MNCR/LIRR FL-9AC Test Engines

[452 Card]

MNRR built a new Croton? I don't follow the MNCR page

[DutchRailnut]

new shop area, but not even close to Croton east yard or were material storage is , part disposal would not be Metro North but the contractor who bought the 10 FL9ac's

[Backshophoss]

Croton East was the bitter end of the Hudson line 3rd rail,yard was next to Croton North station little used after the NEW Rte 9A highway
isolated the station from the town It became the dumping ground for old derelict equipment.
The Garden tracks were the old 3rd rail lead tracks to West Croton yard,(freight)) and was where parts units would be kept
a bunch of Fl-9's E-8'sS-motors and the last P-motors laid there to supply parts,then scrapped.
Also Passenger cars were dumped there as part supplies as well.
Some of the ex-NH 4400's found their way to Croton east for scrapping.

[nyandw]

452 card wrote: I have a pic of that day, but I can't figure out how to post it here. Duh.

What date did this occur?

[newkirk]

Backshophoss wrote: Croton East was the bitter end of the Hudson line 3rd rail,yard was next to Croton North station little used after the NEW Rte 9A highway isolated the station from the town It became the dumping ground for old derelict equipment.

Posting three photos to answer Backshophoss' post, not going off topic.
Click photo to enlarge.

[Backshophoss]

Nice shots of the "garden tracks" between the shop and Croton west yard,also the old leads to the Croton east Yard were part of the "Garden"
Croton East yard was where the last pair of M-1a's was stored(M central logo)/scrapped.

That center pic shows the retaining wall for rte 9A highway

[nyandw]

452 card wrote: I have a pic of that day, but I can't figure out how to post it here. Duh.

Here ya go !

"...The 301 was the unit that almost went into the turntable pit at Morris Park. The F-end truck dropped down after the belly tank bottomed on the end of the rail on 19 track. After that it became a parts store..."

When did this occur?

[452 Card]

Steve,
I went through my old timebooks and couldn't locate the event. I would say it occurred sometime around 1996-99.
I guess I was so PO'ed about it that I didn't make a note of it.

[nyandw]

Steve, I went through my old timebooks and couldn't locate the event. I would say it occurred sometime around 1996-99.I guess I was so PO'ed about it that I didn't make a note of it.

Thank you for all the effort!

[Norton]

If the dates on this page are accurate, it occurred some time between 8/2/97 and 3/14/98.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPi ... ?id=174702

[nyandw]

Every time I try to submit the pic, it comes in upside down. I even tried to rotate it in reverse, but it still appears 180 degrees out.

What day is your picture? Send it to me and I'll fix it, yes?

[photobug56]

I've attached a favorite photo of mine, the first commercial run of the BITANIC, aka the C1's with 2 FL9 AC's, as it pulled in to Northport Station (file name says Huntington, but it was right under the bridge at Northport. #300 leading, and you can see the cab full of LIRR officials who went along for the ride. I think Hoppe was aboard.

These were beautiful locomotives, and it's a huge shame what MTA did to them. Ignoring how the one got damaged, the maintenance was (as per normal on LIRR) really poor, plus the inverters quickly fried. But take out the 3rd rail equipment and inverters, and I'd think a good tourist rail operation could have done justice to these beauties. Rare enough just as surviving FL9's (keeping in mind that FL9 meant extended length, not dual mode).

[452 Card]

That was an interesting day. After we did all the testing, refits, faux pas, MICAS corrections, burn-in and endless meetings, the muckety-mucks showed up to ride "their" accomplishment on its first day in revenue service. Of course none had an engine pass, but that is overlooked when politics enter the stage. Not surprisingly, they all bailed off at Jamaica to go to their respective kingdoms. Then the REAL in-service test came. West of Jamaica we had to do the EMI dance, and we barely made it into PSNY. Only skill got us there, and the 1200 psgrs on the train had no idea. If the outcome had been different, I'm sure the project would have been stopped right there. From then on, we did what was necessary to get into PSNY without risk. Some MOFOS had a problem with that. Guess what? They were not on the train taking the risks of potential career destruction, but they had a lot to say about what the equipment should do, not having a clue as to how it all worked. AC traction in 25HZ territory is a risk without filters; we had none. As to you MNCR guys in GCT- God bless ya!