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The Metro-North Railroad is a commuter railroad serving the northern suburbs of New York City. It principally uses a fleet of electric railcars for its services; diesel locomotives and push-pull coaches are in use as well for non-electrified portions of the system.
Contents
History
When the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began to subsidize commuter rail systems of Penn Central Railroad and Erie Lackawanna Railway in the early-1970s, they inherited equipment of the former New York Central Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, some of which dated back to the early 20th Century. However, they also began to operate variations of the new M1 railcar which was designated as the "M1A." The next new fleet of EMUs came with the M2s, which replaced Pullman 4400-series cars dating back to the early 1920s to 1954 from 1973 to 1977. With the expansion of electrified territory 142 M3As were ordered, arriving between 1984 and 1986. Two additional small orders would supplement the existing fleet; 54 M4s arrived in late 1987, and in 1994 48 M6s arrived. Many diesel locomotives inherited from those railroads however, were used as recently as the early 21st Century. The M1As were replaced between 2004 and 2007 with the arrival of the 336 M7As. In order to replace the M2, M4, and M6s on the New Haven Line and to respond to increasing ridership on that line 405 M8s were ordered. In 2016, in response to ridership higher than initially expected on the New Haven Line, up to 94 additional M8s will be built to meet that line's needs.
Electric multiple units
M3A, M7A and M9A cars draw power from third rail under-running; M2, M4, and M6 from third rail under-running and 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC catenary; M8 from 650V DC third rail over and under-running, 12.5 kV 60 Hz and 25 kV 60 Hz AC catenary.
Push pull coaches
These cars are non-powered.
Retired rolling stock
Roster rolling stock manufactured from 1946 to the present.
Bar cars
Metro-North Railroad was the last commuter railroad in the United States to operate bar cars, electric MUs equipped with bars that served alcohol. The M2 bar cars were delivered in 1974, and Metro-North has not ordered new ones. The last train which included a bar car left Grand Central for New Haven at 7:34PM on Friday, May 9, 2014. While there is talk of retrofitting M8 cars with bars, no decision has been reached and no money allocated. On September 13, 2016, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy announced that the state would be buying another 60 M8 cars, 10 of which will be "bar cars". The first bar car will be in service by 2020.