Engines of Metro North Budd M2/M4/M6

Engines of Metro North Budd M2/M4/M6
Sorry it took so long to get this episode out but nevertheless it's here, it took me a while to edit it so I hope it's good. This video is about the history of the budd m2 as well as a little bit of metro north history. The m2 replaced the pre war emu's that ran on penn central and the new haven railroad. The MTA and condot were able to fund the order of cars and bring back good service to the new haven line.

[@ybmtransit_914]

These cars are plain nostalgia😊

[@nyrailfan202]

I agree, once the m3's are gone budd equipment will be all gone from metro north and the LIRR as well.

[@ybmtransit_914]

nyrailfan 202- Yep. It sad to see them go, but they will be missed.

[@Traintrooper]

I codent agre more

[@birdmantherailfan]

Long Island Rail Road are rebuilding 100 M3 cars to put back into service

[@lennysvideoz]

@@nyrailfan202 Budd equipment will always be remembered.

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

Glad that a M2 pair was preserved at the Danbury RR Museum.

[@nyrailfan202]

So am I

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

@@nyrailfan202 I was actually quite surprised when I heard … erm … read the news, seeing all the talk about how preserving a pair was supposed to be impossible over aspestos, liability, etc.

[@joezegers]

The original M2s were actually built in GE’s factory with shells built by Budd, Canadian Vickers, or Avco.

[@warrencrosby2620]

Those box cars at the beginning was rocking and rollin

[@gandlar5489]

I love watching the pantograph raising at Pelham station.

[@AntiFernandoNWF_MTAfannerNYC]

Update: 1 Metro North M2 is preserved at the Danbury Railroad Museum in Connecticut (as you know)

[@plushynoob3463]

i find it weird that instead retiring from oldest to newest, the MTA decided to retire these from newest to oldest (great video btw)

[@valdrex3531]

Awesome video! I really like the metro north trains. Only request is if you could turn the music down a bit so you could be heard more clearly. Great vid!

[@nyrailfan202]

Sorry about that, next time will do.

[@jordimendoza9930]

6:50 there was a M2 between the M4

[@russellgxy2905]

If it wasn't for the fact that the cars served alcohol, I'd be upset at MTA for discontinuing that service

[@williamlthomas7435]

I commuted on these cars between Bridgeport & New Rochelle in the 80’s

[@nyrailfan202]

As did many others

[@NorthAtlanticRails]

I have some news. One set of those cars was placed in the Danbury Railroad Museum! Now you are able to go see one there as well as some EMD FL9 locomotives and ACMUs. It is very close to the Danbury railroad station so if anyone is going there by train there is a direct service there.

[@gandlar5489]

I agree.These trains should be preserved in a rail museum.

[@tom-and-mom]

2 M2s are at the Danbury Railway Museum.

[@zachfila]

The M1s were metropolitans and the M2 that ran on the New Haven Line were cosmopolitans

[@nyrailfan202]

I think your right about that when I think about it

[@rwchannel8832]

These cars started my passion for railfanning in CT!

[@afleetcommand]

Excellent Video & History lesson. And the production is just fine.

[@nyrailfan202]

Thank you very much

[@kevinwong6588]

The first M-2s were delivered from Erie in August 1972, but not accepted until April 1973. When the M-6s rolled off the line in 1994, Morrison Knudsen was undergoing bankruptcy, and MNCR ended having to accept delivery of cars "as is", some incomplete, even lacking decals or logos.

[@101MTA]

There are retired cars both at the DRM and another pair is used for First Responder training near Bradley International Airport as well.

[@mike.russo14]

Great video, so much nostalgia! Can you please tell me the link to the video from 5:33? I was trying to find that forever and I think I've finally found it again! :)

[@AmazeGames]

The last M2s were removed from service in the last two months of 2018, at least I think so. Nice video.

[@tom-and-mom]

Two Metro North M2 EMUs were sold to the Danbury RR Museum, where they are sitting here as of 2019.

