M8 (railcar)

The M8 is a railcar to be manufactured by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. [ [http://www.kawasakirailcar.com/newsroom.asp?nid=4 <-Kawasaki Rail Car Inc.,-> ] ] [ [http://www.mta.info/mta/news/newsroom/initiatives.htm MTA Newsroom ] ] The Connecticut Department of Transportation has ordered 342 cars out of the total 380 cars, the rest of which are still on option. The M8 improves on the design of the M-7 car used on the Harlem Line and the Hudson Line. [http://img126.imageshack.us/my.php?
] It will replace the 240 M-2's which have been in use for over 30 years. [ [http://talkingtransportation.blogspot.com/search/label/M8 "Talking Transportation": M8 ] ] [ [http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562262291uVTfYZ My Public Shoebox pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots ] ] Current schedule calls for an eight car test train to be delivered late next year. Full production of the M8's is to begin in early 2010 and the cars are to be delivered at a rate of 10 cars per month. [ [http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?Q=410554 press release from Connecticut's Governer] ]

Technical Data

*M-8 Electric Multiple Unit – New York, USA
*Builder: Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.
*Operators: Metro-North Railroad (210 cars by end of 2009)
*Length 25,803 mm - 85' 0"
*Width 3,200 mm - 10' 6" [ [http://www.kawasakirailcar.com/newsroom.asp?nid=4 M8 Technical Data & Overview] ]
*Mitsubishi Electric AC Traction Motors and IGBT inverters [ [http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/about/download/Connections%20Summer%202006.pdf Mitsubishi Electric 'Connect' Newsletter, Summer 2006] ]
*Max. Speed 160 km/h - 100 mph
*Seated Passengers: 108 (A car); 101 (B car)

ee also

*M1/M3 (railcar)
*M-9 (railcar)
*Long Island Rail Road
*Metro North Railroad
*New Haven Line

References