Over loaded train?

Question

12/17/06 The 10:00 am train from Fairfield Ct. to Grand Central. Standing room only. the 10:07 pm from Grand Central to New Haven Standing room only I counted over 200 people standing. Where are all the extra cars for the Christmas season.

Answer 1

They would love to add extra cars to all lines, but they can only keep so many cars in storage. With the cars they have in storage, they have to allocate them to all the lines that run. It would be great to add more cars to all lines, but it makes the trains weigh more, which makes them inefficient. Also, more cars means more $$$.

Sorry and good luck!

Answer 2

I think that is a silly question.. Do you expect Santa to deliver extra cars? Think they appear out of no-where growing on trees?

90% of NH line cars are in service. The 10% out due to repair, and are being repaired ASAP. That is what the state has, and will have until 2009 when the M8's are delivered.

And, I don't think you counted 200 people standing in one railcar. I know the M2, M4, and M6 units well, and there is little chance of fitting that many people in one standing, in addition to the sitting passengers.

Addition: The above appeared as I was typing my answer.. There are no New Haven line cars in storage, nor are there any running on other lines. The M-series Cosmo cars (M2, 4, 6) only run on the New Haven line and refer to above for in-service info. Addtional weight has nothing to do with it - the New Haven line and NH line trains are electrified - they are Electric MU cars.. Each set coupled together draws power and powers itself. The only diesel powered trains come off the branches, aside from a few occasional dual mode powered NH-GCT trains.

Answer 3

They usually have in storage a number of cars for this kind of situations but putting them 2 use needs special aproovall and to justify such a decision they rely on predictions. They probably didn't expect an overflow untill the end of the week.