MACTRAXX wrote:BM: Interesting picture "between cars" of M1s at Port Washington back in July 1982.
Hard to believe that this is 36 years ago this month - I like "detail" pictures such as this...
Sometime in 1982 the LIRR began to experiment on new M1 color schemes and would eventually
stop painting the blue side stripe. What caught my eye in this picture is the two shades of blue on
the vertical cab stripes on 9689 and 9260 - which has the lighter shade metallic blue that was the
regular color feature that the cab stripe had. At some point the LIRR discontinued painting the cab
stripes altogether as 9745 shows. Another painted-on feature that M1 cars had was the horizontal
two inch wide(?) stripe that ran across the top of the car above the "rain gutter" which would not
be replaced or painted back on - the M3 cars did not have this top stripe.
From this picture all three cars including 9745 look to have their original number signs replaced.
The original number signs were graphic numerals in fibreglass and the replacements were stick-on
numerals on white plexiglass that are slightly smaller then the original numerals were. Some M3
cars still have their original fibreglass numberboards to this day.
R32: 9260 was one of the cars that had M3 type "D Windows" installed as a test to replace the
drop sash M1 cab windows. That is one experiment that was not repeated outside the two pairs
that actually got them installed.
These are the type of car details that can be overlooked but are good to know for more historical reference - and for anyone who may want to model these MU cars...
MACTRAXX
I like the blue stripes on these cars, I grew up on Staten Island, and the SIRTOA R-44 cars had them as well. Until I saw an old pic of my brothers and I at a train station, I forgot about the over cab stripe.
As for the replacement number boards, it doesn't surprise me. On the M1 cars, when new, to replace the incandescent bulbs for the number boards, you'd have to pull out the bead, and number board from the outside, and change the bulbs. At some point, I think AFTER the M3s arrived, an access panel was cut into the paneling inside to access the lamps. Why so many M3s have the replacement panels I cant figure out.