M8 (railcar)

M8

Metro-North M8 train at Port Chester, NY along the New Haven Line
In service March 2011-present[1]
Manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Number built 68 out of 405 car order, not including a 25 car option[2]
Formation 190 Married pairs, 25 Singles
Operator Metro-North Railroad
Specifications
Car length 85 ft (26 m)[3]
Width 10.5 ft (3 m)[3]
Maximum speed 100 mph (161 km/h)[4]
Electric system(s) 750V DC (Third rail)
12.5kV AC
25kVAC
Current collection method Third rail
Catenary
Braking system(s) Regenerative / Pneumatic

The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.[5]

Contents

Design

The M8 is similar to the design of the M7 car used on the Harlem Line and the Hudson Line. The most significant difference from the M7s in that they have both third-rail and catenary electrical power. The M8s are able to pick up 750 Volt direct current power from underruning third rail for operation along the New Haven Line from Grand Central Terminal to Pelham, 12.5 kV AC power from overhead lines via pantographs for operation from Pelham, to New Haven, (as well as along the New Canaan Branch), and 25 kV AC power from catenary for operation along the Shore Line East route east of New Haven to New London, Conn. Unlike in earlier classes, changeover between the two AC voltages can be made by the engineer while on the move.[6]

In response to rising number of people seeking to use their bicycle to solve the "last mile problem" between Metro-North stations and destinations, ConnDOT has pledged to provide hooks for storage of two bicycles in the disabled riders area of each rail car. In the event that a disabled rider boards a car, all cyclists must move their bicycles to the entry vestibule. In spite of the hook installation, during peak travel periods only folding bicycles are permitted aboard most Metro North trains.

Exterior design

The exterior design of the new M8 rail car is red, in keeping with the traditional exterior color of the New Haven Line rail cars. The body shape is similar to the M7 rail cars that are in operation on the Hudson and Harlem lines.

Delivery schedule

The Connecticut Department of Transportation order consists of 300 cars, with an 80 car option order. This option was approved on August 11, 2010.[7][8] Full production of the M8's was scheduled to begin in early 2010 but has since been delayed.[9] Kawasaki has cited problems with steel suppliers and sub-contractors (which is responsible for 60% of the cars). Once production is at full output the cars will be delivered at a rate of ten per month.

In December 2010 the first 24 cars were received and began to undergo testing.[10]

The cars were originally supposed to go into revenue service in December 2010, however, because of technical problems, revenue service was deferred until March 1, 2011.[1][11][12] The first run of the initial 8 car set (consisting of cars 9114, 9115, 9116, 9117, 9112, 9113, 9108, and 9109) originated in Stamford at 10:30am, arriving in Grand Central Terminal at 11:28am. A total of ten 8-car train sets were slated to enter service by the end of the year.[13]

On May 7, 2011, Kawasaki announced that deliveries of 20 cars of the 80 scheduled to enter service by the end of the year would be delayed due to supply problems; Kawasaki said it would build the cars at a later date and absorb the costs incurred.[14] At the time of the announcement, 16 cars had entered service, with an additional ten delivered but not yet in service.[14]

Two months later, an investigative report by WABC-TV News examined correspondence between Kawasaki and Metro-North over the delays in introducing the cars. At the time it had been claimed the cars merely had software problems, but the documents reporters obtained under New York's Freedom of Information Law showed Kawasaki repeatedly asking for deadline extensions over issues such as bad weather and financial difficulties at the company that supplied the onboard toilets. Railroad officials complained in emails reviewed by the channel that some of the requests "defie[d] logic" and were a waste of time. Kawasaki said such multiple delays were "not unusual given the complexity of the cars and suppliers" and were often beyond their control.[15]

On July 20, 2011, the Connecticut Department of Transportation announced the order of 25 unpowered M8 railcars, with options for up to 25 more, at a cost of US$93 million to replace the 48 car M6 fleet.[16]

