West-of-Hudson coaches in High Bridge Yard

Lackawanna,
But aren't we forgetting what the MTA was designed to do? Operate mass transit within the New York METROPOLITAN area.
What about North Carolina? Don't they operate their own intra-state service? Or is that just a partnership with Amtrak?

the following cars are in Highbridge yard
Cab cars 5174-5175-5176-5177
cars 5184-5986-5990-6182-6180-5173-5992-5178-5983-5981-5176-6936-6942-5982-5993-5989-5988-5987-5986-5991-5175-5174

KFRG wrote:Lackawanna,
But aren't we forgetting what the MTA was designed to do? Operate mass transit within the New York METROPOLITAN area.
What about North Carolina? Don't they operate their own intra-state service? Or is that just a partnership with Amtrak?

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Understood. I suspect the MTA region will probably include Columbia County upstate before too long. With the growth around Rhinecliff and Hudson, they're already within Amtrak commuter range.

I don't see why NY is pumping so much money into Amtrak's Empire Corridor and getting so little for it. MetroNorth seems to be a well run outfit, with well maintained equipment, and well motivated staff. Amtrak is lacking in all three, from what I can tell.

I see your point Lackawanna.

Dutch,
Besides the brake work (as you mentioned) that need to be done before revenue service, what other changes will these cars go through?
I take it that the old EL "WOH" lines share a different signaling system, so will Cab signaling and ASC have to be swapped?

-Tom

DutchRailnut wrote:the following cars are in Highbridge yard
Cab cars 5174-5175-5176-5177
cars 5184-5986-5990-6182-6180-5173-5992-5178-5983-5981-5176-6936-6942-5982-5993-5989-5988-5987-5986-5991-5175-5174

Wow! So obviously there are more then 12 as someone originally thought! Will some be pressed into service or are they going for evaluation??

Thanks,
Steve

How many are over there with the two tone M?.....

At least 3 with the two tone M are visible while passing by.

NJT4172 I was one reporting the first move of 12 cars by Amtrak about 3 weeks ago, since it only takes a few hours to move a second string, its obvious there was at least one more move.
I don't know if any of these cab cars have cabsignal or ATC or ACSES in them, since that is not a requirement on Hoboken trains, but plans are to use some of these cars on New Haven line in October.

DutchRailnut wrote:NJT4172 I was one reporting the first move of 12 cars by Amtrak about 3 weeks ago, since it only takes a few hours to move a second string, its obvious there was at least one more move.
I don't know if any of these cab cars have cabsignal or ATC or ACSES in them, since that is not a requirement on Hoboken trains, but plans are to use some of these cars on New Haven line in October.

Dutch,

The New Haven line service to New Haven or just the diesel branch lines(Danbury, Waterbury, etc)???.... I would think Metro-north has enough electric sets to cover the GCT-New Haven Service....Do diesel sets ever pinch hit on the electrified lines??

Steve

there is currently a 10 to 15% shoratage of cars on New Haven mainline. so locomotive hauled trains will be used till the M8's come on line

"I suspect the MTA region will probably include Columbia County upstate before too long."

The residents are strongly opposed to paying the extra taxes. They also don't want the kind of growth that might come with regular low cost train service to NYC. Even northern Dutchess County vetoed extending MNCR to Rhinecliff for that reason.

Otto Vondrak wrote:Dutch was expressing a wish us railfans have secretly held for years... some sort of extended service beyond Poughkeepsie.

I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. Adding the MTA to Columbia (and possibly Rennselaer) would increase the tax burden on both of those counties (Business Income Tax, Telephone Taxes, Sales Taxes) and would increase the cost of living in those areas. It would also require a change in state law since the law that governs the existence of the MTA (The MCTA section of the Public Authorities Law) does not authorize operation in Columbia or Rennselaer counties.

Residents of Northern Dutchess were strongly against MN running trains in the area (one proposal involved extending service to Tivoli).

Their argument has been that it is going to swell the population of this semi-rural area and degrade train service. They claim that anyone who commutes to NYC either drives to Poughkeepsie or pays for an Amtrak Monthly ticket (Amtrak calls them "Smart Passes") and rides from Rhinecliff.

I'm curious to see what others think about this... time for a new thread.

Nester

There's about 2 cuts of 8-10 cars each, maybe 3/4's of which have the two tone M.