Consists on specific trains

[jay.rosenthal]

I'm going into grand central tomorrow morning from white plains. Just wondering what consists are usually used on the following trains. I don't know the train #'s so forgive me there.

 

10:46AM white plains-GCT (M3 or M7?)

 

6:52PM GCT- white plains (I believe this is a through train to Wassaic, so should be a maxi-bomb with a P32ACDM).

[Amtrak7]

This is from spring 2011...

 

Both trains run with 8 M7's.

[jay.rosenthal]

I hate the M7's. I can forgive the loud AC-DC power converter sound when accelerating and decelerating. I can forgive the excessively loud automated voice...but I cannot forgive the ride quality and constant swaying of the cars.

[Truckie]

 

6:52PM GCT- white plains (I believe this is a through train to Wassaic, so should be a maxi-bomb with a P32ACDM).

 

 

That is not a Wassaic through train, it's a Southeast train goes White Plains, express to Chappaqua and local stops north. It terminates @ Southeast and connects to train 975 with is probably a mini bom.

 

The GCT maxi's depart @ 3:44, 4:38, 5:19 and 6:02.

[jay.rosenthal]

Thanks

[jay.rosenthal]

Took the 3:44 Friday. 8 car M7A consist with a connection to Wassaic. the 9:55 express from white plains to GCT semi-express which I believe originates in North White Plains is a 10 car M3A consist. I took the 9:55 into the city, because Ihate the m7's.

[Truckie]

Took the 3:44 Friday. 8 car M7A consist with a connection to Wassaic. the 9:55 express from white plains to GCT semi-express which I believe originates in North White Plains is a 10 car M3A consist. I took the 9:55 into the city, because Ihate the m7's.

 

 

The 3:44 GCT to Wassaic running M7's is not normal. It usually runs a bom set. I know there were issues during the am rush on Friday, although I don't know if they played a part with equiptment shortages.

 

That 9:55 White Plains zipper does originalte from NWP.

[Amtrak7]

In my book 542 (the 9:55 you're referring to) is listed as 8 M7's. Perhaps the M3's were purely due to the equipment shortages?

[jay.rosenthal]

@truckie, I guess I was just a tad unlucky with that day's consist from gct. The automated system did keep announcing the train was to Wassaic which I have never seen done on a Wassaic connection train. It usually says to southeast and people going to upper Harlem station pretty much know they're on the right train and since southeast only has one platform, it's a guarrantted cross platform transfer.

 

@Amtrak7, I'm not complaining about the M3's and I never will. Are you sure that 542 is listed as 8 car m7 consist? I always remember 542 as 10 car M3. It's one of the very early weekday off peaks so it's usually a little more crowded than ones later.

[Truckie]

@truckie, I guess I was just a tad unlucky with that day's consist from gct. The automated system did keep announcing the train was to Wassaic which I have never seen done on a Wassaic connection train. It usually says to southeast and people going to upper Harlem station pretty much know they're on the right train and since southeast only has one platform, it's a guarrantted cross platform transfer.

 

 

 

LOL, first off, the only thing guarenteed with the railroad is to expect change. Yes, Southeast only has an island platform and the connecting mini is usually across. Although I have seen where the mini had to wait for the electric set to go into the yard and it came out on the same track.

 

You said the ASI announced that "this is the train to Wassaic"? Last time I checked there aren't any stations above Southeast programed into the ASI. When I go back on Wednesday I'll have to look.

[jay.rosenthal]

The 'wassaic' announcements on M7 system REALLY caught me off guard, because I also did not believe that they had programmed stations above southeast into the automated system.

 

Also, after the most recent schedule change, the 6:02 GCT-Wassaic maxi now skips white plains and makes its first stop in Golden's Bridge. Just FYI.

[Truckie]

 

Also, after the most recent schedule change, the 6:02 GCT-Wassaic maxi now skips white plains and makes its first stop in Golden's Bridge. Just FYI.

 

 

That train is exactly as it was before. White Plains is a "receive only" stop. While the departure board, ASI, etc may say "Goldens Bridge first stop", according to both the public timetable and employee timetable, it stops there to pick up passengers only.

[lilbluefoxie]

How come the hudson line semi express trains that end in Croton Harmon use the diesel sets instead of M7As

[jay.rosenthal]

Possibly that if they need to move diesel equipment to croton-Harmon or to poughkipsee, but they already have diesel equipment on a train going up there, they might as well make it a revenue train instead of put an M7A on that train AND run the diesel as a deadhead simultaneously. Makes sense to me.

[Truckie]

How come the hudson line semi express trains that end in Croton Harmon use the diesel sets instead of M7As

 

 

They'll do this to cycle the diesels for fueling. The only place on the Hudson Line to fuel is at Croton Harmon yard. Like Jay said, why deadhead it when it can be run revenue. So they'll cycle the diesels in and out of Harmon for fueling.

[lilbluefoxie]

I got another question, this time on the New Canaan branch. Sometimes it uses 5 cars (1 M2 set, and 1 M4/M6 set), other times it uses 6 cars (3 M2 sets) is there any rhyme or reason to that, or its just whatevers on hand at Stamford yard

[Truckie]

I got another question, this time on the New Canaan branch. Sometimes it uses 5 cars (1 M2 set, and 1 M4/M6 set), other times it uses 6 cars (3 M2 sets) is there any rhyme or reason to that, or its just whatevers on hand at Stamford yard

 

 

Probably whatever is availible at the time.

 

The 'wassaic' announcements on M7 system REALLY caught me off guard, because I also did not believe that they had programmed stations above southeast into the automated system.

 

 

I checked the ASI yesterday and there are no stations north of Southeast programed in it. I don't know how Wassaic was on there.

[jay.rosenthal]

 

, it's usually a 5-car set. However, M2/4/6 availability, because of their age and the fact that they're starting to fall apart, is impossible to predict.

Probably whatever is availible at the time.

 

 

 

I checked the ASI yesterday and there are no stations north of Southeast programed in it. I don't know how Wassaic was on there.

 

 

@truckie, that's exactly what I thought, but I've never hallucinated. Why would they even need to program the stations above southeast. However, since I only made of up to White Plains, all I heard was "This is the train to Wassaic." it's possible that none of the other stations were programmed and that this was tweaked to prevent confusion?

[Truckie]

@truckie, that's exactly what I thought, but I've never hallucinated. Why would they even need to program the stations above southeast. However, since I only made of up to White Plains, all I heard was "This is the train to Wassaic." it's possible that none of the other stations were programmed and that this was tweaked to prevent confusion?

 

 

I'm not trying to make you doubt what you heard or accucing you of hallucinating.

 

With out going through the set up of the ASI it's not an option. Who knows, like you said, maybe someone knows something I don't and tweeked it. Either that it might of done it based on entering the train number. I'll try to find out for my own information.

[jay.rosenthal]

Let me know what you find. Who knows, maybe I was tired. I don't think that was the case though.

[Snowblock]

If the M7s are anything like the 142's AAS, there are ways to tweak it. I've worked my voodoo to make 2's run to South Ferry and 5's to Gun Hill Rd AND play the proper announcements, despite neither of those being available programs. They don't teach us those tricks in schoolcar either.