First Night. On the overnight of November 18-19, 2024, MTA Metro-North Railroad's first pair of Siemens SC42-DMs, MNCW 301 and 302, began road testing on the Hudson Line. This was the debut for these units, which had only been towed on the road prior to last night. This dual mode locomotive is one of 33 on order to start to replace the railroad's General Electric P32s. Though similar to the all diesel design of the SC-44 and ALC-42, these locomotives also had to go to the testing center in Pueblo, Colorado for full evaluation before delivery to Metro-North. The locomotives are much quieter than their predecessors, and also significantly more fuel efficient while providing more power.On this night the train operated both in diesel mode and at least one trip in electric (third rail) mode. Presently only the MNCW 302 (on the north/west end of the train) has third rail shoes, while the MNCW 301 (on the south/east end) is still waiting for its "shoes" to be delivered. While the (present) GE P32AC-DM fleet changes from electric to diesel mode around the Harlem-125 Street Station, MNR has stated that this locomotive is designed to operate on third rail to the Croton Harmon area, where electrification ends. The train is seen passing through the MNR Philipse Manor Station with the new Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) Bridge in the background.
A continuously growing album of photos that IMHO reveal the awesome and seldom-seen beauty of the railroad world from the dimming of day to dawn's early light! From dusk to dawn, trains roll on! (I'm still finding gems of sunset-to-sunrise surprises!)
