by checkthedoorlight
and just for the record, since this wasn't addressed yet, Amtrak's P32's have third rail shoes which flip up. When a train bound for the Hudson line leaves the Empire tunnel and the engine is now in diesel mode, the engineer presses a switch which flips up the third rail shoe, so that when they reach the Hudson line, the shoe will not get ripped off when it encountered MNRR's opposite type of third rail. I'm not sure if the Empire Connection has one of these (but I'd be surprised if they didn't), but near Manitou station going south, there is a tiny, un-powered section of third rail which is firmly planted in the ground, which is designed to rip off any third rail shoes which are not properly aligned for the electric territory.
Metro-North's MUs and P32s do NOT have retractable third rail shoes, so the only way they can run on LIRR or Penn Station is to have their shoe removed at a shop. This would of course cause them to need to be towed (and before anybody gets any bright ideas, remember that the M2's are not compatible with the catenary south of Gate interlocking)
Metro-North's MUs and P32s do NOT have retractable third rail shoes, so the only way they can run on LIRR or Penn Station is to have their shoe removed at a shop. This would of course cause them to need to be towed (and before anybody gets any bright ideas, remember that the M2's are not compatible with the catenary south of Gate interlocking)