Northeastern292
Service Attendant
The Hartford Line is about a year or two from opening, and what I'm baffled with is how ConnDOT is taking their sweet time with figuring out EXACTLY (key word) how the service will be run from an equipment standpoint, or even if the existing M8 fleet will be qualified and ready for operation on Shore Line East before the Hartford Line opening. While it's no secret that there's an additional 60 M8's on order, the problem is that those won't be ready in time for 2018 and even then I'm not sure if the New London operation deal has been resolved (there's a curvature on the platform at New Haven that doesn't play nice with high level equipment).
So here's the question: where will Shore Line East find equipment? Does MARC have any other excess equipment outside of the cars that SEPTA currently has? And even if SLE were to go all electric, would the current equipment meet the needs? This is why I've been making the argument for a passenger railcar pool.
When money is available, ConnDOT should purchase new locomotives and rehabilitate the P40's they bought from Amtrak.
Comments? Ideas?
So here's the question: where will Shore Line East find equipment? Does MARC have any other excess equipment outside of the cars that SEPTA currently has? And even if SLE were to go all electric, would the current equipment meet the needs? This is why I've been making the argument for a passenger railcar pool.
When money is available, ConnDOT should purchase new locomotives and rehabilitate the P40's they bought from Amtrak.
Comments? Ideas?