Ride onboard Metro North M8’s GCT to New Haven with commentary. 3/3/22

Nice ride. There was a restless passenger onboard that was getting a little vocal but no harm done. Incidentally I mentioned the Shakespeare theater in Stratford Connecticut, I was not aware that a person burned the building to the ground in 2019.

[@bobe.3719]

You are an absolute encyclopedia of train knowledge! Your "color commentary" reminds me of a televised professional sporting event. Very well done!

[@adriancooper78]

Bob E I have to as this question: Who would have more knowledge of the train? A rail enthusiast or a locomotive engineer?

[@ADPeguero]

This right here is a gem. I've driven up and down I95 from Boston to NYC. I always see these tracks on parts of 95 and always wondered what it would be like to ride it. You gave me an excellent preview. I'll need to ride those tracks someday to complete my journey.

[@carytodd7211]

Man, I can't tell you what a relaxing pleasure it is to watch these videos. Awesome job, great commentary.

[@georgejenista9487]

In early grade school, I rode with my family from North Kingston RI to New York, and the 1964 Worlds Fair. The train was a New Haven nameless diesel-hauled coach affair as I recall. Quite different from today... ☺

[@CTrail1711]

Playland is still there. They run shuttles to the train, it got a big revamp in 2017 or 2018 and so a lot more people go because of it.

[@leecornwell5632]

what shuttle equipment do they have running on the metro North?.

[@CTrail1711]

​@@leecornwell5632 The shuttles to Playland are just buses from Westchester County's Local Bus Network. Metro-North operates shuttles on it's four branch lines along with the Upper Hudson Line during late nights only. The only shuttle service full time is the Waterbury Branch. The Four others have different levels of direct service to Grand Central. On the Danbury Branch, Waterbury Branch, and Wassaic Branch Metro-North operates either 3 Shoreliner Coaches with a BL20GH or 7 Shoreliners with a P32AC-DM. On the New Canaan Branch, Metro-North runs 5 or 6 Car M8 EMUs. On the Upper Hudson Line Metro-North operates 7 Shoreliners with a P32AC-DM.

[@eaveallen3278]

I love riding on metro north very clean train.an comfortable new.heaven at the union station is vry clean I wish New York train was clean like metro north an be on time...... keep up the wrk METRO. North.

[@irt3rdavenueel172]

Mott Haven Junction is right at East 149th Street in the Melrose section

[@carlblenkin6776]

I was so interested in your video, watched it and remembered grew up in Westchester County and remembered driving up to Cape Cod on the Connecticut Turnpike. Lived on the east coast Boston, Washington DC, NYC and Northern NJ. Thankyou very informative and full of history. Very fond of the New Haven RR.

[@robertcantore330]

Very nice to see the Metro North M3As hoping the LIRR brings them back so I can get a cab view!!!

[@TheGamingTechs]

They would never bring them back unless something affects a fleet-wide train-set.

[@NickyD]

they are returing however the railfan window is gonna be blocked off with tape

[@hellen70666666]

....Very Enjoyable Ride-a-Long.....And, i Learned a lot, too...!!!.....:)

[@jasonkaiser1179]

I've done this trip 100's of times from New Haven to GCT. It never gets old for me. Just a great way to relax and unwind. Always great to hear about the line from a different perspective. But please... Don't give the CT DOT any ideas about bringing back the old M2's. It's bad enough they run diesels after midnight! :)

[@fredaycott5283]

Retired Railfan, great video. Watch it till the end. When you mentioned New Haven railroad EP5, got excited. I'm waiting for the model of it, by Rapido trains in ho scale, with sound. I'm hoping to get it this month, before my birthday. Got video shot, of the Norwalk tower. Its being shown on Virtual Railfan live feed. I check up on it, every now and then.

[@CTrail1711]

Harlem Line also has a lot of reverse commuters from the Bronx and Mt. Vernon

[@scottyerkes1867]

Nice ride!! I've been on this Iine only to Bridgeport Thanks for sharing

[@jimlasterni7310]

I like this video cuz it's a different look at New York City and it's attractive my favorite railroad the New York Central

[@jimlasterni7310]

I'm sorry I messed up on my last comment that's not the New York Central

[@jimlasterni7310]

Another great video

[@christophergeistc2603]

Fairfield metro was opened to provide more parking. The Fairfield train station does not have room to expand parking. Fairfield metro is the world's best smelling train station due to Bigelow tea being next door.

[@zacharyelder349]

Actually Rye Playland is still there and it's still in operation.

