entering service and age of car can greatly differ, the M-8's (first) were built on 2009 and are still not in service.

coverage from the Gray Lady:

Metro-North Cuts Service on the New Haven Line

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/nyreg ... h.html?hpw

Thanks for posting the New York Times article. Thats interesting that they are coming up with an alternative schedule. I feel bad for the passengers and the MNRR crew members for having to deal with this crap this winter. I bet they cant wait for spring.

This does not surprise me one bit, NEW EQUIPMENT is still not yet operating to much extant. I'll bet the dead FL-9's in New Haven are laughing to themselves over this mess. I was never really keen with the FL-9's but they were pretty darn good in snow and other bad weather conditions but no they remain dead and drained in New Haven.
Noel Weaver

"Harlem Line Inbound Bronx Service is temporarily suspended due to a disabled train in the vicinity of Fordham. Updates will be provided as they become available"

http://www.mta.info/status/statusMessag ... ame=Harlem

kaitoku wrote:coverage from the Gray Lady:

Metro-North Cuts Service on the New Haven Line

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/nyreg ... h.html?hpw

I read that article then went to the Metro North web site, and no new timetable is out yet

TCurtin wrote:

kaitoku wrote:coverage from the Gray Lady:

Metro-North Cuts Service on the New Haven Line

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/nyreg ... h.html?hpw

I read that article then went to the Metro North web site, and no new timetable is out yet

They probably wont put the new timetable up till Monday morning.lol

-what special snow fighting equipment does Metro North/CDOT have to fight severe snow and ice, and what additional equipment does it need?

Roger

"Quo usque tandem abutere ferrovia novo havenensis patientia nostra?"