This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since January 2007.

This article needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available, as is general documentation. This article has been tagged since June 2007.

Comet / Horizon / Shoreliner

New Jersey Transit Comet III car 5529.
Production
Manufacturer	Alstom Bombardier Budd Company Pullman Standard
Year produced	1970 - present
Year scrapped	Active
Service	Amtrak, Metro North Railroad, New Jersey Transit, SEPTA, MBTA
Notes	Operated as Horizon by Amtrak, Shoreliner, by Metro-North
Specifications
Top speed
Capacity per car
Number produced
Infobox last updated on: July 30, 2007. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Acap. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 547 pixelsFull resolution (882 × 603 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Comet passenger car. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 547 pixelsFull resolution (882 × 603 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Comet passenger car. ... Alstom (formerly GEC-Alsthom) (Euronext: ALO) is a large French company whose businesses are power generation and manufacturing trains (e. ... logo Bombardier Inc. ... Budd logo A rear view of Santa Fes El Capitan and its Budd-built observation car as it approaches the Raton Tunnel (Colorado side) on June 26, 1938. ... The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. ... Acela Express in West Windsor, NJ Amtrak Cascades service with tilting Talgo trainsets in Seattle, Washington Amtrak train in downtown Orlando, Florida For other uses, see Amtrak (disambiguation). ... Metro-North (officially MTA Metro-North Railroad) is a suburban commuter railroad running service from New York City to the northern suburbs in New York State and Connecticut. ... The New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) is a statewide public transportation system serving the state of New Jersey, and Orange and Rockland counties in New York. ... For the abbreviation SEPTA, see SEPTA. A septum, in general, is a wall separating two cavities or two spaces containing a less dense material. ... The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is a quasi-governmental organization formed in 1964 that controls the subway, bus, commuter rail, and ferry systems in the Boston, Massachusetts area. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... --> Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The Comet passenger car series was first designed in the late 1960s by Pullman-Standard as a modern commuter car for North American rail lines. The first Comets were built in 1970 for the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad and paid for by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The cars were eventually built for numerous other agencies as well as Amtrak (with Amtrak named under the "Horizon Fleet"). The Comet series was later produced by Bombardier (Comet II, III, IV, VI) and Alstom (Comet V). Two sets were also "built" using Arrow MU car shells. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... External links Erie Lackawanna Historical Society Categories: Stub | Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad | Erie Railroad | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Defunct New Jersey railroads | New York railroads | Pennsylvania railroads ... The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) maintains the State Highway system in New Jersey. ... Acela Express in West Windsor, NJ Amtrak Cascades service with tilting Talgo trainsets in Seattle, Washington Amtrak train in downtown Orlando, Florida For other uses, see Amtrak (disambiguation). ... logo Bombardier Inc. ... Alstom (formerly GEC-Alsthom) (Euronext: ALO) is a large French company whose businesses are power generation and manufacturing trains (e. ...

Comet I

• Cabs: 1500-1534 (orig.) 5100-5134 (current) 5102, 12, 22 scrapped
• Coaches: 1700-1809 (orig.) 1700-1760 (low-door) 5707-5751 (high-door) (current)
• Bars: 1600-1609 bars since removed 1607 scrapped

The Comet I cars were the first of the Comet series, built by Pullman Standard for the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad's diesel-hauled commuter services. These were considered state of the art at the time, due to their all-aluminum bodyshell construction as well as their use of head-end power (HEP). Their automated entrance doors, designed for use with low platforms only, earned them the nickname "sliders".

In 1987, the Comet I fleet was rebuilt by Bombardier, with the cab cars and a number of trailer cars receiving high doors, for ADA access and future compatibility with high platforms. The red stripe E-L decal was removed from the cars during the rebuild, resulting in a visible "scar" on the bodyshell; also, the NJ Transit corporate "disco stripes" logo was applied to the body, adjacent to the entrance doors. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... logo Bombardier Inc. ...

The low-door Comet Is were retired from service at the end of 2005 following the arrival of the full order of Comet V cars; however, three are in the hands of the Whippany Railroad Museum, five have been sold to the MBTA as parts cars, and a number were purchased by the Morristown & Erie Railroad which will most likely be sent to work on the Maine Eastern after modifications are made to the cars. Many have been sent to Utah to serve in Utah Transit Authority's FrontRunner service. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The MBTA Commuter Rail is the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. ... The Morristown and Erie Railway (M&E) is a freight short line based in Morristown, New Jersey. ... UTA bus at a stop The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) operates a public transportation system throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah. ... FrontRunner is a commuter rail line being built by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) to serve the Wasatch Front area of Utah. ...

Comet IA

These cars were built in 1978 from surplus Arrow III shells by Budd Company for the New York MTA to provide modern equipment on the Metro-North Port Jervis Line. These cars are being sent out for scrap in late 2005 after being stored since 2004 near Port Jervis Station where they where heavily vandalized, and short period time stored at Campbell Hall and the NJT Meadowlands Maintenance Complex. Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Budd logo A rear view of Santa Fes El Capitan and its Budd-built observation car as it approaches the Raton Tunnel (Colorado side) on June 26, 1938. ... Main article: Transportation in New York City The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S. state of New York. ... Metro-North (officially MTA Metro-North Railroad) is a suburban commuter railroad running service from New York City to the northern suburbs in New York State and Connecticut. ... The Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line is a commuter rail line running from Suffern, New York north, west and southwest to Port Jervis. ...

