Metro North M-7s at Hillside Facility

A good friend of mine is a LIRR engineer. On Wednesday, he called to tell me he spotted some Metro North M-7s at Hillside Facility. He described the blue front with the white chevron stripes, so it's definitely Metro North.

Anyone know anything about this ?

P.S. We're not foamers starting a bogus story.

I believe the LIRR is testing them for MN.

4001/4002 were in service already on MNCR so bit late for testing beside they were towed over, and have differences from LIRR equipment.

I heard that during the winter the Hillside facility had to take on some Metro North work. Is it possible these are still there from the winter months?

nope MNCR did not run M7's last winter, they did not have any.

I have a pretty reliable guy I can call at HMC, but he's been on his relief days.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that they're here for truck work.
The earliest cars delivered to MN (i.e. 4001/4002 that were in fact spotted on the LIRR) may not have all the current truck mods incorporated.
Since the cars are so damn heavy, the car hoists have to be able to take the weight.
At WSS, our hoist was recently beefed up to handle M-7 weights, but still is having problems. It's out of service even as we speak. Probably for a while.
Which means HMC is loaded with hoist work. Their own work, WSS work, and possibly MNCR work.
That's my guess....Don't beat me if I'm wrong.

Tom

LIRR's Hillside faciltiy has three lift tracks to drop trucks for replacement. Since Metro North's Croton Harmon facility has no lift tracks at all, it's just easier for Metro North to send their truck work to the LIRR.

So much for Metro North being the "better" run railroad.



We Serve With Pride!!!! Five Stars!!!!

Hmm but MNCR's cars already are delivered with the modified trucks. and Brewster/Stamford have lifts for truck changeouts.
so your story does not wash.

Stamford does have a lift track, but they don't change trucks out. As a matter of fact, they don't carry any spare trucks! It would be hard to change out trucks they don't have wouldn't it? Stamford just changes out wheel sets and traction motors, one at a time.

The LIRR lift system at Hillside allows ALL four trucks on a train to be disconnected and dropped and replaced in a eight hour shift! Also Hillside has a giant truck shop. So much for Metro North being the "better" Railroad.

Also why bring a M7 all the way to Stamford since you would need AC/DC power to get it there? Probably just easier to send it to the LIRR.

We Serve with Pride!!!! Five Stars!!!!

Oh, please! Not that dead horse being beaten again! Please let's not start the "whose railroad is better" thread.

When Hillside was built, it was always intended to do some of Metro North's maintenance. It hasn't happened until recently. It has nothing to do with who is better.

Jay

Weakcheaks you do realize the M7's don't get to hillside on their own power, but behind a engine and it involves 3 crews and two engines.
To Stamford would involve one crew and one engine.
and as I said the MNCR M-7a's were delivered with the new trucks, straight from factory, they do not need modifications or truck changeouts.
Brewster does do truck changeouts and the 2 sets of lifts each for two cars are being used just for that. now stop your childish we is better than you shit, cause nobody realy gives a rats ass.

My connection at Hillside is not there this week. The foreman that picked up the phone had no idea the MN cars were even there.
I'll keep an ear out, but am not sure I'll be able to find out what's up.

Tom