The M7 is an

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...

railroad car built by Bombardier for use on the MTA's

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , or LIRR, is a Rail transport, railroad in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County on Long Islan ...

(LIRR) and

Metro-North Railroad The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...

. With delivery beginning in 2002, the M7 replaced the M1 railcars on both railroads as well as the ACMUs on Metro-North. The cars built for Metro-North were designated as the M7As, and contain minor differences from the M7s found on the LIRR. A total of 1,172 M7 cars were built for the two railroads.

Description

Cars are arranged as

married pair A twin unit, twinset, or double unit is a set of two railroad Railway car, cars or locomotives which are permanently coupled and treated as if they were a single unit. A twinset of cars or coaches can also be called a twin car. In US passenger ...

s, where each car contains a complete set of controls for an

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, conductor, or

brakeman A brakeman is a rail transport worker whose original job was to assist the braking of a train by applying brakes on individual wagons. The advent of through brakes, brakes on every wagon which could be controlled by the driver, made this role r ...

. However, the 'B' Cars (denoted by odd-numbered car designations) contain a handicapped accessible restroom, which is larger than the restroom provided on the M1 and M3 railcars and designed to accommodate a wheelchair, as well as an attendant and/or service animal (such as a

guide dog Guide dogs (colloquially known in the US as seeing-eye dogs) are assistance dogs trained to lead people who are blind or visually impaired around obstacles. Although dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are red–green c ...

, hearing dog or

service dog An assistance dog is a dog that receives specialized training to aid an individual with a disability in navigating everyday life. Assistance dogs can be trained by an organization, or by their handler. Terminology 'Assistance dog' is the inte ...

) accompanying the passenger. The enlarged bathroom reduces the number of seats in the car. The M7 was built as two separate but similar models due to the different electrical and signaling systems on the LIRR and Metro-North. These two models, the M7 and M7A, share most of their attributes, but have a few notable differences. Most prominently, the styling of the end of the car is different; on the M7, it is mostly black with a single horizontal yellow stripe, while on the M7A it is mostly blue with several white stripes. This is the primary cosmetic difference, and the cars otherwise look nearly identical. Other, more minor, aesthetic differences include illuminated number boards, present on the M7 but absent on the M7A. Aside from differences in appearance, the cars are built for the different types of third rail used by the two railroads: the M7 is equipped for the LIRR's over-running third rail, while the M7A is equipped for Metro-North's under-running third rail. For this reason, the two cars are not interchangeable between the two railroads.

History

Procurement

In late 1999, a contract was awarded to Bombardier for 836 LIRR M7s. Delivery began in early 2002, and test trains for the LIRR M7 began on the Ronkonkoma Branch. After several successful tests, LIRR M7 revenue service began on the Long Beach Branch on October 30, 2002, and Metro-North's first M7A started scheduled service in April 2004. All M7s were delivered by early 2007.

Early troubleshooting

The M7 cars swayed from side to side more than intended when introduced to service, and required modifications to reduce the sway. In late 2006 the MTA began a replacement of all M7 armrests after paying out over $100,000 to customers who filed complaints. The factory-installed armrests were notorious for slipping into trouser pockets and then tearing them when sitting. The new design is of a different profile and is coated in a more fabric-friendly rubber. Some passengers complained about having fewer seats per B car, a consequence of the larger ADA-compliant restrooms, and about the width of the seats. Metro-North's management received feedback about the M7, which influenced the development of the M8 railcars for the

New Haven Line The New Haven Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Connecticut. Running from New Haven, Connecticut, to New York City, the New Haven Line joins the Harlem Line ...

. In the fall of 2006, the M7As started to experience serious braking problems due to foliage on the right-of-way, a condition known as " Slip-Slide." This caused nearly 2/3 of the Metro-North fleet to be taken out of service, due to flat spots on wheels. While the LIRR fleet performed significantly better, stripped M1s from both railroads were reactivated, and diminished schedules were instituted until the M7 fleet was able to resume full operation. , the fleet has the highest mean distance between failures out of the entire LIRR fleet. This partly had to do with the fleet's newness, and so the fleet often needed to be tested for reliability.Outside Contractor's report
, October 2007.

Later history

The Metro-North M7As were used in the 2016 film '' The Girl on the Train''. On April 19, 2021, the LIRR proposed equipping two pairs of M7 railcars with batteries for travel in diesel territory, pending feasibility studies.

Accidents and incidents

*On February 3, 2015, an M7A train on Metro-North's

Harlem Line The Harlem Line is an commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Southea ...

was involved in a grade crossing collision with a car stopped on the tracks in Valhalla, New York. The driver of the car and six passengers were killed and at least fifteen were injured. Car 4333 was destroyed in the subsequent fire. *On October 8, 2016, an M7 train on the Long Island Rail Road's

Port Jefferson Branch The Port Jefferson Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The branch splits from the Main Line (Long Island Rail Road), Main Line just east of Hicksville ...

sideswiped a work train near the New Hyde Park station. Multiple cars – 7033, 7034, and 7044 – were seriously damaged and eventually scrapped. Car 7043, which was 7044's mate, was initially stored but was later remated with car 7554 after that car lost its mate. *On January 4, 2017, an M7 train on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch overshot a bumper at Atlantic Terminal's track 6. More than 100 people were injured. Car 7553 was seriously damaged in the collision – a broken rail pierced the underbody, creating a large hole – and was eventually scrapped. Its mate 7554 was mated with car 7043, which also lost its mate. *On July 21, 2018, an M7 train stored in the Long Island Rail Road's West Side Yard derailed. Two cars, 7019 and 7364, were damaged and were eventually scrapped. *On February 26, 2019, an M7 train on the Long Island Rail Road's

Ronkonkoma Branch The Ronkonkoma Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in the U.S. state of New York. On LIRR maps and printed schedules, the "Ronkonkoma Branch" includes trains running along the railroad's Main Line from Hicks ...

struck a truck, causing the lead car to derail and strike the Westbury station platform. Car 7425 was seriously damaged as a result and was eventually scrapped. Three people in the truck were killed, while there were no fatalities on the train. The individuals were fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident and went around lowered railroad crossing gates. Car 7426 was mated with car 7279 after the crash. * Car 7054 had its front burned in a fire and was scrapped in 2023.

Gallery

File:Metro North.Bronxville.jpg, A Metro-North M7A entering Bronxville station File:Bombardier M7 7799 enters Flushing.jpg, An LIRR M7 arriving at Flushing–Main Street File:An M7A at Ardsley-on-Hudson..jpg, An 8 car M7A prepares for departure at Ardsley-on-Hudson station, heading towards Croton–Harmon station just 6 stations away. Car 4146 is seen trailing, with 4309 and 4308 leading the train File:M7A Interior.jpg, Interior of an M7A car File:LIRR M7 Seat.jpg, Seats in LIRR M7 cars File:LIRR M7 at Jamaica on Track 7 (May 2024).jpg, LIRR M7 at Jamaica on Track 7 (May 2024) File:M7 Builders Plate.jpg, Builders plate of the M7s

References

External links

MTA Long Island Rail Road official websiteMTA Metro-North Railroad official websiteBombardier information page for M7
{{LIRR and MNCR rolling stock M7 M7 Bombardier Transportation multiple units Rail passenger cars of the United States Electric multiple units of the United States 750 V DC multiple units Train-related introductions in 2002