M9 and M9A Procurement & Acceptance

[PlaneLoverA380]

PL - Answering your questions:

1-Weekday - likely a peak hour run. This will expose regular commuters to the new M9 equipment.
2-More then likely the LIRR will announce in advance when the first revenue M9 run will be.
3-As mentioned in question #1 it will most likely be a regular peak hour train.

I am thinking that the LIRR should give enough advance notice to allow those interested including
the rail enthusiast community to plan either to ride or watch this first scheduled run. MACTRAXX

Thanks, I do hope it will be in the summer so I can snag a ride. Just to be safe, I’ll probably show up at least 30 minutes early at the origin station, there will probably be a considerable crowd gathered at the station.

[Norton]

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/tra ... 1.30750025" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[njt/mnrrbuff]

Good article! I like how it gives the features of the M9’s. They are supposed to replace all of the M3 sets.

[MACTRAXX]

N,B and Everyone:

The Newsday article describes the M9 fleet adequately - the initial 92 cars AND the 110 car add-on
order totaling 202 cars will finally allow the retirement of the remaining 150(?) M3 cars.

I do not find the M3 cars "antiquated" at all remembering them when they were new in 1985-86.
The LIRR M3 fleet in recent years has aged considerably especially compared to the MNCR M3 fleet.

These M9 cars will have new features such as power doors between the B ends of married pairs.

We all will be looking forward to riding the M9 cars when they are placed in service...MACTRAXX

[MattAmity90]

Maiden voyages of the Metropolitan cars:

M1: December 30th, 1968 from Babylon to Penn Station on the Babylon Branch.
M3: ?
M7: October 30th, 2002 from Long Beach to Penn Station on the Long Beach Branch.
M9: I wonder what branch is going to get the distinction. My guess would be the Ronkonkoma Branch because that's the branch that I've seen them test on frequently.

M1.jpg

M3.jpg

M7.jpg

[nyandw]

MattAMity90: What date is the M3 Mineola photo?

[MattAmity90]

MattAMity90: What date is the M3 Mineola photo?

Looks to be about 2008 or 2009, it was just before the "Watch the Gap" decals went from yellow diamonds to those shield decals where it's a triangle on top of a rectangle.

Metro_North_gap_sign.jpg

2173227795_beeede253d.jpg

[nyandw]

MattAmity90: Thanks.

[PlaneLoverA380]

Heard that they’re going into service Memorial Day weekend. I’m checking mta.info every day to see any news on the first revenue run.

[MACTRAXX]

MattAMity90: What date is the M3 Mineola photo?

Looks to be about 2008 or 2009, it was just before the "Watch the Gap" decals went from yellow diamonds to those shield decals where it's a triangle on top of a rectangle.

Metro_North_gap_sign.jpg

2173227795_beeede253d.jpg

Steve and MA90: The M3 picture at Mineola is copyrighted 2007 by Gary Chatterton.

There are FIVE variations of the yellow WATCH THE GAP "sign" decals that were used on door
windows beginning in the 90s: Both the circle M and "pac-man" MTA logos with the text below
"Long Island Rail Road" or "Metro-North Commuter Railroad" (circle M logo) or "Metro-North
Railroad" (pac-man logo). The picture is of the generic captionless WTG "sign" which was the
fifth and final one used (and was the least common of the five) on equipment.

I found by looking at these decals that ALL FIVE WTG types were used on LIRR MU cars - that
includes those with the Metro-North caption. I remember pointing this out to riders on the M1
farewell trip in 2005.

The first M3 run was September 10, 1985* and was a train run between Jamaica and Penn
Station primarily for the "dignitaries" at the time. On that day a keychain tag was given out
as a souvenir - one side was in the format of an LIRR ticket between those points; the other
read "M3 Cars Inaugural Run 1985" with black graphics on metallic gold color. The tag was
valid for fare on board that train or to be kept as a memento. I have one stored away...
(*A special M3 inaugural issue of LIRR's "Along The Track" mentions this run and the date.)

MACTRAXX

[PlaneLoverA380]

My uncle is talking to the Operations Manager, we’ll find out pretty soon the branch, date, time, and track. I am so excited!

[jetfan]

I finally saw my first M9, it stopped at Farmingdale tonight around 9:45

[geico]

M9s delayed again as per Eng. No new date announced.

Whats the issue now?

first cars have been on the property over a year now and we still cannot use them.

[PlaneLoverA380]

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/tra ... 1.31387548" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, looks like they’re not coming out this weekend. Apparently they have not tested 4,000 miles yet.

[DutchRailnut]

whatever the goal , the mileage number is for **** miles trouble free.
Any questionable event resets the counter back to zero.