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the small fleet of EMD GP35R’s off work train duty. The first units arrived at the end of 2008, and by February 2009 the last FL9 had rolled its final miles in revenue service. As they ap- proach their second decade of service, the P32s are being cycled through GE’s shop in Erie, Pa., for rebuilding. Metro-North’s electric m.u. fleet has


been augmented by periodic deliveries of new cars over the years. The first new M-1 “Metropolitan” cars were de- livered by Budd in 1971 for the Hudson and Harlem Lines, while new “Cos- mopolitan” M-2’s arrived for the New Haven Line in 1972. The arrival of this new equipment required new high-lev- el platforms be constructed throughout electric territory. With the extension of third rail to Brewster North (now Southeast), new M-3 cars were deliv- ered in 1983. Nearly 20 years had elapsed between the debut of M-3 cars and the introduction of new Bom- bardier M-7 cars in 2004 (An M-5 series was designed and proposed years earli- er, but no further action was taken). Arrival of the new M-7s led to the re- tirement of the aging M-1s, as well as the 1960s-era former New York Cen- tral ACMU’s.


New Budd/GE M-4 series cars ar- rived for the New Haven Line in 1988, the first new equipment since the M-2s were introduced in 1972. This was fol- lowed by the delivery of new M-6 cars built by Morrison Knudsen in 1994, which operate in triplet sets. After years of delay due to political posturing in Connecticut, new Kawasaki M-8 cars were finally delivered for the New Haven Line that allowed the partial re- tirement of the M-2 cars in 2011. It is expected the order will be complete in 2014, the last of which will include new


44 FEBRUARY 2013 • RAILFAN.COM


TOP: A Metro-North F40PH leads a train of Comet V coaches past the old Erie Railroad depot in Port Jervis, New York. The Port Jervis line is the longest route, operated in coopera- tion with NJ Transit. MIKE FOLEY ABOVE: As the northern terminus for the Hudson Line, Pough- keepsie station is a classic from the New York Central era, built in 1918 and refurbished in 2012. RIGHT: By 1910, New York Central had completed the electrification and grade sepa- ration of the Harlem Division from New York to White Plains. OTTO M. VONDRAK


bar/café cars, replacing the M-2 bar car fleet. It is interesting to note that Metro-North is the only remaining op- erator of purpose-built commuter bar cars in America.


Emerging as a Regional Railroad When Metro-North took over in 1983, ridership was around 41 million and falling. This figured climbed to


more than 52 million just five years lat- er as service improvements continued during the rebuilding.


In 1991, one-seat through service


was restored on the Harlem Line in the diesel territory beyond Brewster, con- current with the growth of the northern suburbs. Through service was also ex- panded on the Hudson and New Haven Lines, reducing the need for shuttle


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