CTDOT: Hartford Line

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:59 am MN is prototyping battery /electric mus, should be logical for cdot to do same

Is there an official article which states that? I remember hearing the LIRR announcing a plan to convert their M7s into Battery Powered Units, but not for Metro North or CDOT. Would make sense for them to follow a similar program though.

Yes, the LIRR is the one doing a pilot program. MNR isn’t at the moment but I believe -being the MTA’s other sister railroad- they will obviously be well aware of what the progress and findings are.

But one should be wary of using batteries to power any kind of heavy rail train. Especially lithium batteries. Their safety in electric cars is very questionable and what happens to them after their shelf life has expired is far more of an environmental catastrophe than burning fossil fuels in Tier 4 locomotives or using fossil fuels to power catenary wires.

And at this point in time all railroads are looking to simplify their fleets with as little diversity as possible (especially for parts and maintenance reasons) so going forward CTDOT either replaces ALL non-electric engines and rolling stock (including on the Danbury and Waterbury branches) with BEMUs or they replace them with new diesels and coaches. I don’t think they’d want a small enough captive fleet for just 2 lines. Their plan is to replace all existing CTrail cars and presumably their share of the MNR equipment pool with the same model of coach car so at least there’s operational and maintenance flexibility to be had in doing that.

Ctrail’s brand new diesel hauled coaches will probably be single level and some sort of Siemens- based off of the design of the Brightline Venture Cars. There’s no doubt that the MBB and Mafersa Cars have to go. They are up their in age and not clean. The ride quality in those MBB cars is rough and that hinders them from being able to go faster than 80, I think.

The MNR and CDOT(MNR pool) owned Shoreliners are expected to be replaced with some sort of multilevel vehicle.

CtDOT's shared fleet with MNRR needs are a bit more complicated. For one thing at this time they require two types of traction power, whether going to either GCT or in the near future NYP. So D/M Chargers would only add to the complexity - you'd have AC/DC/Diesel. Ultimately, they may only use diesel until they reach territory which forbids it. So, west of Harold, and south of 125th for unelectrified branches, will be the only electric stretches. There are also speed restrictions when using DC.

You could conceivably use D/M's like the ALP-45DP for MNRR/CtDOT branches, but electrification of Danbury and Waterbury would be cost-prohibitive. Someone upthread mentioned DMU's; I agree. You'd need FRA compliant, with transfers at either Devon, Bridgeport, SoNo, or Stamford. Guillietti is not interested.

North of New Haven, I do think electrification does have some utility, but of course, has extremely high costs in both installation and fleet. A Charger variant with Diesel and AD could work.

East of New Haven, you're fine, of course.

Two months ago I saw rail car with rails parked near Flatbush Ave. My thought was they were going to install Welded rail between Oakwood and Parkville and extend the area of double track for passenger trains. Is that going to happen?