Metro North's M7's

bar above foot pedals is just a foot bar to rest your feet on
big handle on left is Horn lever and button near it is Cab signal acknowledge.

Head-end view,

As Dutch said, the large handle under the duplex air gauges is the horn handle. You had mentioned the handle and button on the console, to the left of the Master Controller handle. The button is a console buzzer button. The Atari joystick-looking handle is the acknowledge handle.
It will perform several functions, including the following two acknowledgement functions:
It acknowledges that a more restrictive ATC code has been received.
It also acknowledges,satisfies, and resets the Alerter timer circuitry, as outlined in above posts.
There are two distinctly different sounds for code change and alerter.
An ATC downcode nets a fairly loud "beepbeepbeepbeep", while an alerter tone is a continuous "dee-doo, dee-doo", gradually increasing in volume.

Dutch/N340: Thanks for the info. Are you saying that this alerter requires the engineer to operate the acknowlege lever every 25 seconds during normal operation unless some other function is performed, or did I misunderstand? Such a short cycle seems kind of unreasonable; almost like harassment.

Also: I assume that with the alerter, the engineer no longer has to keep a hand pressing on the controller like on the m-1/m-3's? I confess I have never operated a train, but the old way would seem easier to me. Or does one's hand get really tired that way?

Correct.
The Alerter function, under normal ATC operation, takes the place of the good old "Deadman" feature that most older trains have. It is looking for certain activity within a 25 second span, ensuring someone is actually around the control stand. If one of the activities does not take place within any 25 second span, the alerter will begin to sound. Brakes will apply 15 seconds after that, if the alerter is not acknowledged.
(The times can of course be changed via software. MNCR times may or may not be the same as LIRR. DutchRailnut will let us know if there are differences.)
I'm sure it is very annoying to the Engineers. But, so is holding down a handle or pedal at all times.

> Note, I'm gonna try to sneak a few pics at GCT with my hidden digital hee, hee, hee!

Neil, I thought we'd been through that last year. You don't have to sneak around taking photographs, you are within your rights. I can resend you the emails on the matter if you want.

Were the M7's put in service yet? Or are they still being tested?

6 cars were supose to go in service this morning on train 722 out of Harmon, I am not sure if they did or not.

Note that the alerter timer does not count down if the Master Controller is in "Max Brake" or "Emergency". There is no need to, as the train is stopped, or will be in short order. Or, it may need to be in conjunction with "Velocity Zero" being declared by the ATC system. I don't remember right now. (When I play with these things, it is always in the shop... At zero speed )

That is not unlike the M-1/M1a and M-3/M-3a, where the deadman (to wit- Master Controller handle) can be let go as long as there is at least 55 pounds (by specs- some, of course, do not work correctly) brake cylinder pressure in the "F" end truck of the controlling car.

So, at station stops, sitting in yards, at stop signals, etc., the Engineer can take a break from the deadman or alerter.

Anyone have an update? Are they in service yet?

"Jaap, I'll say the M7's are really nice. The interior is the same as LIRR's"

Neil,

The seats on the M-1/3's (MNRR) have those extra cushions opposite the headrest that the LIRR doesn't have. Are they on the MNRR M-7's ? :D

as of last monday they were not released for service yet by either MofE or engineering. the test miles were long copleted and the crews are trained for the runs the are supose to be on, T&E does not seem to know what the holdup is.

Bill, I did forget on the extra padding in MN's MU sets. LIRR's new MU's look the exact same with the seating and the extra padding in them as MN's though.

This AM (Apr. 20) at approximately 6:55, a string of M-7 proceeded to a standby track at Harmon, adjacent to the platform.

It looked as if it were going to be used on an express run originating at Ossining, or Tarrytown. If not for a revenue run, it could have been staged for a training run after the morning rush.

It was the closest look I've had of these units so far. They look like something that is still under construction. With only MN lettering next to the doors, the stainless finish is screaming for a stripe along the windows, or beneath. SOMETHING.

I've not heard good things about these trains as far as comfort goes. The seats I'm told are like on an Airbus. That is to say, no matter how you wriggle and squirm, you can't get comfortable. I'll see for myself soon enough. I'm just dreading another shallower level of riding comfort. I miss the old long distance coaches from years ago, that swayed and bobbed very little compared to the M-1's.

Keep an eye out. You'll all be tired of riding them soon enough!

Dieter

MNCR is putting first 6 M-7's in Service tomorrow morning ot of Croton Harmon (probably train 720 or 722.
Also the 120 car order has been aproved so now MNCR has 300 total M-7's coming.

Metro-North Railroad learned yesterday it can buy 120 new passenger cars ahead of schedule, which should reduce the fleet's age and result in fewer breakdowns in bad weather.

The railroad's parent agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, won approval from a state board to change its capital plan to accelerate the $237.7 million train purchase by 18 months.

The new M-7 passenger cars are expected to hit the tracks by the end of next year. They will join 180 new M-7s for the Harlem and Hudson lines, which the railroad started receiving in December. Six of those new rail cars will roll into service today, and the rest will be on line by the end of this year.

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/ ... rains.html