R179 Procurement Delivery and Acceptance

[BigUglyCat]

Pulled from service after a couple hours with two BIEs...really promising

Please define "BIEs". Thank you!

[Kamen Rider]

"Brakes In Emergency"

[tommyboy6181]

1 of the BIE's was due to hitting track debris, where it went back into service soon after. Not sure what the second one was.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Problem is they cannot keep the R32's and R42's in service forever. The R42's are supposed to be retired once the M shuttle is done, and I don't see how the R32's last until 2022. They may well need to retire some or all of both fleets before the replacements are fully in service, and that would mean car shortages and service cuts.

If PATCO can keep running its 1968 Budd cars for another two decades and VIA has the Sudbury-White River RDCs dating back to 1955 in daily service, the R32s can make it to 60. If the R179 keeps getting problems in acceptance, there may be no other choice. Back in the early 1990s, the R30s were retired (officially for lack of AC), leaving a car shortage on the B Division for years. The R143s ending up being the de facto replacements for R30s.

[Kamen Rider]

PATCO's fleet also just underwent a heavy rebuild, something the MTA isn't want to do for the R32s.

[trainbrain]

Huge embarrassment that they can't keep them in service for more than a couple trips. Back to square 1 on testing.

[tommyboy6181]

Turns out besides the train hitting debris in the track, a video on YouTube also mentioned that there were door problems later in the day and an interior was vandalized. I saw the vandalism picture on Facebook where someone marked up a seat with gang symbols.

[GirlOnTheTrain]

Were the gang symbols the sign of the Conquestors? Ugh...

[andrewjw]

Word from the more reliable friends on another forum is they've passed the 30 day test - the early-December OOS somehow did not count. This should mean the start of revenue service of accepted trainsets.

[GirlOnTheTrain]

Bombardier confirmed the 179s passed their 30 day on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BombardierRail ... =3&theater

[NaugyRR]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I saw this in my news feed this morning and thought I'd share...

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny ... story.html

Fair Use:

Dozens of cars built by Bombardier for the latest train model — known as the R179, which now run on the J/Z and C lines — were sidelined this week after suffering from different kinds of maladies, from door problems, propulsion issues and air compressors, sources told The News.

[Allan]

What do you expect from BOMBardier?

It is the R46 all over again.

[MACTRAXX]

What do you expect from BOMBardier?

It is the R46 all over again.

Allan: Pullman-Standard (before they went out of the carbuilding business) built the R46 cars.
I remember problems such as cracks being found in the Rockwell International trucks. How long
did it take for the TA to correct the bugs that the R46 cars had? As we both know they are now
currently one of the oldest (mid-late 70s) and largest (more then 700 cars-745 total I believe)
car fleets now in service - how much time do they have left and will these problems with the
new R179 cars extend their lifespan further? MACTRAXX

[Head-end View]

What's troubling is that Bombardier had a relatively good reputation at least on LIRR where the M-7's have been fairly successful. Ditto for Kawasaki which was an excellent builder for thirty years and now seems to also be having problems. Looks like CRRC is going to be the new big player for the next few years. Who ever thought the USA would have to lower itself to buying train cars from a Chinese company 'cause there are hardly any other good builders left? What sad friggin' commentary on the railcar industry.

[GirlOnTheTrain]

Too bad they got banned from bidding on the R211s since they were going to submit a bid in conjunction with Bombardier.