According to Metro-North, as of Thursday, December 15th, 2011, 68 cars have been delivered to state property; three 8-car sets and four 6-car sets (48 cars) are in service while 12 spare cars are reserved for when these cars undergo routine maintenance. The remaining 8 are being tested and inspected by Kawasaki. [17]

Technical data

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Stannard, Ed (March 1, 2011). "New Metro-North M8 rail cars take first run to New York". New Haven Register. http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/03/01/news/doc4d6d0d911118d670996364.txt. Retrieved March 1, 2011. 
  2. ^ http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/State-bolsters-order-of-new-M-8-rail-cars-1472501.php
  3. ^ a b c d e f Martin, Cassidy (March 1, 2011). "Checking the Schedule". Greenwich Time: cover. 
  4. ^ Max speed for New Haven Line, equipment max speed could be higher.
  5. ^ Cameron, Jim (September 26, 2007). "Desigining the new M8 rail cars". http://talkingtransportation.blogspot.com/2007/09/designing-new-m8-rail-cars.html. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  6. ^ "M-8 Rail Cars Project No. 300-0116". Connecticut Department of Transportation. March 4, 2009. http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dprojects/m8projectupdate.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-29. 
  7. ^ "Connecticut to purchase 80 more cars for Metro-North line". Progressive Railroading. August 6, 2010. http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=24032. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  8. ^ Cassidy, Martin (October 21, 2009). "First of new M8 railcars leaving Japan in days, Metro-North chief says". The Stamford Advocate. http://blog.stamfordadvocate.com/stamford411/2009/10/21/first-of-new-m-8-railcars-leaving-japan-in-days-metro-north-chief-says/. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  9. ^ Cameron, Jim (October 31, 2009). "New M8 Rail Cars A Year Late In Delivery". http://talkingtransportation.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-m8-rail-cars-year-late-in-delivery.html. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  10. ^ "Unveiling the new M8 cars". NBC Connecticut. November 15, 2010. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Unveiling-the-New-M-8-Cars-108186234.html. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  11. ^ Haynes, Crystal (December 16, 2010). "Glitch keeps new M-8 rail cars out of service". WTNH. http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/connecticut/glitch-keeps-new-m-8-rail-cars-out-of-service. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  12. ^ "Connecticut DOT delays revenue service for M-8 cars to continue tests". Progressive Railroading. December 16, 2010. http://www.progressiverailroading.com/freightnews/article.asp?id=25275. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  13. ^ Grynbaum, Michael B. (March 1, 2011). "On Metro-North’s New Haven Line, New Cars Arrive". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/nyregion/02metro-north.html. Retrieved March 5, 2011. 
  14. ^ a b "Supply problems disrupt M-8 deliveries". Trains Magazine. May 6, 2011. http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2011/05/Supply%20problems%20disrupt%20M-8%20deliveries.aspx. Retrieved May 7, 2011. 
  15. ^ Hoffer, Jim (June 29, 2011). "Investigation into delayed new Metro North train cars". WABC-TV. http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/investigators&id=8222519. Retrieved June 30, 2011. 
  16. ^ "Connecticut places order for un-powered M-8 railcars". Trains Magazine. July 20, 2011. http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2011/07/Connecticut%20places%20order%20for%20un-powered%20M-8%20railcars.aspx. Retrieved July 24, 2011. 
  17. ^ "Update: New Haven Line Rail Cars". May 4, 2011. http://mta.info/mnr/html/newM8.html. Retrieved May 9, 2011. 
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
M1 (LIRR)
M3 (LIRR)
C1 (LIRR)
C3 (LIRR)
M7 (LIRR)
RDC (MNCR)
ACMU (MNCR)
M1A (MNCR)
M2 (MNCR)
Shoreliner I (MNCR)
M3A (MNCR)
Shoreliner II (MNCR)
M4 (MNCR)
Shoreliner III (MNCR)
M6 (MNCR)
Shoreliner IV (MNCR)
Comet V (MNCR)
M7A (MNCR)
M8 (MNCR)