Colorado Railcar and the Greenport line

I think it's a shame the LIRR wastes so much power on such a small operation, that being the main line east of KO. They should've gone with Colorado Railcar and use the train they got out there now for other purposes.

Maybe something like a 2 car set of those bi-level DMUs. 188 pax per car. Either that or a 3 or 4 car set of those single level DMUs.

Two C-3 bilevel coaches and one DE-30AC locomotive are all the rolling stock required to handle the Greenport service. I'd hardly call that wasteful.

If the LIRR went with the CRC equipment, it would need a back-up set, which would sit idle when not in use. If the locomotive (or cars) assigned now needs servicing, a subsititute can be taken from the existing fleet.

DMUs could make sense if the LIRR wanted an economical way expand frequencies on all diesel routes. To do it for a single line just needlessly complicates things.

I think a DMU would be useless... Whenever I see the scoot, it has ONE car. How is that a waste of equipment?

You guys don't think 3,000hp. for one coach is a waste?? I've seen 3,000hp. GP-40's pull 40 car freights by themselves!! (CSX Cumberland Div.) I think a DMU would be better for the Greenport route... Wouldn't it be more fuel efficient, etc.

The other back up set could be used on the patchoge runs

9C1LT1 wrote:You guys don't think 3,000hp. for one coach is a waste?? I've seen 3,000hp. GP-40's pull 40 car freights by themselves!! (CSX Cumberland Div.) I think a DMU would be better for the Greenport route... Wouldn't it be more fuel efficient, etc.

Of course 3,000 HP is a waste of power. But the issues go beyond fuel economy. Rightly or wrongly, the LIRR has chosen to standardize its motive power fleet. Adding a new kind of motive power to the mix, i.e. DMUs, creates the need for a support infrastructure that includes additional tooling, training, parts inventory, etc. It might be justifiable if LIRR was ordering a fleet of 20 - 30 DMUs, but for one or two trainsets the investment may be too high.

Just remember that a locomotive despite being rated 3000 hp will not produce 3000 hp when plulling a two car train.
A two car train will only demand maybe 1200 hp, and the locomotive tru its load regulator will only produce the 1200 hp.

As a frequent Scoot rider I'm all for more service but those Colorado DMU's kind of scare me. They are way to0 heavy (probably FRA related) and are way too 'unique'. I've become curious as to why the RR dumps us off at Ronky in stead of going to Jamaica? Especially on the weekend evening run it would be nice to get back into town before 9:30. What does the equipment do after the run is over?



Eric

Ok, so better yet, they should've bought a larger fleet and run it on trains from Ronkonkoma to Greenport and Babylon to Montauk, hell....maybe even those Jamaica to Montauk trains could've used them.

Even better would've been for the Oyster Bay line, which usually just runs to Jamaica or LIC.

Maybe the railroad could buy a fleet of handcars. Each passenger could have their very own! Hey, better yet, can a speeder pull a C-3 coach? LOL.

:D

Hi All,

Busy summer, haven't been by the Board much but the recent flare up of media and press about the MTA closing lines and reducing service brought me home to see what the scuttlebutt was. This thread is very interesting as I personally think the use of CRCars on the Ronkonkoma to Greenport Mainline could be a winner, with one caveat - the LIRR doesn't run the service!

I posted on the old Forum an idea to increase the frequency of trains on the mainline branch to Greenport by having Suffolk County purchase CRC's and contract with a local company to operate them, much like they do with their bus service. At least three sets of two car CRC's would be purchased, running two sets back and forth between Greenport and KO with the third as a back up and available for use on peak days (summer weekends). If they kept going back and forth, passing on sidings at Riverhead or Mattituck, there could be a train going by a station every two hours or so. Closed stations like Cutchogue, Peconic, Jamesport, Laurel, Aquebogue, Calverton, etc could be reopened - as "whistle stops" if nothing more elaborate. With that type of frequency and community service, people would use them!

Since the MTA wants to abandon the lines, now would be the perfect time for Suffolk County to step up to plate, obtain some Federal and/or State funding and get into the railroad business.

I think we all agree that the North Fork - considering the burgeoning traffic woes - could use a dependable, alternate transit system. To help pay for it, all the taxes that are currently levied for the MTA in the effected areas would be diverted to Suffolk County. If the MTA isn't going to provide the service, taxpayers along the mainline in Islip, Brookhaven, Riverhead and Southold should have their money go to someone who will!

Just my humble opinion.

de Don, n2qhvRMLI

It will never happen. LIRR will never abandon the line and risk losing MTA tax revenue they receive from every resident out there, whether they use MTA services or not.

In addition, they can't just rip up the line if they have a contract with another company to provide freight service. They would be in breach of contract, not to mention screwing with interstate commerce.

Suffolk County would never foot the bill for a rail transit project. The infrastructure is too costly to maintain and farebox revenues would never come close to recouping.

These "draconian measures" were only mentioned to try to extract more money out of the state's coffers to help balance their budget.

Jay

Both of the local North Fork newspapers carried the story this week.

The Traveler-Watchman made it their front page story.

Here is the link.

www.travelerwatchman.com


Ken

As was mentioned in the article, this is merely a scare tactic by the MTA, which will bring the situation to light via the media.

From the coverage it has gotten, their plan has so far been a success.

Jay