[@jaydottt_transitfanner]

5:07 the M3 was for the LIRR that's actually the M3A

[@birdmantherailfan]

I named quite a few of these trains. M2 unit number 8745 was Norman the Metro North and turned into a cartoon character of my own. Since he was always paired with 8744, I named him Larry who is Norman's brother. To make the story short, I have named more than 20 emu's in the M2,M4,and M6 series.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

I saw the M2s, M4s, and M6s when I was a little kid when I was 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

[@frankortolano5886]

Love the M2s

[@AaronJrBrundidge]

Currently, 28 M2 units are still here, probably til 2019

[@nyrailfan202]

I wrote the script for this like a month ago so that’s why, some were just sent for scrap

[@leecornwell5632]

Some M2S is keeping them on the cut like they did to the R32S when the R179s had door issues and the train draw bars link had cracked.

[@leecornwell5632]

There was nothing wrong with the M2S M4s M6S at all. Those trains were very reliable service and running smoothly. I'm very grateful that they kept some M2S on the cut . What they should of did is to put positive train controls in them.

[@MunipalsFanJose]

now in 2024, the Danbury Railway Museum preserved a pair of M2's

[@LSM_Lover]

Awesome video! Just subscribed!

[@nyrailfan202]

Thank you glad you enjoyed it

[@TheRandomRailfan]

Nice video!

[@birdmantherailfan]

Back in 2009 I lived in a house beside a train station in New Canaan. I'd watch out the window and even go near the platforms to watch the M2 trains go. Even my dad who worked at Grand Central Station in New York took the M2 trains home every day. Nowadays i'm pretty crushed to find out that nearly all these trains are scrapped. They all brought back so many memories as a 4 and 5 year old. At the very least my mom filmed one of the trains back in 2010. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJC6c4GQoKuqmbs.

[@jimmymakmta]

Love the m2s 4s and 6s models also the Ms on the LiRR, I also love the R44s R46s and 68s

[@nyrailfan202]

Who doesn’t

[@leecornwell5632]

Don't forget about the R62S R62AS R32S.

[@jimmymakmta]

@Lee Cornwell yes them as well the R32s aka the Silver Liners

[@CaseysTrains]

It's a great video and very informative. Just need to lower the background music a tad.

[@malachimuhammad-dy2ow]

I'm going to miss the old New Haven Line trains.

[@malachimuhammad-dy2ow]

They were doing so well on express services on the New Haven Line.

[@Cowl_5544]

It’s a shame that none of the bar cars or even the M4’s are preserved as they were all scrapped the MTA were converted back to coaches but CONDOT kept them until they were retired in 2014 and it’s a shame they were scrapped

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

Years after their retirement, I'm STILL left wondering what the hell Morrison-Knudsen did that made the M6's bathroom odor control so terrible. I SWEAR you could smell the crap and tank juices from 2 or 3 cars away!

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

Only rivaled by, IMO, how bad the M2 bar car bathrooms could be.

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

I swear, even during the early or middle part of the day, it sometimes looked like a bomb went off in them. 😂😂

[@namitasatija6417]

I can’t tell which one is the same m4 and m6

[@WillF40PH_train_railroad]

Can you do the F40PH's on the Port Jervis line?

[@nyrailfan202]

Possibly

[@danielkoch3231]

But the M2s were GE built, the M4s were Tokyu Car, and the M6s were Morris Knudsen. Only M1, M3, RDC and SPVs were Budd built. Great video none the less.

[@nyrailfan202]

GE only supplied parts but they were designed by bud and I think they were built in their plant in Philadelphia

[@kevinwong6588]

@@nyrailfan202 Build under Budd licence by Avco (Nashville) or Canadian Vickers (Montreal), assembled by GE in Erie.

[@Mnrr6131]

5:20 what song is that

[@SomeRamdomAhole]

Great video series can you do the ACMU next ?

[@nyrailfan202]

I will do the M8 next then I will do what the people decide

[@SomeRamdomAhole]

@@nyrailfan202 ok

[@SomeRamdomAhole]

@@nyrailfan202 but why the M8s they haven't really been in service that long wouldn't be much to talk about apart from that collision and S cars. Also word of advice lower the background music by a little, have your stats on the video because at points you speak so fast it's hard to hear you. Cite your sources and read off a script other than that good job on the series not much New Yorker rail bluffs talk about MMR.