[@johnnytoobad7785]

I remember once back in the early 80's..I was on the "Stamford Local" returning from NYC late at night and the "transition" to catenary power didn't go so well..There were several "pops"...sparks were flying and the train stopped. In addition there were a few "very high homies" that went into "panic mode" when they heard the pop and explosions. So we quickly had a lot of visitors on that train..Transit staff, Technicians, Fire dept, Transit Police, County Police, detectives...you name it. The train finally started moving again around 2:30am. Couldn't wait to get off that train. Somebody told me that the engineer put up the catenary antenna "too early". So when current flowed in from two sources..everything shorted out ! Does that make any sense to you ? Every time I took the Stamford local after that I always got a bit nervous between Mt. Vernon and Pelham. I spent a lot of time at Playland as a child...since I grew up in Port Chester. I believe it's still there...but I haven't been there since the early 90's.

[@SuperForged]

This was sooo enjoyable to watch! Definitely in my top 5! Thank you for dedicating your time for our enjoyment! How can we support you?

[@3985uprr]

Just keep watching my channel. Simple enough.

[@nickcef]

i used to ride that line a lot back in the mid-2000s. Back then they had a bar car in the consist to New Haven, and I gotta say that was one rowdy group of passengers riding in that car. Probably the main reason it was discontinued years ago.

[@ChaosAria]

Thanks for the commentary. I have ridden this line most of my life and have many happy memories. Love all of the background knowledge you have on trains. I do remember when Stamford was only 2 platforms and you only had stops in Norwalk, now East Norwalk and South Norwalk. I wish they had kept the old Bridgeport Station with the tall doors. It was very much like Union Station in New Haven. I would like to make one correction. Milford is not in Fairfield County, it's the first station in New Haven County.

[@kiryu2281]

Travelled this route with both Metro North and Amtrak. Great rides though the speed is liking. I enjoyed it

[@CTrail1711]

A pair of M7As were at Stamford when I was there last week. One of the strangest things I have ever seen. Even stranger because it is a ConnDOT and not MTA shop + the issue of power for the MUs.

[@TheBronxFanner]

what the hell?

[@CTrail1711]

@@TheBronxFanner The set was there at 8:50 but not on my return trip at 5

[@nickmiller4331]

I visited Larchmont on Saturday with my family. Beautiful town.

[@stevetalkstoomuch]

The catenary towers are different because they were erected at different times - 1907 up to Stamford, then 1914 Stamford to New Haven. The overbuild is the utility Eversource's transmission lines not owned by CT or Metro North. They are slowly being moved to separate towers, as evidenced around Stamford to Fairfield.

[@CTrail1711]

@ 18:39 is the old New York, Westchester, and Boston Columbus Ave station. (It was above the NH station) One of the most important stations on the railroad because of the transfer with the New Haven. knowing the area very well, I am shocked they were able to keep a station open in the area for as long as they did because of the lack of a transfer and it being on a side street.

[@clovaanderson2239]

And Norwalk transit wheels is the na5

[@The.Realest.Jade.]

I travel to New Haven from the Metro North at Fordham Road taking it all the way to Stamford Connecticut ( it’s a bit of a short ride ). Then switching tracks to take it all the way to New Haven ( a bit of a longer ride ). I found this way cheaper being that 125th street to New Haven charged me a little bit more for me and my family.

[@williamralph5442]

Rode the NY NH & H many tine from Wallingford to Grand Central. Used to be thru service, before the Budd cars to over. Thanks RR

[@abcd-gg6jz]

I have always felt that metro north trains have always ran too slow. Even one mostly straight path I don't see why they can't be faster. I also believe the acceleration needs to be ramped up as well. The snails pace acell means the trains cant go ass fast before needing to slow down to make the next stop.

[@kevinb8881]

Rye Playland is only opened summer seasons!!

[@RoadCone411]

At 01:26:55, this is the Webster Bank Arena (which has subsequently been renamed Total Mortgage Arena) - and will host first and second round games of the Women's NCAA basketball tournament later in the month of March 2022. At the 'bus terminal', 01:28:35, there used to be a spur line that headed north toward Trumbull, Monroe and Newtown, the bridge that carried the track near the station was evident until the late 1980s. Most of that line - including some infrastructure such as the rail bridge over the Merritt Parkway - has now been converted into a rails to trails project and it's signed for all of its roughly 15 miles from Bridgeport station to Newtown. It's a neat walk or ride if you like that sort of thing. Just after Stratford station, at 01:34:56, is a superfund cleanup site. This used to be part of the Raybestos company that, as its name suggests, used asbestos for car brake assemblies. For many years, there was an old baseball field used by the company team decades ago and it had just been abandoned, left to rot, everything from the dugouts to the field lights to the seats and bleachers was returning slowly to nature. Now the cleanup crew seems to have removed all trace of the ballfield, as well the contaminated soil, although who knows what is going on in the big white tent-garage that has recently been erected. Minor correction: Stratford is the last town in Fairfield County. Milford is in New Haven County.

[@mbclev]

And next to the arena is the amphitheater that he mentioned, which used to be the baseball park for the now-defunct Bridgeport Bluefish team.

