Rotem Cars Discussion (new bi-level cars)

I see they didn't repair the 1807 while it was there...

These cars will be lucky to make it to rebuild! The last one I was on was rattling so violently, I was waiting for the seats to come loose and rattle freely around the car like one of those old table games! As it was, part of the luggage rack had already broken!

The LED lights that come on when HEP is lost are a nice touch.

I had the same experience while riding in coach #821 on the Worcester Express train #527 once. Sounded like a jigsaw cutting a piece of wood!

Same criticism Metrolink riders have of their new Rotem coaches. Too much flimsy plastic breaking off already, more disconcerting rattles than a car should be having at this early stage, overall less-solid feeling on construction, sinking feeling that they are going to age particularly poorly. Not sure what Tri-Rail's experience has been with theirs.

Metrolink wasn't even result of that troubled Philly plant that screwed up the T coaches and SEPTA Silverliners nine ways to Sunday. This appears to be a Hyundai-Rotem default condition betraying their inexperience as a domestic builder, lack of attention to the little things on craftsmanship and fit, and use of overly cheap materials.


They'll make for great coral reef starter kits when they're stripped and have their frames unceremoniously dumped into the ocean in 15 years.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Same criticism Metrolink riders have of their new Rotem coaches. Too much flimsy plastic breaking off already, more disconcerting rattles than a car should be having at this early stage, overall less-solid feeling on construction, sinking feeling that they are going to age particularly poorly. Not sure what Tri-Rail's experience has been with theirs.

Metrolink wasn't even result of that troubled Philly plant that screwed up the T coaches and SEPTA Silverliners nine ways to Sunday. This appears to be a Hyundai-Rotem default condition betraying their inexperience as a domestic builder, lack of attention to the little things on craftsmanship and fit, and use of overly cheap materials.


They'll make for great coral reef starter kits when they're stripped and have their frames unceremoniously dumped into the ocean in 15 years.

Overheard on coach 917, the one-and-only K-car running north: "Wow, this double-decker is so much nicer and better-riding than the new ones!"

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Same criticism Metrolink riders have of their new Rotem coaches. Too much flimsy plastic breaking off already, more disconcerting rattles than a car should be having at this early stage, overall less-solid feeling on construction, sinking feeling that they are going to age particularly poorly. Not sure what Tri-Rail's experience has been with theirs.

Metrolink wasn't even result of that troubled Philly plant that screwed up the T coaches and SEPTA Silverliners nine ways to Sunday. This appears to be a Hyundai-Rotem default condition betraying their inexperience as a domestic builder, lack of attention to the little things on craftsmanship and fit, and use of overly cheap materials.


They'll make for great coral reef starter kits when they're stripped and have their frames unceremoniously dumped into the ocean in 15 years.

And to think, just wait until the CNR-cars get here and make the Rotems and Bredas look like Budds and Metro-Cammells in comparison!

Extra Saturday from Boston to Davisville to drop off 4 Rotems. Lite engine
back to Southampton Street Yard

D

today around 730 in weymouth, i dont know which train# it was but led by 1129 and have four cars outbound. last double was a rotem. signage said middleboro but was heading towards Plymouth/kingston

There was a time when the cars really seemed to like Middleboro. Saw it a few times on R-cabs at North Station when they were new. That would have been a long ride.

Of late the few cabs up north seem to be stuck on the "Now arriving" messages on the destination signs. That happening down south too?

The ones I have seen seem to be obsessed with Lynn and West Concord, as the boards are usually stating they are arriving at one or the other.

Off topic, but related.....Metrolink has pulled all their Rotem cabs out of service as a critical part of the crash management was found to have failed in a collision where the car rolled on it's side and one of the engineers was killed. If I remember right, the plow area was a big part of the issue. I know their cars are way different than ours, but any idea if this issue could pop up in our Rotems?

Metrolink(SCAX)didn't pull their Rotem Cab Cars out of service,just put a leased BNSF Geep in front
of the Cab Cars.
Believe all the BBD "sausage" cab cars were converted to coaches,after the Rotems were accepted.

I knew about the BNSF units, but I had been told the Rotem cabs were stored. Thanks for the info.

Recent Rotem Rumbling Reports (I had to use 'rumbling' cause 'vibration' ruined the alliteration).

Especially notable since 2 reports from non-Railfans...

Coach 839, train P527, 11/17/15:

Rex Dart ‏@the_eskimo_spy: this one was terrible. Couldn’t read the screen on my phone while my hand shook. Only at speed express thru Newton Wellesley

Coach 842, train 921, 11/11/15:

Christopher Hunt ‏@bren924: pretty serious vibration at speed on car 842, train 921

Coach 1801, train 582 (I think), 11/9/15:
Me. Pretty bad vibration at ~40-50 mph (seemed to go away at higher speed)

The demise of the beloved (NOT) Rotem fleet seems to be rapidly approaching.

LA times 12/16/15

"Metrolink train cars that derailed in Oxnard had flawed parts, confidential report finds"

Excerp: "The rail cars involved in the Oxnard crash are among 137 passenger coaches that Metrolink bought several years ago from Hyundai Rotem for $263.3 million. Of the total, 57 are cab cars, which are placed in the front for trains when they reverse direction. Hyundai delivered the last coaches to Metrolink in June 2013."

Full Article Here:

http://www.latimes.com/local/california ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The "shakes" seems to be the one common thread that T, TriRail, and Metrolink riders all complain about with their Brokem fleets. That suggests something beyond assembly and the incompetent Philly plant (inferior materials?). Wonder what it'll take in terms of customer service barking up the chain to get some vibration monitors installed and actually peg some hard numbers to the perception.


Thank heavens we didn't paint ourselves into a corner with those faux-locomotive nose cabs that are the dumpster fire du jour for H-R right now. Non- pass-thru, so if this Metrolink problem takes as long to fix as our endless Seaview warranty mods encampment (still going!) they can't run them as regular mid-set trailers like the T's can if the signal equipment acts up again. Shortsighted purchase decision on their part.