[@NHCX]

Where do you get these sources

[@nyrailfan202]

Many places

[@daryllewis2825]

The 4400s at the time were only a couple of decades old I think the NH included them to the roster in the early 50s

[@closed9446]

They remind me of the metroliners

[@jimmymakmta]

Yes they do, Wonder why Amtrak didnt a was hire the M 2 4 6 equipment

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

Technically, wasn't the MAS on the NHL between Harrison and New Rochelle 90MPH for a time? I think it was reduced a few years ago.

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

I used to love watching trains at Mamaroneck... I should start doing that again. One day, I hope to get one of those cameras that have insane optical zooms (like the Nikon P1000 and its 125x optical zoom) so I can stand at the end of the platform closest to the Marval lead, and be able to see people and trains clearly as they arrive AT Larchmont, for instance, haha.

[@nyrailfan202]

You are correct it was 90 but not anymore

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

@@nyrailfan202 Reduced after... the Spuyten Duyvil derailment, or was it changed a little later than that>? Can't remember with any certainty.

[@nyrailfan202]

It was a few years after that. I think it was in 15 or 16 and I heard it was just due to the extra maintenance the section required

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

@@nyrailfan202 Ah, so closer to when the derailment just north of Rye happened (I think?)

[@jimmymakmta]

Once again I love the M 2s 4s 6s, I just imagining what if the mta had purchased the Amtrak Bud Metro for the mta rolling sock, just wondering, I'm also an Amtrak metro fan

[@nyrailfan202]

Amtrak was still trying to make metroliners reliable. So they never purchased them

[@jimmymakmta]

@@nyrailfan202 I'll never forget the Amtrak metroliner specially the refurbished ones and the R44s R46s R68s also have love for nyc subways

[@leecornwell5632]

@@jimmymakmta You forgot about the R62AS and the R62S and the R32S And the R29S R26s R36MLS R33WF R33ML Redbirds.

[@leecornwell5632]

You also forgot about the FL9s New Haven FL9S metro North railroad and the FL9AC.

[@jimmymakmta]

@Lee Cornwell no I didn't forget the Fl9s, I'm a strong Budd Metro fan, now I also love the EMD F7s and the F9s and number of diesels

[@patrickmorrissey3084]

No mention of the M7?

[@nyrailfan202]

I think I mentioned it when I talked about how the design of the m8 is based on it

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

5:21 that's where I live and I live in stamford, CT

[@shorelinerailproductions]

I live there too

[@Traintrooper]

I hoap thair is a excersion because i want to ride a m2 and ralefan it

[@nysubwaydude5634]

Why did the M6 retired early? I mean it looks like the M6 can run for another decade instead of retiring early

[@nyrailfan202]

It could’ve but it was cheaper to standardize the fleet

[@nysubwaydude5634]

@@nyrailfan202 make sense and I wish the Metro North and Conndot would sell the M6 to any railroad in the US for their electric commuter lines like Metra, or Amtrak (Which I guess they won't buy it)

[@TrainSounds]

Do one on the Shoreliners

[@nyrailfan202]

Maybe

[@jordimendoza9930]

6:44 Bombardier

[@wdd6864]

The Washboards came during the 1950s though

[@mossmiller]

These were the first air-conditioned MU cars, with quick acceleration to handle local runs to Stamford, and some "local-express" runs to New Haven. But the ride was bouncy at higher speeds.

[@kevinwong6588]

1954.

[@Traintrooper]

Can you pleas do the comet IA

[@nyrailfan202]

Possibly

[@mitchtube00]

Why did Metro North retire the M4s and 6s before the M2?

[@nyrailfan202]

I have no idea

[@mitchtube00]

Was it because that Budd made the M2 and other companies that made the M4 and M6 weren’t as reliable as the budd car.

[@adriano6k]

Is it possible to ride an M2 or M4 in 2024? Would love to ride one before they’re completely gone.

[@Cowl_5544]

There are 2 M2’s. They can be seen at the Danbury Railway Museum but for the M4’s sadly they were all scrapped..

