BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Update:

LIRR trains will be initially running hourly, strting at noon.

Full rush-hour service is expected for the PM exodus back to "The Is;and Of Great Length"..........

"NYO"

["M-7"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

LIRR MU longebity.........

The earliest MUs ("MP-41s"entered service about 1906 (direct cousins of the IRT's early "GIBBS" cars ) lasted into the 1950s.

The iconic "MP-54s"first entered service in 1910, and the last of the class was not retiredi red until around 1971 (newest opf the type dated to 1930)

Yje sleek "Metropolitans", the "foist" of which debuted in the late1960s, served well into the21st centiry.

Something is telling me that today's MU's won't last that long, as their ho-tech components will, by that time, hjopelesslu outdated.......

"NYO"

["M-9"]
]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Hard to believe............

The "foist" M-7s began arriving in 2002. 24 years ago.

Think of how much electric rail car technology (subway and commuer rail) has changed in nearly 25 tears...........

"NYO"]

["M-7"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Not just with the "BINO's" and "rolling iPads," now cars owned by the "Em-Tee-Yay" are catching fire too:

https://thesource.com/2026/05/20/car-erupts-into-massive-fireball-near-wall-streets-merrill-lynch-bull/

One wonders to what extent batteries played a part in that ball o' fire.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.

It is ironic indeed that such "clean air" technology is rife with so many hazards.

Even more ironic is when you consider how many street railways over a century ago, operated (or experimented with) battery-powered streetcars.

TARS, you will recall, once operated a fleet of battery cars; the batteries were located under the seats.

The entire fleet had to have their batteries re-charged each evening prior to the next day's runs.

Also, "NEW YORK RAILWAYS" operated a fleet of low-slung, center entrance, battery cars.............

"NYO"

["THIRD AVENUE RAILWAY SYSTEM"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Battery trains for the "El-Eye-Double-Are"...........

https://railwaynews.net/lirrs-battery-electric-rail-revolution-a-case-study.html

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just my opinion.........

Of the "El-Eye-Double-Are" is looking to expand electrification, I am 100% behind THIRD RAIL only.

IMHO,"main line" battery operation would be far less efficient (as well as less SAFE) tan conventional "toid" rail.

I am NOT in support of ANY battery-powered transit vehicle, be it running on rubber tires or steel wheels.

Might I suggest a new moniker for battery-powered transit vehicles:

"'RTBs": ("Are-Tee-Bees") "Rolling Tine Bombs"

The (linked) article on battery-powered LIRR trains did NOT impress me in the least, interesting as it was........

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Speaking of battery-powered streetcars, PSNJ never experimented with such cars; recall, also, there were quite a few street railways that also experimented with cars operating via compressed air, as well as early gasoline engines...........

["NYO"]

["PLEASE HAVE FARE READY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting:

In the "IMAGES OF RAIL" book on the LIRR's Port Washington Branch, there are several vintage platform-level photos of the Murray Hill station.

I was quickly reminded of the BRT's then-new Sea Beach/Brighton line open-cut stations (the LIRR station dated to 1914, which would have put these stations in the same time frame)

Be interesting to know if the architect/designers were the same for the BRT and LIRR's Murray Hill station (no pphotoss on nycsubway.org).............

"NYO"

["BRT"]