Multi-Level Cars—Delivery/Status

25Hz wrote:So this new 100 car order has... a 79 car expansion option? What is the thinking behind such a huge option order size? I can only assume it's related to the dual modes.

Just because there's an option doesn't mean it'll be exercised. After all 100 cars are delivered, they'll have 429 cars plus the 250+ comet V's. Seems like it's more than enough for current service levels.

Not saying it will, just trying to understand why the option exsists and at that specific number.

25Hz wrote:Not saying it will, just trying to understand why the option exsists and at that specific number.

Why does it exist? In the event they decide that they want/need more cars.

Why that number? I'm not sure, but considering that they have people that they pay to come up with these numbers, there's definitely some good reason. If you think about it, if they were to exercise the option, they would have enough cars to do a 1:1 replacement of the 99 Comet IV's and 80 of the Arrows. Considering that the Arrow "overhaul" calls for retirement of 70 cars, and that there are no other obvious replacements for these cars, this would make sense, and is not outside the realm of possibility.

Well isn't that interesting.... Thanks for the info!

ns3010 wrote:Considering that the Arrow "overhaul" calls for retirement of 70 cars, and that there are no other obvious replacements for these cars, this would make sense, and is not outside the realm of possibility.

Retirement of 50 Arrows, and overhaul of 170 was what I heard and saw posted elsewhere. So with regard to the option, that gives them a spare ratio....

Silverliner II wrote:

ns3010 wrote:Considering that the Arrow "overhaul" calls for retirement of 70 cars, and that there are no other obvious replacements for these cars, this would make sense, and is not outside the realm of possibility.

Retirement of 50 Arrows, and overhaul of 170 was what I heard and saw posted elsewhere. So with regard to the option, that gives them a spare ratio....

It's 230 Arrows total. Your number of 170 kept (60 retired) sounds right, so that would add twenty cars to the fleet. If 160 are overhauled and 70 go, then there would be ten cars added to the fleet. Either way, there will be a net increase in the number of cars, but the more I think about it, your figure of 170 overhauled sounds correct.

Of course, this is only if the option is executed and is used to replace the CIV's and the retired Arrows. As far as we know, though, this is not what's happening, at least not for now.

ns3010 wrote:

Silverliner II wrote:

ns3010 wrote:Considering that the Arrow "overhaul" calls for retirement of 70 cars, and that there are no other obvious replacements for these cars, this would make sense, and is not outside the realm of possibility.

Retirement of 50 Arrows, and overhaul of 170 was what I heard and saw posted elsewhere. So with regard to the option, that gives them a spare ratio....

It's 230 Arrows total. Your number of 170 kept (60 retired) sounds right, so that would add twenty cars to the fleet.

Drat, me and my math errors.... LOL!!!

Just wondering why there are no Multilevels on the Port Jervis Line past Suffern yet. Some reasons that I can think of are because they carry the NJ Transit logo and Metro North wants their own logo on that line, too heavy to go over the Moodna Viaduct, not enough clearance at the Otisville Tunnel, not enough riders, and Port Jervis yard does not have the proper equipment to store them there. Does anyone know if any of these are the reason why the Port Jervis Line has not seen Multilevels yet. Also does anyone know if they are thinking about running them there in the next few years or so.

The ML's were tested system wide including in NY on the PJ line.

trainbrain wrote:Just wondering why there are no Multilevels on the Port Jervis Line past Suffern yet. Some reasons that I can think of are because they carry the NJ Transit logo and Metro North wants their own logo on that line, too heavy to go over the Moodna Viaduct, not enough clearance at the Otisville Tunnel, not enough riders, and Port Jervis yard does not have the proper equipment to store them there. Does anyone know if any of these are the reason why the Port Jervis Line has not seen Multilevels yet. Also does anyone know if they are thinking about running them there in the next few years or so.

Because they use comets on those trains, plus you'd need a PL42AC to power the train, unless you're ok with like 3 cars?

Ive seen ML sets on the PJ line before, just not a normal occurance. In fact i believe when i did see it happen it was a ML set replacing a set that had a FH brake down.

Yes, as mentioned, they can end up there, but it isn't normal. They try to keep the Metro-North sets up there, mainly. Plus, I do not believe the yard at Port Jervis has a pit to inspect the Multilevels. With their rigorous inspection schedule, yarding them up there would not be preferable.

MODERATOR'S NOTE: Merged with existing Multilevel usage thread.

I believe that I saw some on train 68 last summer. I was riding on 67 to go home from the city. I looked at the schedule to see where we would meet with 68 and at that spot a set of Multilevels went by. Could've been an X-train, but it passed right when I was expecting 68 to pass. Which yards have inspection pits? I believe that they are at MMC, Hoboken, Raritan, and Morrisville, but I could be wrong. Are there any plans to build more elsewhere? I read somewhere that NJ Transit wants to eventually have Multilevels on every line, every train, every day, so they might need to build inspection pits in more places.

You know I hate to bring this up, but you would think someone would create a multi-level car that doesn't need to be inspected every 3 days. That would sure put a strain on your fleet, knowing they need to be near an inspection point or site 2x a week. And thusly you need proper facilities and manpower to handle this all of which costs $$. At an inspection rate of once every 3 days for each ML car, you'd need an inspection pit at every line somewhere in order to have ML's used across the entire NJT system.

If the FRA says you have to inspect the car every X days, and NJT says I will be so good and do it in Y days ... who's feet are they going to hold to the fire if you can't get it done in Y days