M-8 Cars - Delivery and Acceptance

Not sure if this it OT or not, but I heard the NH line got a set of 8 cars already delivered?? If thats the case, I assume their being tested so I have a few questions:
1) Where are they being stored??
2) How long will they be tested before they go out on revenue service??
3) Since it's 8 cars will they be combined to go onto 1 train, or broken up so there's 2 sets of 4??


If they haven't been delivered yet, when will they be deleivered??

yes 8 test cars are on property, previous post did explain where they are kept.
if you leaf back in this forum you will see pictures and further info.

they will be tested for about 4000 miles trouble
as test train they will operate basicly as an 8 car train.
yesterday test train operated between New Haven and Stamford.

DutchRailnut wrote:yes 8 test cars are on property, previous post did explain where they are kept.
if you leaf back in this forum you will see pictures and further info.

they will be tested for about 4000 miles trouble
as test train they will operate basicly as an 8 car train.
yesterday test train operated between New Haven and Stamford.

Oh so the "real" testing has officially begun?

all testing is real, even before they went out on road

And can it be confirmed that they sound like M7s?

The have same Mitsubishi propulsion electronics so yes

Has the train run in daylight or are we still talking the redeye shift? No photos of the set?

DutchRailnut wrote:yes 8 test cars are on property, previous post did explain where they are kept.
if you leaf back in this forum you will see pictures and further info.

they will be tested for about 4000 miles trouble
as test train they will operate basicly as an 8 car train.
yesterday test train operated between New Haven and Stamford.

Under power or towed? I'm guessing clearance testing has been completed?

Cars are running under own power, at night only.

Thanks Dutch. That's good news. When are deliveries of the "standard" M8 going to start? I've heard revenue service in November of this year. I assume assembly of those has begun here in the US. How long between putting the first 8 in service and the delivery of subsequent cars? How is the whole "shakedown cruise" of these going to be handled, i.e. if problems in testing are found, what will be done with the cars currently being assembled?

Sarge wrote:Thanks Dutch. That's good news. When are deliveries of the "standard" M8 going to start? I've heard revenue service in November of this year. I assume assembly of those has begun here in the US. How long between putting the first 8 in service and the delivery of subsequent cars? How is the whole "shakedown cruise" of these going to be handled, i.e. if problems in testing are found, what will be done with the cars currently being assembled?

I would assume that NO production has begun at all. Why would they approve production when the test set hasn't been approved by the railroad yet. I'm sure some changes will be made and why start when you'll have to turn around and go backwards. That said, it can't take too long to ramp up production once the order is given.

DutchRailnut wrote:all testing is real, even before they went out on road

Haha yes that's what I meant-running on their own power! Great! Now that brings up another question (but is probably pretty obvious): have the announcements been programmed into their systems yet? Or to the very least they're stopping at the stations but opening the oppisite doors correct?

no their not at that stage yet, currently its mainly propulsion adjustment and brake testing/certification.
production can not start till these cars are acceptable in workings etc etc etc.
yes any production cars would incorporate those changes already made to previous cars.

Ohh ok I know what you mean (regarding my previous comment). Do you know when they will start programming and using the announcements and doors?

no i don't