SLE/CtDOT VRE Virginia Railway Express Mafersa Coaches

I recently saw a video of VRE cars running as Metro North passenger cars. Does this still happen or was it a one time thing?
Also, I believe I saw some VRE cars in the Kawasaki yard right off of the MNRR Row. Was I just seeing things?
Here is the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wFGvOEDGOnM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for the VRE on Metro North, Metro North purchased used VRE equipment for use on SLE trains. Both Coaches and Cabs were purchased.

what lines in NY do they run together?

I think the VRE equipment was purchased by ConnecticutDOT (CDOT), and operated on SLE by Amtrak

Correct, the VRE equipment is owned by CDOT and runs on Shore Line East trains; one set also pinch-hots on the Waterbury Branch mid-day.

Jim

thanks for all the helpful info guys! I defiantly have to catch that VRE train soon. Is it MNRR painted, or still has the VRE paint?

Most of the VRE cars have been refurbished by CDOT, I am pretty sure the work was done by Kawasaki which explains why you saw the cars there. There are some pictures around here somewhere if I remember correctly, just browse the forums a bit. And yes the reworked cars got a new CDOT paint scheme.

TheKornGuy wrote:thanks for all the helpful info guys! I defiantly have to catch that VRE train soon. Is it MNRR painted, or still has the VRE paint?

Most of the VRE cars are on Shore Line East trains. Metro North mainly uses their own M-2s in Connecticut. Therefore the VRE cars are simply painted in CDOT scheme. Not MNRR scheme.

also because they were purchased by CDOT... it would seem odd to paint them anything else but Connecticut's colors and markings.

Why can't Septa/NJ Transit/LIRR get tables in their cars? Must be nice. Must be nice to not have the demand and available seats. Doh!

I'm guessing it's not possible, but does anybody think there will be pictures of a NH-lettered FL9, F10, etc... coupled to the Mafersa/VRE coaches in NH-lettering? The mafersa coaches look a lot like Budd stainless and that'd be a neat pic of the most NH-like lashup since 1969. (I think mafersa was budd's brazillian licensee)

No.

The F's are in Metro-North pool service, the Mafersa coaches belong to SLE service and never the twain shall meet. Yeah, the coaches are stainless, but they have a black stripe instead of a red one...

-otto-

Thanks, I figured that was the case. Hey, anybody have a copy of a 1970 Trains mag that they bought around 1988? (nice get, otto)

Sorry, you'll have to buy your own March 1970 copy of TRAINS and learn how to become a railfan... (OT- according to a bit letter in this month's TRAINS, anyway)

there was talk a while ago about possibly running those cars on the Danbury branch, but I don't know if that would ever happen. If so, then the possibility would exist for the F's to be pulling those cars. I don't know how probable that is, but that's about the only chance you'd have.