New Haven mainline diesel sets

[checkthedoorlight]

Hmm, if they have 3-4 diesel runs in the morning, and only 2-3 in the evening (1364 is always going to be diesel since it deadheads to Sono to do a roundtrip on the Danbury line immediately after finishing its first run) then how do Stamford and New Haven keep their roster full? Are there any diesel deadhead runs to the main NH line overnight?

Do the NH diesel sets get shared with the other lines, or are they kept separate (i.e. will 1529 ever leave GCT as a Poughkeepsie train?)

[njtmnrrbuff]

Sure, any diesel train that heads into Grand Central can show up on any line, especially they have a long wait in GCT before the rush hour. Why not use them if lets say, equipment needs to be protected for a mid morning express to Poughkeepsie. With NJT locomotive hauled trains heading into the city, they rotate between lines. For example, a Montclair Boonton run has become a Trenton local a few minutes after it gets to GCT. That happened to me almost three years ago when I went to New Brunswick via Penn Station NY

[Railfan]

Some of the NH diesel sets, yes I believe do share with the other lines, Harlem and Hudson. Occasionally, there are deadhead NH mainline diesel runs overnight. However, I do not know about rosters other than the diesel trains I already know of in my other post.

[Nester]

I was under the impression that all of the active diesel MNCR gear (P32ACDMs and Shoreliner Coaches) were in pool service. The Poughkeepsie Express I rode today could be a NH Express tomorrow.

Nester

[MN Jim]

I was under the impression that all of the active diesel MNCR gear (P32ACDMs and Shoreliner Coaches) were in pool service. The Poughkeepsie Express I rode today could be a NH Express tomorrow.

Correct. And the equipment cycles specifically schedule trains to start the day out at Pok, maybe run up to Wassaic, or finish out in New Haven. No consist (except NHL EMUs) is assigned to any particular line.

Jim

[Nester]

I was under the impression that all of the active diesel MNCR gear (P32ACDMs and Shoreliner Coaches) were in pool service. The Poughkeepsie Express I rode today could be a NH Express tomorrow.

Correct. And the equipment cycles specifically schedule trains to start the day out at Pok, maybe run up to Wassaic, or finish out in New Haven. No consist (except NHL EMUs) is assigned to any particular line.

Jim

I'm assuming that this is to ensure that you get the maximum amount of revenue trips between refuels.

It's a shame that CT DOT has cheated the riders in Connecticut. Those diesels could be used to add more service on diesel-only lines (not that I'm biased ) Instead they are used to cover runs that should be covered by EMUs, which are more flexible for commuter operations and provide quicker run time (since they accelerate better).

Someone needs to set that blogger straight -- MN is not to blame -- his home state is. BTW, those diesels run JUST FINE when they're in the EMPIRE STATE. In over 200+ trips in the past year, I can count the breakdowns, late (+6 mins) trains, and substitutions (replacing a diesel consist with an electric one for the run between GCT and CRT) COMBINED on two hands, and still have fingers left!

Nester

[checkthedoorlight]

MNRR is making the best of a bad situation. They could have cut some of these runs completely. The four runs that they do in the morning have between 2-4 stops, so the diesels can take advantage of not having to build up speed as often. GCT to Fairfield non-stop is the second longest express run of the day, aside from the two GCT to Beacon non-stop runs. So you're riding diesel equipment, but you're still getting home faster.

Aside from midday service (which if added would just be covered by minibomb shuttles anyway), I think that the branches are pretty well covered. According to this month's mileposts, extra maxibombs are going to be added for the fall schedule as well.

[Nester]

I agree that MN is doing the best that they can with the equipment that is available. But MN's bandaid does nothing to fix the gash that CT is ignoring. With over 30 cars out of service permanently, it's time to contract someone to rebuild them (assuming that they haven't _all_ been parted out)

Nester

[Stephen B. Carey]

Just a question, I took the 150 out of gct this past sunday oct 9th (saturday night) and it was a diesel bomb set. It was pretty long too. Now I doubt this is more effiecent because of all the stops this train makes, but is the 150 usually a gennie bomb? BTW this was the first time I ever rode the NH line out of GCT and it was diesel.

[checkthedoorlight]

A diesel train making every stop between MVE and New Haven? That ride must have really sucked for both the crew, passengers, and equipment!

[Swedish Meatball]

The last train leaving the city on the weekends is sometimes standard equipment so that they can take the power out to work on the wire. Amtrak will deadhead engines down to New Rochelle to tow up train #66 as well. This not that uncommon.

[Stephen B. Carey]

A diesel train making every stop between MVE and New Haven? That ride must have really sucked for both the crew, passengers, and equipment!

Well the ride did take 3 hours but i found the horizions easier to sleep on, i think the windows are more comfortable than the EMU's though im sure the M7's have comfortable sleeping windows.

[njtmnrrbuff]

A GE on an all stops local on MN. At least the high level platforms helped I'm sure. If it were in transit territory on a Midtown direct to Montclair, that thing would probably take forever.

[blockline4180]

Are through diesel sets still used on the line from GCT to New Haven during the week?? If so, what train numbers...Thanks.

[Trainer]

Hmm, I take it they purposely assign the diesels to trains that make less than 5 stops? 1527 looks like the other likely New Haven candidate.

I'm no expert, but since nobody else has replied yet, if you are correct in your assumption... it's probably because diesels take longer to get up to full speed. If a diesel and an electric ran side-by-side, making all the local stops, the electric would get to the destination considerably sooner because electrics can accelerate much quicker than diesels.

Because it takes diesels more time to speed up after a station stop, it makes sense to keep them restricted to express runs. The electrics can make local runs faster than the diesels can.

And it makes even more sense to restrict the electrics to the main line local runs instead of sending them out on branch line express service, for obvious reasons, so it works out well on both ends.

That is until they electrify the Danbury branch, which probably won't be until the studies get completed in 2057.