[@gretchenkaufman]

Joe, Granted if you love to ride trains. the NE corridor is the place to ride. Cities across the US don't have the selection that you have up your way. I'm in the sunny south and very lucky to have ONE commuter line in addition to several freight railroads. Our 2 main RR are NS & CSX. NS just moved their corporate HQ to Atlanta. CSX used to have 2 main hump yards in Atlanta, but they are now history. NS has a medium size one in NW Atlanta and huge intermodal yard in Austell, GA ( suburb ) . All in all, us southern train watchers can still get a dose of trains. Amtrak currently has 2 trains a day, a run thru from NYC to New Orleans and the reverse. We have the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority ((MARTA) which is the commuter line driven by computers at the main hq. They run 21 hours a day. The longest line at the moment in the airport to Sandy Springs station is 20 miles. Y'all come down here and take a look

[@inezmartel6718]

I love you train video a I'm. Home bed ridden but my bucket list is to take ride somewhere sometimes the train noise but me to sleep

[@next50years]

Rode the NYC Harlem line from my home in Scarsdale to GCT going to Columbia (late 1960’s). You mentioned the track numbering pattern, and your train on track 4. I think that is not correct, it was my recognition was tracks into GCT were 2 and 4, 4 being on the outside and for locals, therefore your train was on track 3. Excellent video btw, road the first UA Turbo on that line 1969 if I recall.

[@jimstraveladventures3961]

Oceanside also has 4 trains: Amtrak, Metrolink, Coaster and Sprinter.

[@3985uprr]

I forgot about that they are painted like coaster train so I figured it was part of coaster. After Grand Central is open to the Long Island Railroad later this year some metro north trains will move to Penn station and that will add another one to the list.

[@jonthrop]

Love the channel, particularly your narration on the travel journeys. Regarding the great northeastern railroads: I'm baffled about the couplers. Why aren't they all the same? How many types are there? Are knuckle couplers only for trains pulled by locomotives, and others for trains consisting of traction motor cars? There was a video where two LIRR MP-15's were moving two remanufactured M3's. Were the couplers changed during the remanufacturing, or is there some sort of adapter? Anyway, could you 'splain this occasionally in your videos?

[@adriancooper78]

Jon Moulthrorp COUPLERS; All couplers CAN NOT be the same. One reason is that locomotives push and pull not just passengers rail coaches but (1) mineral ore cars, (2) flat rail cars, (3) oil tank cars and (4) grain hopper cars just to name a few. These rail cars VARY in size and weight and the coupler making the [1] MECHANICAL connection (or the physical joining) must be able to withstand the stresses associated with train movement. Additionally, the coupler must withstand all WEATHER conditions as well. We wouldn't want the train to be going down the track and suddenly pull apart now would we!!! Without getting to complicated some couplers on passenger trains also connect the train [2] ELECTRICALLY and [3] PNEUMATICALLY. [2] The electronical connection allows the trains primary and auxiliary systems to communicate with each other for the entire length of the train. [3] The pneumatic system supplies air to the train for it's entire length.

[@jonthrop]

@@adriancooper78 Thanx Adrian

[@adriancooper78]

@@jonthrop You are welcome. Also, Yes!!! In some cases an adapter is needed to couple up to some rail cars with a different type of coupler. Most EMU passenger trains (Electric Multiple Unit) have all 3 connections (Mechanical, Electrical, and Pneumatic) built into the coupler.

[@KofCFrank06511]

Great video as always... Question, at 8:24, is that a revenue line that cuts into track 3?

[@3985uprr]

Doesn’t look used. CSX might serve it at night

[@zacharyelder349]

So in a few years from now MTA Metro North New Haven Line will be going into Penn Station in 2027. So when it opens in 2027 will you get the chance to take a ride on it.

[@3985uprr]

Hopefully I’m still in good shape. I’ll be 73

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

27:46 I raced one in Bridgeport once and they accelerate pretty quickly

[@adriancooper78]

Retired Railfan Ouestion: Have you ever OPERATED a train before? Or have you ever worked for the MTA before? YOU did mentioned you were retired.

[@kennethporado8399]

I remember the old Mott Haven NYC coach yard

[@bryanthunderfootporter4436]

To get from the station building to the platforms or to change from platform to platform, do you have go down a set of stairs and into a tunnel (like Springfield, MA)?

[@bossf51]

If you mean at New Haven, yes.

[@Jeff-uj8xi]

Tim, have you ever asked the crews in a nice way if you could sit in that front seat that these M8 cars have. That would be so nice. It's worth a try. Personally, I was born under the sign of Chutzpah ...lol... Certainly nicer that shooting video out of a side window. You could introduce yourself and explain what you're doing, who you are, etc. Worst they could do is say no. You just might be in for a pleasant surprise. I realize they are sadly often in the minority, but there are some nice crews out there. Paul is a good example on METRO North. The trick to asking is to do it privately and quietly before boarding the train at Grand Central, so as not to embarrass them. Never put them on the spot.