[@rydawg6504]

Do the m8 (aka the best train out of all the metro trains)

[@nyrailfan202]

I will do what the poll decides and right now it looks like that will be next

[@NoArrowz]

The M3A is better than the m8

[@ashleyjiscool]

I like old trains

[@nyrailfan202]

Who doesn’t

[@falconseyeaerialservicesll8176]

Hi nyrailfan 202, great video………but can u please lower the music down, so the hearing impaired, hard of hearing individuals can hear ur voice better without having to fight to separate from the music. Thank you!

[@Station2express]

Also don’t they still run some of those on LIRR

[@nyrailfan202]

No m2’s have never run on the LIRR they were just for metro north

[@Station2express]

nyrailfan 202 do they run M6 on LIRR still or do they now run M9’s

[@clonetrooper9972]

Wen will the last trip of the m2s be

[@nyrailfan202]

Not sure, nobody know but hopefully there will be one

[@clonetrooper9972]

Ok thx

[@Traintrooper]

yea wen will the last trip be

[@AmazeGames]

@@Traintrooper The last ones were removed from service in late 2018.

[@Traintrooper]

I know

[@ayanmakode8227]

What is the difference between M2, M4, & M6?

[@nyrailfan202]

The m2 was a 2 car set the rest were 3 car sets that the main difference there were also some minor ones as well

[@birdmantherailfan]

@@nyrailfan202 The fleet numbers are the difference that I can find on the identical M4 and M6. 8900-8935 and 8951-8985 were the M4's. 9000-9031 and 9051-9081 were the M6's.

[@birdmantherailfan]

Also the M4’s B car can seat more people than the M6’s B car. With the M4’s B car seating 113 people and the M6’s’s B car seating 106 people.

[@hectorhardy4781]

Like train

[@danren7527]

Hi

[@thesteamdieselandelectricr3299]

where is the M5

[@nyrailfan202]

Never was built and I don’t know why

[@kevinwong6588]

@@nyrailfan202 Was a stillborn single unit ACMU replacement in early 90s.

[@dmrr7739]

I heard almost half of what you said.

[@nyrailfan202]

I got better, that video is 2 years old now and it will be remade soon

[@dmrr7739]

nyrailfan 202 Good to hear, I look forward to it.

[@jordimendoza9930]

5:37 You're a Triplet

[@TheCondoInRedondo]

Will you PLEASE slow down. You're speaking way too quickly. And the voice level is too low with respect to the music. It's very difficult to understand what you're saying. You've got a lot of good information here. But it's not coming through. You've also got a few mistakes and omissions as if you're reading someone elses works instead of reciting your own research. You keep saying the M1/M2 replaced the "pre-war" EMUs. But the Washboards were NOT pre-war. Yes, there still were "pre-war" EMUs (drab green color) used on the New Haven line and (I think even moreso) on the Hudson line in the late 1960s. I believe those were built in the 1920s. But in the years just before the Cosmopolitans arrived, New Haven was primarily operating the 4400-series "Washboards", which I think were made by Pullman. You show some in your video. Those were ALL manufactured AFTER WWII They had leaky roofs and they wobbled a lot. The seatbacks were reversible. So when the train reached GCT and discharged all the commuters, a conductor would prep the cars for the return trip by walking up the aisle, shoving all the seatbacks across the cushion so the seats would face the opposite way. Also. You neglected to state the the elevated station platforms were built in anticipation of the Cosmopolitans. Up until roughly 1970, the vast majority of stations in Westchester and Connecticut lacked raised platforms. This was not a problem for the Washboards. Those had steps and conductors to raise or lower the "trapdoor" at each station stop depending upon whether the steps were required. The platforms were erected just before the M2s began rolling out because the M2s lacked steps to accommodate rail-level platforms. The Cosmopolitans were the first to use electric passenger doors. The Washboards (I believe they were called "Metropolitans", but don't hold me to it) required conductors to manually open the doors at the station stops. This extra labor cost was what the RR wanted to eliminate with the M2s and their electric doors. So, the steps were done away with. This also reduced station stop durations as commuters were able to enter/exit the M1s without negotiating steps with their parcels, etc. It also made the M1s "wheelchair accessible". You claim that the M2s brought greater ridership. Where did you get your numbers? When the M2s arrived, they were plenty empty compared to just ten years earlier. What was nice was that they had great air conditioning, which was a boon, fersure. But in the 1970s (perhaps due to all the bankruptcies and the constant ticket increases) a large portion of commuters had abandoned the rails altogether in favor of driving. The trains were more reliable in the snowy winter months - recall that the 1970s were particularly cool with lots of blizzards. But with good weather, folks would drive. The 1970s was the era when commuters were buying a second car. it coincided with the influx of cheap imports like Toyota/Datsun/Honda. What drove folks (pun intended) from their cars BACK to the rails was the 1976 OIL EMBARGO. when gasoline prices skyrocketed and there were long lines at the gas pumps and odd/even-day rationing (you could not just fill up any day you wished... your day was determined by your license plate). Well, THAT nonsense is what drove folks back to the New Haven, Hudson and Harlem lines, NOT the introduction of the Cosmopolitans. I was there. I lived it. You weren't even born. Perhaps your parents weren't even born. You're relying upon the assumtions of total strangers. I get the whole clickbait paradigm. But if you're claiming to recite history as if you are a historian... the least you can do is get your facts right and complete. If what you really want to do is talk about the railcars, then stick to that and omit the historical embellishments because you're not getting it right.

