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  <div>I had a bit of time and tried to track the F125 problems through the minutes of the SCRRA Board of Directors meetings: <a href="https://www.metrolinktrains.com/about/board-meetings/agendas--documents/">https://www.metrolinktrains.com/about/board-meetings/agendas--documents/</a></div> <div>Here is what I found:</div> -       December 14th 2012: order for 17 Tier 4 locomotives to be placed with EMD. The following link contains the evaluation: <a href="http://metrolink.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=211">http://metrolink.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=211</a> Starts on page 28 -       May 10th  2013: Financial questions -       February 14th 2014: EMD delivers Intermediate Design Review (IDR) drawings too late, no effect on locomotive delivery expected. FRA approval will be delayed as EMD has to solve a frame imbalance before further CEM certifications. -       May 9th 2014: Imbalance solved. FRA hasn’t taken exception to the F125 structure. Delayed IDR postponed Final Design Review by three month. US Steel to cut and form first steel for frame and trucks to be shipped by air to Vossloh Valencia. -       September 14th 2014: EMD needs paint scheme decision -       April 24th 2015: F125 project is progressing on schedule and budget. -       February 12th 2016: Board was notified of delay of delivery for first locomotive in November 2015. It will bedelivered two month later in February 2016. Since then changes to schedule, design and manufacturing process have further delayed the delivery date. The first three locomotives were given prototype status. Until final design is agreed upon, a considerable amount of testing is required to identify and correct any deficiencies identified before production of units can begin. -       September 23rd 2016: Changes to schedules last presented to the Board in July 2016. Number of locomotives to be delivered to the end of 2016 reduced from 9 to 4 units. EMD is working through some difficulties as the manufacturing process has encountered quality issues stemming from vendors who supply materials and components. Correcting these problems has significantly delayed project delivery. -       November 18th 2016: Delivery schedule reduced to three units to the end of 2016. During the final review process some concerns were noted by staff about the compliance of cab access step configuration with federal regulations. EMD and staff have agreed in principle on a solution to be finally designed by EMD. -       January 27th 2017: EMD delivered on locomotive #905 to the end of 2016. In January 2016 three more were delivered. The cab access ladder problem is resolved. Replacement ladders are produced. -       March 24th 2017: Description of necessary tests. -       June 9th 2017: FRA has brought up additional safety items to be addressed by Metrolink late in 2016. These included end of car hand holds, cab ladder pocket and headlight accessibility requirements. The redesign was accepted by FRA and test permit granted. Excessive cooling blower noise level has been reduced. -       July 14th 2017: Primarily test procedures. -       September 8th and October 13th 2017: No new reasons for delays <div>That is what I found. I don't guarantee for completeness. Minutes of staff meetings are not accessible. Some minutes contain information that updates were presented to the Board at an earlier date but the regarding minutes don’t show these updates.</div> <div>I don’t know Metrolink’s corporate structure but I have the impression the Tier 4 locomotive procurement was not very high on the Board’s priority list. Regards, Volker </div>
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