6 FL9's at $420K are worthless without having ACSES equipment on them. $350K won't even buy you enough ACSES on board equipment to retrofit two locomotives. The math is pretty simple, loco not equipped with ACSES = no deal.
We can't talk about coaches without talking about locomotives. There has seemingly been no movement on that topic for a while. How long is the current fleet of P32AC-DMs good for? Really, this seems to be one area where there is a real scarcity that is holding back service expansion (among other factors of course). For instance, any increased GCT direct service to Danbury, or any service at all to Waterbury, or points farther afield.
Let's say schedules are modified to replace a Bridgeport-GCT M8 run with a P32AC-DM hauled train from Waterbury. It couldn't happen today because we don't have the locomotives, right? In fact the CT Commuter rail council is meeting this month with Joe Giulietti in the room to talk about the passing sidings and signalization project along that branch, and the question of what kind of rolling stock will be used or procured to provide increased service is a critical issue. Maybe ConnDOT will have enough rebuilt locos and coaches to cobble together the service.
Now Amtrak is moving forward towards new trainsets for Northeast Regional and Empire Service, and eventually, presumably, locomotives will follow. What comes next?