[@wdd6864]

They entered Service in the 1950s. The problem with these Pullmans as they had a stainless steel outside according to some reading they had an aluminum bottom I think could be wrong but it was very prone to rust making them not last long. They were great on the DC and few were removed from the New Haven and moved to Hudson on the DC 3rd Rail for testing. Didn’t last long till the M1s took over. They had issues with the AC To DC which I believe was a Mercury Arc.

[@dickfrenulum1630]

Turn the background music down.

[@haroldalexis4200]

And none weren't even made in scale models, it's such an outrage how the M 2 Series & follow ups weren't saved for our various museums! The cars that replaced the PULLMAN STANDARD mid 1950's "WASHBOARDS". Well I hope the scrap happy morons are proud of themselves as a railfan of them I had my many pleasures of riding them in the 1990's to OLD GREENWICH Connecticut, Civic Center especially to the now defunct model train show & building that I heard was torn down 😤! The treat to ride them to STAMFORD, & beyond to South Norwalk then to change to The DANBURY line to The DANBURY RAILWAY MUSEUM. Of course by the FL 9 Engines 🙋. I saw the other video as well. I'm sorry for that I didn't get to ride the M2 /M4 & M6 series to New Haven, CT. The last cars that had the cabless cars were built for Sunitomo they built cars For MARC in Maryland, & rebuilt for NYCTA Slanted R 40 subway cars. My last ride on them was spring 2012. I viewed them as a little boy & I treasure watching them I miss them grandly. Thanks for presenting this. 👏👏

[@nyrailfan202]

There are m2’s at Danbury

[@leonjohnson1824]

I cant stand the m7s and M8s to me they have no soul. The M1s thru M6s gave mnrr and lirr a certain type life and feel. Sometimes i get lucky and catch an M1 on the lirr still.

[@nyrailfan202]

I don’t think m1s are on lirr anymore except for rail adhesion cars. But the m7 and m8’s are what commuters want.

[@leonjohnson1824]

@@nyrailfan202 It maybe the M3s but theres some old ones in service due to the delay of the M9s on the lirr. But yes youre right, the commuters love those lifeless cars.

[@nyrailfan202]

Yeah just m3’s but all that had to be done was a rebuild, metro north did one and as far as I know they are keeping them

[@ayanmakode8227]

...

[@ayanmakode8227]

sad to see these cars go

[@ayanmakode8227]

What is the difference between M4 & M6?

[@nyrailfan202]

The manufacturer

[@birdmantherailfan]

Ayan Makode The M4’s B car can seat more people than the M6’s B car. The M4’s B car seated 113 and the M6’s B car seats 106 people.

[@lilcuzcrips9828]

Like train