[@toy4x4nj]

My first time I rode Metro North was to the New York Botanical Gardens station. The NY Botanical has a indoor garden railway during the Holiday season. Before I got there my train travel started Patco Hi Speed line SEPTA MFL SEPTA Trenton Line NJT Northeast Corridor MTA A train MTA S train Metro North Harlem line Amtrak Northeast Corridor SEPTA MFL Patco Hi Speed line This was a overnight trip I was supposed to see a show on Broadway, I got my Dates mixed up. the show was for the next day. I went home that day and just took NJT round trip out of Hamilton NJ

[@grommit700]

Hello Cool videos! You're very knowledgeable about the lines you ride. If you have not already, please take a ride from Grand Central to Wassiac New York on the Harlem line (and make a video on it please).

[@KofCFrank06511]

I always thought that the Housatonic Line split in Milford to Waterbury?

[@bossf51]

No, that is the Waterbury Line.

[@9tomato9]

When you speak of the electronic tolls (and red light cameras as well) it seems that many here in the NYC area, have put dark or fuzzy covers over their license plates to evade the camera photos. Also, some have partially scratched the paint on their plates to make them unreadable. Apparently, very few of these scofflaws are being apprehended for this, I see quite a few of them.

[@mmanisr22]

And in NY those covers are illegal and its big trouble if you get caught

[@Robbi496]

don;t some of the New Canaan trains go through to NYG?

[@KofCFrank06511]

Our Nighthawks disbanded about 20 years ago... Did you make your CT Rail connection? Were you able to try our pizza?

[@3985uprr]

No I didn’t have the pizza I didn’t have time and I didn’t make the connection. I heard about the nighthawks but didn’t know much about their present situation obviously

[@Robbi496]

Actually in the old NH timetables it says Westport AND Saugatuck

[@clovaanderson2239]

And Mitford transit and CT transit

[@warrengibson7898]

San Jose has four operators if you want to count VTA light rail and some day a fifth, BART

[@3985uprr]

I wasn’t including transit.

[@Jeff-uj8xi]

Go to 1:03.25 on the timebar. Stamford....next stop Stamford.....Westport - Saugatuck....next stop Westport - Saugatuck..... Willoughby......next stop Willoughby. Unfortunately, the KZbin rip-off thieves expect you to pay them to see the Twilight Zone full episode. They''ll only let you see very brief clips. Luckily, I taped this full episode on an old VHS tape years ago. But I no longer have a working VCR. That's a Dinosaur today. But here is a brief tease of the Twilight Zone episode, "A stop at Willoughby" that KZbin has for free. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp6vmWWCgrllfcU kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmfHf2N9gr51n80 kzbin.info/www/bejne/n37YZHepaciSpsU kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXLZhnmogNGKmac

[@MTA_9929]

Are you from Connecticut? you know a lot about the New Haven line

[@gretchenkaufman]

Joe - Ft. Lauderdale FL station - Tri-rail, Amtrak & now Brightline

[@3985uprr]

Yes. Just mentioned ones at the top of my head

[@evangouldtransit]

i really hope they bring the M3s back. i hope to film some RFW content if they do.!!

[@3985uprr]

That’s what I’m hoping for

[@evangouldtransit]

@@3985uprr me too man that would be incredible

[@TheBronxFanner]

The M3A's are still in service for Metro North. If you're talking about Long Island Railroad's M3's, they're not coming back. They're already being scrapped, but they may have one last celebration ride and go out with a bang like the MTA NYCT R32 and R42's.

[@evangouldtransit]

@@TheBronxFanner in that case, they definitely won't be doing a fan trip. the last time the LIRR did a fan trip was probably decades ago.

[@3985uprr]

@@TheBronxFanner I saw 6 sets of them recently in Ronkonkoma. I’ve heard they have put PTC in some of them

[@Ken_in_Wisconsin]

I think "Rob Petrie" (Dick Van Dyke Show) lived in New Rochelle.

[@richardcooper9015]

Awesome video i live outside philadelphia and someday im going to take the amtrak Vermonter train to Hartford CT. 💘 🚆

[@lucymontoya8020]

Yea

[@clovaanderson2239]

Goooooooo greater bridgeport transit

[@tlove3840]

I know I'm late on this one yeah Rye Playland is still there

[@gnnascarfan2410]

I don't get the hate for M8's, they remind me of Japanese commuter trains!

[@WhiteCamry]

To answer @ 33:47 ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playland_(New_York)

[@lucymontoya8020]

La

[@jleonard530]

The tracks remind me of cheese