New Railcars for New Haven?

Check out my earlier post. Better?

If approved by VRE board it seems ConnDot has purchased 38 Marfesa cars and cabcars from VRE with a partial leaseback of Cabcars. more on this in near future.

from : http://www.vre.org/about/minutes/minute ... 004.htm#8B

Authorization to Execute the Sale of 38 Mafersa Railcars and Authorization to Issue an RFP for the Procurement of Bi-Level Cars – 8B

Mr. Zehner reported that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) has expressed an interest in purchasing all of the Mafersa railcars, including cab cars for $15.2 million. VRE would continue to keep seven cab cars for a two-year period at a lease-back cost of $1 per car through June 30, 2006. By selling these cars, VRE would need to purchase 11 bi-level cab cars. He recommends including an option in the procurement for 50 additional bi-level railcars, which would create the opportunity to purchase bi-level railcars for delivery starting in the 2008 timeframe. Exercising this option is contingent on legal approval as well as the development of a viable financing plan.

Mr. Zehner also reported that the Commonwealth of Virginia has indicated an interest in purchasing five trailers. The final sales agreement with ConnDOT would be drafted with the option for five Mafersa trailers to be sold to the Commonwealth if payment is provided by October 1, 2004. If this option is not exercised, the cars would be released to ConnDOT for purchase. Resolution #8B-04-2004 would recommend that the Commissions authorize the execution of the agreement with ConnDOT and to authorize a RFP for the procurement of 11 bi-level cab cars with an option for an additional 50 railcars.

Mr. Gibbons stated he is torn between knowing VRE could really use the $15 million from the sale of the railcars but also knowing that the Bristow-Charlottesville area wants to start commuter rail service and VRE has available railcars. He asked if Connecticut only needs them for a short period of time, is there a way that the Commonwealth could get them back at a reasonable price. Ms. Rae suggested adding a “right of first refusal” clause when Connecticut no longer needs them.

Chairman Jenkins stated that the Finance Committee looked at this proposal very closely and the committee was concerned that the Commonwealth be in agreement with VRE’s action.

Mr. Gibbons moved, with a second by Ms. McConnell, to approve the resolution, with the provision that the Commonwealth be given the “right of first refusal” if Connecticut ever sells the railcars. The vote in favor was cast by Board members Bulova, Gibbons, Grzejka, Jenkins, Kauffman, McConnell and Rae.

I've unable to find much info about the VRE Mafersa cars, other than that they were built in ~1991 in Brazil, and have been described as "38 aging one-level Mafersa cars that have to be overhauled in 2006."

http://www.manassasjm.com/servlet/Satel ... !frontpage

VRE apparently is going for bilevel cars to solve a car storage problem that is plaguing their plans to increase service. If so, why can't CT-DOT get these used cars for less than $400K/each? Is that such a good price, esp. in light of the special contract provisions they want?

Also, what are we talking here, 3rd rail power, I assume? Will they be usable on the NH line?

NH Chris

They are push pull coaches and cab cars. at $394K they are a bargain. the design is Budd company deliverd in 1992 complete stainless steel.
A new Comet V or aluminum Comet IV runs about 1.8 million $ and would take about two years to be deliverd. the New Haven line needs seats now not in two years. here is write up on these cars and picture:

MAFERSA VRE's original car built in 1992 in Brasil, Mafersa trains are
single level instead of bi-level, making them the lowest-capacity cars in
VRE's fleet, with seats for about 100 passengers (bi-level cars have seating
for between 135 and 161 passengers).
The seating is "three on two," meaning that when you walk down an aisle, a
row of three seats will be on one side of you, while the opposite row has
two seats. Due to complaints that the Mafersa seats were too crowded, VRE
re-spaced all the seats in 1999 and 2000, removing a few rows of seats and
adding tables in the middle to provide more legroom and work space. The
seats, however, at 18 inches wide, are the narrowest.

Restrooms are located in the cab car (the car that's furthest from the
engine and that's used by the engineer when the train is in push mode). The
luggage racks are also considerably larger than those offered on the
Kawasaki cars.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29102

So are they going to be using electric loco's or are they going to be running diesel power in catenary territory (my guess Gennies)? If diesel, then it's going to be loads of fun come summertime. Or are these just for the Danbury and Waterbury branches (yeah…)?

they would have to use Gennies cause no electric locomotive exist that does Catenary and third rail.
second only Dual modes are to be used per MNCR agreement

Those Mafersa cars do look like Budd's answer to the Pullman-Standard designed Comet/Shoreliner coach... just apply a red stripe to them, and no one will know the difference!

-otto-