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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: NEW JOISEY
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 Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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On this day in 2025..........
An era on "The Isle Of Staten" ended when the MTA retired the long-lived "ME-2s" ("-44s) on the SIRT.
These venerable cars even outlasted the ancient 1925 "ME-1s", which were retired in 1973...............
"NYO"
]"Tottenille"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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Trivia:
The "R-211s" ("ME-3s"/"Staten Island Rattlers") are the firstrapod transit cars to operate on SIRT rails not FRA compliant.
With freight operations now long gone from the SIRT, there was no reason for the new rolling stock to be likewise compliant, as wwere the two generations of now-retired cars.......
'NYO"
["St. George"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 59
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 5175
Location: New York, New York, USA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 3:27 am Post subject: |
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| NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | Trivia:
The "R-211s" ("ME-3s"/"Staten Island Rattlers") are the firstrapod transit cars to operate on SIRT rails not FRA compliant.
With freight operations now long gone from the SIRT, there was no reason for the new rolling stock to be likewise compliant, as wwere the two generations of now-retired cars.......
'NYO"
["St. George"] |
Which may explain why the "Rattlers" don't seem to have the "ME-3" designation officially. But they are the third set of cars made for that system since it was electrified back in 1925. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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W.B.:
You just might be onto something, here, regarding the no-=use of the "ME-3" designation.
Interesting, years ago, I heard the 1925 cars referred to as "MUEs" ("Multiple Unit Electric").............
I even recall an SIRT conductor I was talking with using this term, back in the later 70s.....
"NYO"
["GREAT KILLS EXPESS"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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On this day in 1955............
The first train of ex-SIRT "ME-1s " begin operation on the BMT; the first train (three cars) operated on the Culver line.........
https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6755
(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
'NYO"
["CULVER L'C'L"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 59
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 5175
Location: New York, New York, USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2026 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| And they found out the hard way they wouldn't 'MU' with the 'Broadway Battleships'. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2026 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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| W.B. Fishbowl wrote: | | And they found out the hard way they wouldn't 'MU' with the 'Broadway Battleships'. |
W.B.:
It WOULDD have been INTERESTING, to say the least, to see a train of "<E-1s" intermixed with several "Battleships"! 
Would have certainly have been a pelude to thre "Smorgasboard" era of later years....... 
*Just as well the ex-SIRT cars could not MU with the BMT cars; remember, the "ME-1s" had IRT-style vestibules, as well as a different door arrangement.........
"NYO"
["RIDE THEAPID"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2026 8:30 am Post subject: |
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Further..........
Recall when the"R-12s/14s" were transferred from the #7 line to the IRT "mainlines" in the mid-80s; they had their outdoor door controls cut out, and, this, coild no longer be placed in the conductor's posion in a given consist............
"NYO"
["ACF"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 59
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 5175
Location: New York, New York, USA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Interesting that those ME-1's debuted on the "Bee-Em-Tee" 14 years to the day before the "Moit" el closed. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2026 12:54 am Post subject: |
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| W.B. Fishbowl wrote: | | Interesting that those ME-1's debuted on the "Bee-Em-Tee" 14 years to the day before the "Moit" el closed. |
W.B.:
Indeed, s bit of irony, there!
Again,IMHO, I cannot see the SIRT cars MU'ng with the "Battleships", as both types had different door arrangements.
Would ex-SIRT cars be placed only at the ends of trains?
Mid-0train?
Again, I cannot see it working, especially with the "ME-1s" having IRT-style vestibules...........
"NYO"
["CULVER L'C'L"]
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Oct 08, 2026 2:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2026 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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On thi date in 2024................
The first set of "R-211s"(aka "Staten I;and Rattlers") enter service on the SIRT.........
"NYO"
["Tottenville"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 59
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 5175
Location: New York, New York, USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2026 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | On thi date in 2024................
The first set of "R-211s"(aka "Staten I;and Rattlers") enter service on the SIRT.........
"NYO"
["Tottenville"] |
And I was on one early ride, they had their teething problems then. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 34031
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2026 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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W.B.:
I recall your accounts on that early ride;I recall you mentioning that these new trains were "rattlers" (hence my nickname for them, "Staten Island Rattlers") 
I often thinkof how these "Rattlers" would have been adapted for FRA specifications, hda dfreight service still been running on SIRT rails......
"NYO"
["RIDE THE RAPID"] |
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