M-7 (railcar)

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The M-7 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Bombardier, with delivery beginning in 2002. The cars were ordered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York) for the Long Island Rail Road (M7) and Metro-North Railroad (M7A). They replaced the M1 railcars, which had previously provided electric service on these lines. They run on third rail power. There are two different versions, owing to the different electrical and signalling systems on the LIRR and Metro-North. The cars are in married pairs. The B Cars contain a handicapped accessible restroom, and are assigned odd-number designations. Each car contains a complete set of controls for an engineer, conductor, or brakeman.

In late 2006 the MTA began a replacement of all M7 armrests after paying out over $100,000 to customers who filed complaints. The factory installed armrests were notorious for slipping into trouser pockets and then destroying them when sitting. The new design is of a different profile and is coated in a more fabric-friendly rubber.

The armrests are only one of many problems with the new M7 trains. Some passengers do not like new trains. Complaints range from narrower seats to fewer seats than on the old M1 and M3 railcars. Metro-North is supposedly taking these comments into mind in developing the M8 railcars - which will be built by Kawasaki Rail Car and used on the New Haven Line. However, many of the issues with the M7A on the Harlem and Hudson Lines (e.g., fewer seats) cannot be remedied.

LIRR M-7 service began October 30, 2002 and Metro-North's first M-7 started scheduled service in April 2004. A new eight-car M7 train costs $18 million.

In the fall of 2006, the M7s started to experience serious braking problems, causing nearly 2/3 of the fleet to be removed from service on Metro North, due to extreme flat wheels. While the LIRR fleet performed significantly better, stripped M1s from both railroads were reactivated, and diminished schedules were instituted until the M7 fleet was able to operate.