M8 (railcar)
Encyclopedia
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.
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 pantograph
s 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.
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.
order consists of 300 cars, with an 80 car option order. This option was approved on August 11, 2010. Full production of the M8's was scheduled to begin in early 2010 but has since been delayed. 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.
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. 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 are slated to enter service by the end of the year.
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. At the time of the announcement, 16 cars had entered service, with an additional ten delivered but not yet in service. According to Metro North, 50 cars have been delivered to state property; 4 8 car sets are in service while 4 spare cars are reserved for when these cars undergo routine maintenance. The remaining 10 are being tested and inspected by Kawasaki.
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.
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.
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
railroad car built by Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company
is the rolling stock production division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since beginning operations in 1906, the company has produced more than 90,000 railroad vehicles.- Products :...
for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2
M2 (railcar)
The M2 is a series of 244 electric multiple unit cars produced for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for use on the New Haven Line...
's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.
Design
The M8 is similar to the design of the M7M7 (railcar)
The M7 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Bombardier, with delivery beginning in 2002.The cars were ordered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad . The M7 replaced the M1 railcars, which had previously provided electric...
car used on the Harlem Line and the Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
. 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
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
power from underruning third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
for operation along the New Haven Line from Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
to Pelham
Pelham (Metro-North station)
The Pelham Metro-North Railroad station serves passengers who wish to travel to or from Pelham, New York, via the New Haven Line. The station is one mile west of the point where the New Haven Line joins the Northeast Corridor and just east of the end of third rail power and start of overhead...
, 12.5 kV AC power from overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
via pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
s 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
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
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
Locomotive engineer
A locomotive engineer may refer to:*Railroad engineer, a person who operates a locomotive, usually called an engine or train driver outside North America*Locomotive builder, a person who designs and builds locomotives...
while on the move.
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 TransportationConnecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
order consists of 300 cars, with an 80 car option order. This option was approved on August 11, 2010. Full production of the M8's was scheduled to begin in early 2010 but has since been delayed. Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company
is the rolling stock production division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since beginning operations in 1906, the company has produced more than 90,000 railroad vehicles.- Products :...
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.
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. 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 are slated to enter service by the end of the year.
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. At the time of the announcement, 16 cars had entered service, with an additional ten delivered but not yet in service. According to Metro North, 50 cars have been delivered to state property; 4 8 car sets are in service while 4 spare cars are reserved for when these cars undergo routine maintenance. The remaining 10 are being tested and inspected by Kawasaki.
Two months later, an investigative report
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
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.
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.
Technical data
- Builder: Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.
- Operators: Metro-North RailroadMetro-North RailroadThe Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
, Connecticut Department of TransportationConnecticut Department of TransportationThe Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker... - Length 25.8 m - 85' 0"
- Width 3.2 m - 10' 6"
- Weight: 144850 pounds (65,702.9 kg) (A car), 143780 pounds (65,217.5 kg)(B car)
- Seated Passengers: 110 (A car); 101 (B car)
See also
- M1/M3 (railcar)M1/M3 (railcar)The M1 and M3 are two similar series of electric multiple unit rail cars made by the Budd Company for the Long Island Rail Road, the Metro North Railroad and Metro North's predecessors, Penn Central and Conrail...
- M7 (railcar)M7 (railcar)The M7 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Bombardier, with delivery beginning in 2002.The cars were ordered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad . The M7 replaced the M1 railcars, which had previously provided electric...
- M9 (railcar)
- Metro-North RailroadMetro-North RailroadThe Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
- New Haven Line