Wdobner: while the MUs can change frequency, they cannot do so ON THE FLY. That requires new technology. I’m not even sure the Silverliner V will have that capability.

One thing I have not heard mentioned yet is electrification of the Hudson Line up to Poughkeepsie – it is something that needs to happen sooner or later so that MNR can eventually transition away from the dual mode locomotives into a pure multiple unit-based fleet. I doubt the locomotives are a significant source of particulates as compared to auto traffic, but they are still a source nonetheless.

Some of the Silverliner IVs were actually delivered in the 1970s with the capability to perform the sort of power supply changes NJT uses its electric locomotives to do. Unfortunately those systems were removed in the 1990s when the cars had the PCB laden transformers replaced. The Arrow III EMUs are just a simple motor and logic control board away from full mulitvoltage capability.

An M8 with 25hz capability would have been a nearly universal EMU, capable of operating under the wire or on third rail anywhere in the Northeast provided the third rail shoes were removed or retractable. Unfortunately Metro North and ConnDOT saw fit only to shave a few sprung tons off their 70 ton monster. The M8 will have a 25kv capability, which would allow it to operate through to Boston if the need ever arose. If Amtrak ever gets around to updating the NEC’s power supply (at least between ELMORA at Elizabeth or UNION at Rahway and GATE) to 12kv 60hz the New Haven EMUs could roll into NYP without any problems. They could also operate through all phase gaps on the west side of the river, including the Kearny connector (a 12kv 25hz to 25kv 60hz gap) to serve the Midtown Direct. As it is the closest we’ll have to a universal EMU will be the Silverliner V, which will be capable of using all combinations of high voltage AC voltages and frequencies in the Northeast. Even then the Silverliner V will only be “25kv capable”, with an option to add taps for 25kv operation after delivery.

Finally, locomotive operation across the New Haven line’s unpowered bridges is done on a daily basis by Amtrak. There is no impediment to doing the same thing with commuter trains because the New Haven Railroad operated accelerated local trains behind locomotives for decades without incident.

All this having been said, I’d just as soon avoid these technical problems and the political problems which are likely even more intractable by creating a system which provides the benefits of through-operation without requiring the integration of the various commuter railroads.

You’re right that the LIRR has a greater problem, but it shouldn’t be too hard to get the M2s and M4s to accept current from a top-contact third rail. The Metro-North and LIRR voltages are probably close enough not to require dual voltage trains.

The run to Giants stadium is just such a limited objective. We’ll be glad if it goes well but still the political economic forces are simply not aligned to rearrange things along these lines in any reasonable time frame.

And this still doesn’t solve the issue of the LIRR, which is probably more important than MN. There are no dual mode MUs there, and third rail locos are a really bad idea in my opinion.

Better linkage and integration of the three commuter rail agencies in the Greater New York Region is a must. Connecting Hoboken Terminal with Atlantic Station via Lower Manhattan is a great idea and far overdue. Also, connecting Grand Central with Atlantic Station and NJ Transit is key as well. A spur line connecting Grand Central with the Hoboken Terminal-Atlantic Station line would do the trick.

It is a shame that the answers to having a much better transit system in this country are out there and in practice in other cities but have just not been implemented in this country!

The author focused on Stamford as not having enough transit share….part of the issue at Stamford is that the large MNR yard precludes some of the density needed to entice people to take the train… the commercial downtown is in my opinion too far to be walkable by many residents and office works. Luckily, Stamford is looking at a tram/trolley system to loop its downtown and connect the station to the

My wife and i live 5 stations from Stamford and she works there, but the train is not realistic even though traffic is horrendous because her office is almost 2 miles from the train…not really walkable. Her office would be on the proposed trolley line though. This same issue is repeated all over the MNR towns, as the surface transportation grid doesn’t truly support the train.