Re: EMF San Bernadino needed for Growth?
Author: BOB2
Date: 03-08-2010 - 11:13
EMF is being used for the new cars final assembly, probably eventually most of them, as a way to pay back ML on some cost issues. It is creating some jobs, and is a good use to break in the facility. The EMF is designed for overnight maintenance at ML's major ouside hub serving four routes currently, and soon a fifth.
The ML EMF will relieve pressure to do all maintenance during daylight on the LA layover, and allow for more system capacity in out years. Some changes in operations have also been suggested that would potentially have crews do layovers at San Berdo to improve crew utilization, allow trainset interlining, improve connectivity, and reduce operating costs.
The single level cars, NJT, and otherwise are not popular with riders, and some turned out to be (as some had warned?) worn out turkey's. They were brought out to be run possibly as seperate "trainsets" when overcrowding, double digit growth, and equipment shortages that plagued ML in the gas price run ups, over the previous two years 07-08 and 08-09.
Ridership is slowly coming back up on ML, but the cars kind of sucked, and they didn't need them. Now, as the new Crash Management double decker high capacity cars, especially the cab cars, come on line, the NJT cars will likely not be needed at all.