Passenger Trains > Does NJ Transit have a surplus of passenger cars?

Recent satellite pictures show 70+ railcars and 20+ locomotives at Meadowlands Maintenance Center in Kearny NJ. A few train sets in Morrisville and Long Branch. Some of the MMC equipment seems to be long strings of locomotives or cars, perhaps in storage or awaiting heavy repairs.

Could NJT lease some of these single level and multi-level units to Amtrak for the cost of repairs, etc?  Amtrak has (had?) billions in federal taxpayer money, this would get equipment back in service relatively quickly.

 

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Recent satellite pictures show 70+ railcars and
> 20+ locomotives at Meadowlands Maintenance Center
> in Kearny NJ. A few train sets in Morrisville and
> Long Branch. Some of the MMC equipment seems to be
> long strings of locomotives or cars, perhaps in
> storage or awaiting heavy repairs.
>
> Could NJT lease some of these single level and
> multi-level units to Amtrak for the cost of
> repairs, etc?  Amtrak has (had?) billions in
> federal taxpayer money, this would get equipment
> back in service relatively quickly.

They are probably in very bad shape, some still Sandy damaged. Most cars lack restrooms. There is no way they will lease out MLV cars. MMC simply cannot keep up with their maintenance.

NJT does not publish rosters, MDBF on equipment, or out of service ratios. Management is very secretive and answers to no one.The NJT Board are a bunch of aloof rubber stamps, do whatever the DOT Commissioner tells them or they are out, has zero public transit on his/her resume. This has gone on for 4 terms of 2 Governors from both political parties. The only thing the Legislature does is bitch to the media/press to impress us, but does nothing. They are not going to hold to account any of the hacks they installed in management.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/26 08:56 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Recent satellite pictures show 70+ railcars and
> > 20+ locomotives at Meadowlands Maintenance
> Center
> > in Kearny NJ. A few train sets in Morrisville
> and
> > Long Branch. Some of the MMC equipment seems to
> be
> > long strings of locomotives or cars, perhaps in
> > storage or awaiting heavy repairs.
> >
> > Could NJT lease some of these single level and
> > multi-level units to Amtrak for the cost of
> > repairs, etc?  Amtrak has (had?) billions in
> > federal taxpayer money, this would get
> equipment
> > back in service relatively quickly.
>
> They are probably in very bad shape, some
> still Sandy damaged. Most cars lack
> restrooms. There is no way they will lease out
> MLV cars. MMC simply cannot keep up with their
> maintenance.
>
> NJT does not publish rosters, MDBF on equipment,
> or out of service ratios. Management is very
> secretive and answers to no one.The NJT Board are
> a bunch of aloof rubber stamps, do whatever the
> DOT Commissioner tells them or they are out, has
> zero public transit on his/her resume. This has
> gone on for 4 terms of 2 Governors from both
> political parties. The only thing the Legislature
> does is bitch to the media/press to impress us,
> but does nothing. They are not going to hold to
> account any of the hacks they installed in
> management.

I respect joemvcnj comments and input, but I would still argue that NJT has some coaches it "could spare" if push came to shove. A majority of the Sandy damaged coaches were scrapped. NJT management would have to answer to this, but I just can't believe that with all the multilevel commuter coaches now in operation that they don't have at least 12 single level comet cars as spares. These would be the same shell/make-up of the Amtrak Horizon cars. Yes, they may need "some work" - but so does a LOT of Amtrak equipment - so add it to the list and see what can be done sooner than later as the Amtrak equipment shortage issue is not going to be solved in the next two year by any stretch.......The last time someone went rummaging around in NJT yards, they found Arrow passenger cars that Beech Grove beautifully refurbished and customized as a corridor train for California. Just saying!  

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------

> I respect joemvcnj comments and input, but I would
> still argue that NJT has some coaches it "could
> spare" if push came to shove. A majority of the
> Sandy damaged coaches were scrapped. NJT
> management would have to answer to this, but I
> just can't believe that with all the multilevel
> commuter coaches now in operation that they don't
> have at least 12 single level comet cars as
> spares. These would be the same shell/make-up of
> the Amtrak Horizon cars. Yes, they may need "some
> work" - but so does a LOT of Amtrak equipment - so
> add it to the list and see what can be done sooner
> than later as the Amtrak equipment shortage issue
> is not going to be solved in the next two year by
> any stretch.......The last time someone went
> rummaging around in NJT yards, they found Arrow
> passenger cars that Beech Grove beautifully
> refurbished and customized as a corridor train for
> California. Just saying!  

Thanks to each of you for your comments. It just seems to me that some NJT equipment could be refurbished and put to better use in places where they are needed more. More than sitting idle in the MMC, etc.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:

> Thanks to each of you for your comments. It just
> seems to me that some NJT equipment could be
> refurbished and put to better use in places where
> they are needed more. More than sitting idle in
> the MMC, etc.

How would that look politically? Buy 1982, deteriorating, Comet-II cars, most of which lack restrooms, identical to the 1988 Horizon cars that they are scrapping.

SEPTA leased 10 MARC cars and bought 24 EXO's 1988 version of the Horizon cars (lacking restrooms as well), not choosing NJT's junk. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The last time someone went
> rummaging around in NJT yards, they found Arrow
> passenger cars that Beech Grove beautifully
> refurbished and customized as a corridor train for
> California. Just saying!  

PAID FOR by the state of California. You seem to have a problem with accepting all facts.

I have asked this question before, and YOU, as well as no one else, ever responded:

Has Amtrak ever purchased or rented or leased passenger cars that required refurbishment or updates or upgrades for use in regularly scheduled trains other than during the inital formation and takeover years ?

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The last time someone went
> > rummaging around in NJT yards, they found Arrow
> > passenger cars that Beech Grove beautifully
> > refurbished and customized as a corridor train
> for
> > California. Just saying!  
>
> PAID FOR by the state of California. You seem to
> have a problem with accepting all facts.
>
> I have asked this question before, and YOU, as
> well as no one else, ever responded:
>
> Has Amtrak ever purchased or rented or leased
> passenger cars that required refurbishment or
> updates or upgrades for use in regularly scheduled
> trains other than during the initial formation and
> takeover years ?

Riddle me this - Has Amtrak ever been this strapped before for extra capacity for a period longer than 6 to 8 months? I would say - NOT to this extent nationally. 

I fully understand that California purchased the ex-NJT Arrows and I applaud both California and Amtrak for working together to get the ex-NJT Arrow cars refurbished. I guess you don't like the work that Beech Grove can do to restore passenger equipment..... Amtrak is in the process of leasing former North Star commuter and locomotives. Although not requiring upgrades, Amtrak has leased train sets from VIA Rail Canada. YOU of course know about that - and not just talking cars for the Adirondack. I never said that Amtrak should "purchase" - but leasing passenger cars in a burdened capacity issue before Airos arrive etc. etc. would seem to be advantageous. But YOU always know best........ 

longliveSP Wrote:

> Has Amtrak ever purchased or rented or leased
> passenger cars that required refurbishment or
> updates or upgrades for use in regularly scheduled
> trains other than during the inital formation and
> takeover years ?

Yes they have leased in as-is condition and so what ? Never done it before does not mean they cannot do it in the future. 
MARC, SEPTA, NJT, and MBTA cars thru winter holiday periods.