M-1 Railfanning curtain continues to fall

New M-7's continue to enter service. Saw 7385-86 this week at Mineola. On a recent trip to NYC when I went to board my train for home, it was an M-7, so really wanting that view from the first vestibule, I waited a half-hour for the next train hoping for an M-1/M-3 but that too was an M-7! It just wasn't my day; guess I'd better get used to it.........

Tom, do you still have access to the current numbers of each car type? Can you give us an update?

I might be able to periodically get a peek. There is a computer with no printer attached to it, but with intranet access, where we sign off our PIs.
I had seen 7398 on a flatcar a week or so ago, so we're probably around the 400 number.

Tom

N340SG wrote:I might be able to periodically get a peek. There is a computer with no printer attached to it, but with intranet access, where we sign off our PIs.
I had seen 7398 on a flatcar a week or so ago, so we're probably around the 400 number.

Tom

Tom,
I saw 7404 on a flat car in Holban Yard(Right after St. Albans) while coming to school this morning.

--IslesFan

March 15, 2005:

410 M-1
172 M-3
380 M-7

In the current LIRR employee newsletter. it is claimed that 50% of the 728 daily trains are represented by M-7 equipment.
Probably slight exaggeration, but that's what they said.

Thanks for the update, Tom. I took a ride to Penn today, and saw lots of M-7 trains in service. I'll bet 50% of the mid-day trains are M-7's. I get the feeling that they're using the new equipment as much as possible, and using the old stuff to fill out the peak-hour requirements. Luckily, I rode an M-3 and M-1 today. Gotta enjoy that front window while we still can!

BTW, there were almost no M-7's sitting idle at Hillside, and I didn't see any on flatcars either.

Time to shoot railfan videos from the front cab window!

you should hear what one of the M7's sounds like when it runs over a viaduct. Holy s##$t I though the thing was gonna crash down on top of me. As close as I could get to a real live artillery explosion!!

Saw 7393-7394-7401-7402-7395-7396 going out for a test ride out of Hillside Yard this morning. Their shininess attracts your attention that they are new.

Tom

Last night, they ran that set to Ronkonkoma and back. Saw it pass Farmingdale around 9:45pm then again at 10:30.

any one know the status of 9015/16 and 9013?

are they up for the 3year airbrake yet?

9013/014 are CCM overhauled cars. They will stick around for awhile.
Would have to look up when 9015/016 are due for 3 yr. air brake.

Thanks Tom,

BTW, What does this CCM Over Haul consist of?

Long Island 7285,

What does this CCM Over Haul consist of?

The technical name of the M-1 overhaul program was "Component Replacement Program". CCM propulsion equipment retrofit was but one aspect. We in the shops generically call them CCM cars instead of CRP (or CRaP cars for short) cars.
132 M-1 cars received new trucks, new wheels, new or rebuilt traction motors, completely new computer controlled "Main [propulsion] Group", rebuilt and retrofitted "KM" propulsion group, rebuilt and retrofitted "Field Shunt" contactors, Converter/Inverter retrofit replaced Motor Alternator, US&S "Microcab" ATC package retrofit, rebuilt A/C units and new evaporator coil / overhead heat coil assembly, bathroom retrofit, new battery set, new air compressor, new door operator panels, and a host of other smaller rebuilds and modifications.

Perhaps unfortunately, most of the stuff that was done, the rider cannot see what their money paid for. The new seat cushions and whatever windows were replaced, did not look new for long. The modified bathrooms are not an aspect of the program to be proud of, either.

From outside the car, the casual observer should look for the rectangular inverter box on even numbered M-1 cars, where the M/A used to be. Only the overhauled M-1 cars have this inverter retrofit. As more non-overhauled M-1 cars are sent packing to Mexico, the overhauled cars will become a higher percentage of the M-1 fleet, therefore easier to spot.

[Incidentally, almost all LIRR M-3 cars should also have one of these inverter boxes by now.]

Tom

N340SG wrote:Long Island 7285,

What does this CCM Over Haul consist of?

Perhaps unfortunately, most of the stuff that was done, the rider cannot see what their money paid for. The new seat cushions and whatever windows were replaced, did not look new for long. The modified bathrooms are not an aspect of the program to be proud of, either.

Tom

How unfortunate that management makes decisons like this. Passengers will most certainly care if there train breaks down or better yet, the LIRR had to raise fares, reduce service to buy new equipment that is basically inferior to something that could just have been rebuilt.... Better example of this is that NYCTA created the SMS program...

Tom: A MU car question that I have is why does the LIRR run M1s and M3s together while MNCR almost never does so and does not consider them compatible? Is someone there or you yourself keeping a note of what M1 cars are being retired? I recently saw a 8-car train of just M3 cars-almost a memory from the 80s. I will look out for the cars that were overhauled remembering the MA box. Is there any provision whatsoever to make the M3 and M7s compatible in any way? Thanks again in advance for your time-MACTRAXX