Clonking suspension noise on every Kawasaki M8 railcar on the Metro North

[Schoerny]

Hi,

I didn't find anything on Google on this so I thought maybe you guys from the NYCTransitForum know something about this.

I recognized that all the Kawasaki M8 railcars used on the Metro North have this terrible clonking suspension noise going on. It does not sound like it's coming from the wheels or rails.
You normally hear it when you are sitting at the end of the train car and not in the middle, which I normally do as I often bring an electric scooter or a bike on the train.
Here is a video where you can hear it. 

For a train car introduced barely ten years ago I find this disappointing, given that many other commuter trains on the world are running very quiet nowadays.

Does anybody know more about this problem? Is this a design defect with those cars or lack of maintenance? I can't imagine that this was considered normal when these trains were developed.

Thanks,

Schoerny

[danielhg121]

4 hours ago, Schoerny said:

Hi,

I didn't find anything on Google on this so I thought maybe you guys from the NYCTransitForum know something about this.

I recognized that all the Kawasaki M8 railcars used on the Metro North have this terrible clonking suspension noise going on. It does not sound like it's coming from the wheels or rails.
You normally hear it when you are sitting at the end of the train car and not in the middle, which I normally do as I often bring an electric scooter or a bike on the train.
Here is a video where you can hear it. 

For a train car introduced barely ten years ago I find this disappointing, given that many other commuter trains on the world are running very quiet nowadays.

Does anybody know more about this problem? Is this a design defect with those cars or lack of maintenance? I can't imagine that this was considered normal when these trains were developed.

Thanks,

Schoerny

I believe what you're referring to is train car bucking. It's relatively common on the LIRR M7's and even NYCT subway cars and I think it happens due to differences in the acceleration/deceleration profile of one car and the next. 

Mainly this is caused when one car takes excess power than the others and pushes into the other. I believe it's pretty common when a train leaves a station or starts to pick up speed when leaving a slow section. 

[Schoerny]

On 8/19/2022 at 2:46 PM, danielhg121 said:

I believe what you're referring to is train car bucking. It's relatively common on the LIRR M7's and even NYCT subway cars and I think it happens due to differences in the acceleration/deceleration profile of one car and the next. 

Mainly this is caused when one car takes excess power than the others and pushes into the other. I believe it's pretty common when a train leaves a station or starts to pick up speed when leaving a slow section. 

thanks for your reply. I think I know that bucking effect but that's not what's happening here. On my ride back home yesterday I investigated a bit more. The noise is not coming from the suspension, it's coming from this part between the train cars. If the train tracks are uneven and the train is shaking a bit, it's making this noise. See here. 

Terrible design in my opinion.... otherwise I enjoy the rides on the MetroNorth a lot.

Schoerny