Linked here is a story and a couple of photos of Metro North's new M- 8 Cars:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/State-s-new-M-8-railroad-cars-make-first-491800.php
From an article posted on the website of the Stanfor Advocate.com
FTA: "A set of eight new M-8 railroad cars made their first independent test run between New Haven and Milford Monday night without problems, running on their own power as engineers kept tabs on the computer-driven rolling stock for any flaws that could keep them from passenger service in 2010, officials said..."
Their appearance is interesting, they look like they have Japanese-style ends grafted onto North American-style bodies.
Indeed an interesting appearance. Reminds me of those special control-equipped B-units used by the Rock Island on the Colorado Springs section of the Rocky Mountain Rocket. Can't remember their accurate designation but they had a similar headlight mounting. They ended up hauling commuters in Chicago.
You're thinking of the AB6's, RI 750-751. They started out on the Rocky Mountain Rocket and were in the first batch of RI suburban locomotives to be equipped with HEP, along with F7A's 675-677 and E6A 630. The AB6's lasted in suburban service until around 1970.
Thanks for the info on the RI units. Would have loved to be in Limon to see the split and the joining up.
CSSHEGEWISCH Their appearance is interesting, they look like they have Japanese-style ends grafted onto North American-style bodies.
Actually, they appear to be very typical of present-day Japanese design. I may be dating myself, but aren't most North American car sides simply vertical? That 'bulge at the hips' first showed up on JNR EMU and DMU sets in the 1960s
Chuck
The same bulge has been applied to LIRR M1 M3 the MNCR M1/2/3/4/6 and now M8
look at same bulge on viewliners/ Acela's, Southshore commuter cars etc etc.
The clearances may be a bit tighter than steam roads but CTA has had the same bulge on its rapid transit equipment since the articulated sets were delivered in 1947-1948. Also consider the curved-side lightweight interurbans built by Cincinnati Car Co. in the 1920's.
Makes for a roomier car that still fits clearances and also it adds strength.
Actually the ends are simply the old M-1 design made to look different by a totally different paint scheme, small changes to the window, and by the addition of the pantograph gates, intended to keep people from falling off of high platforms between the cars (and used on Illinois Central's original mu's and on the current mu gallery cars. And the M-1 design was a takeoff on PATO's cars, still running, PHiladelphia - Lindenwald. Budd was the original builder.
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