Comet IB

The Comet IB push-pull cars were rebuilt in 1987-1989 from 30 of the former Penn Central Arrow I cars. Bombardier rebuilt the Arrow Is into push-pull cab and trailer cars at their Barre, VT facility along with the Comet Is; quite often they were shipped on the rear of Amtrak's Montrealer. Upon returning, they were assigned to the Newark Division and operated at first on the Raritan Valley Line with Comet IIs and IIBs; later on, they could be seen all over both divisions as well as on the Atlantic City Line (they were also quite common on the first Midtown Direct trains, whose inauguration underscored the importance of push-pull electric trains on NJT). Presently, however, they operate exclusively on the Hoboken Division, as the rebuilt high-platform Comet Is are the only equipment with which they share compatibility. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... The Penn Central Transportation Company, normally called Penn Central, was an American railroad company, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and formed by the merger on February 1, 1968 of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad; the New Haven was added to the merger at the insistence of the... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Comet II

The most common of the series was first built in 1978 by Pullman for the MBTA as their BTC-1 and CTC-1 series. In 1982, NJ Transit and Metro-North purchased the cars in order to replace old and tired out cars that were never meant for commuter service anyway.^{[weasel words]} The Comet II featured high doors as stations on the Northeast Corridor and Metro-North's system had high level platforms installed to speed loading time.^{[citation needed]} The Comet II was also built for; the Connecticut Department of Transportation (operated by Metro-North), SEPTA, and the Agence métropolitaine de transport (Montreal). Additional cars were later purchased by MBTA and NJT between 1987-90 including the only Comet II Club car in existence, which operates on the North Jersey Coast Line. Montreal cars are used on low platforms only. Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Metro-North (officially MTA Metro-North Railroad) is a suburban commuter railroad running service from New York City to the northern suburbs in New York State and Connecticut. ... Most of the NEC (those sections shown in red, except Boston to the Rhode Island state line) is owned by Amtrak. ... The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. ... For the abbreviation SEPTA, see SEPTA. A septum, in general, is a wall separating two cavities or two spaces containing a less dense material. ... The Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) or (English: Metropolitan Transportation Agency) (AAR reporting marks AMT) is the umbrella organization that plans, integrates, and coordinates public transportation services across Canadas Greater Montreal Region, including the Island of Montreal, Laval (ÃŽle Jésus), and communities along both the North Shore... The North Jersey Coast Line is one of New Jersey Transits commuter lines. ...

Horizon Fleet

Amtrak Horizon car 54541.

Amtrak's Horizon Fleet cars are based upon the Comet II design. The cars were built in Coach and Food Service configurations and can be found on Midwest trains in the Chicago division. However, one set resides in California and is used for Surfliner service, and the Carolinian uses a Horizon food service car. One of the main differences between the horizons and comets is that the horizons have outboard bearing trucks, while the comets have inboard bearing trucks. Additionally, while the Comets have automatic side doors (to speed loading and unloading on busy commuter schedules) and manual end doors (to discourage transit between cars), the Horizons have the reverse arrangement, with manual side doors and automatic end doors, to better suit their longer-distance use. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... // Northbound Pacific Surfliner Cab Car crosses Carlsbad Village Dr. in Carlsbad, Ca. ... The Carolinian is a train running daily between Charlotte, North Carolina and New York, New York. ...

Comet II Rebuild

Between 1999 and 2002, NJ TRANSIT began sending out its Comet II and IIB cars for a rebuild to AAI Corporation (in Hunt Valley MD), and subsequently to Alstom. Cosmetically, the Comet IIMs (as the rebuilds are termed) have the semblance of Comet IVs without center doors, down to the pink interior fascia, powder-blue seats and large black window border; technological upgrades such as the EPIC brake system (including disc brakes), modern HVAC, and digital destination signs were also hallmarks of the rebuild. The cab cars were "decabbed" and converted into trailer cars (another after-effect of the Secaucus wreck—the expense of converting Comet II cab cars to the newer FRA crashworthiness specifications would prove to not only be prohibitive but also to reduce the number of exit doors). All cars received a newer version of the "long door"—whereas the Comet III and IV long doors were two-piece, the Comet IIM received a single-piece door (most likely in response to the mechanical complexity of the original door) plus a trapdoor "extension" designed to retract with the door when the trap is in the "up" position. Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Comet III

NJ Transit Cars

The Comet III (1990) cars are the first of the Comet series to feature center doors—this feature was added per customer suggestions, as was the innovation of the long door, which permits the end doors to open and close at low-platform stations with the trapdoor in the up position (thus eliminating the safety hazard of trains operating with doors open). The Comet III coaches are the only newer equipment in the system that do not utilize automated announcements or destination signs. The Comet III cars are slated for an eventual rebuild, whereupon their cab cars, which do not meet current FRA crashworthiness specs, will be converted to trailer cars.

Metro-North Cars

The Metro-North cars (known as "Shoreliner II") were numbered in the 6300 series and never operated on the West-of-Hudson Lines. Per Metro-North practice, trailers with even numbers lack restrooms and trailers with odd numbers have restrooms. This order also broke with Metro-North tradition of only having odd numbered cabs (excluding the West-Of-Hudson fleet). The Shoreliner II fleet was built without "long doors", a cost-saving measure readily compatible with the fact that all stations (apart from a handful) on Metro-North's GCT territory feature high platforms; but the cars do feature external steps and trapdoors on the end doors.

NJT/Metro-North Trade

In the late 1990s, NJT and Metro-North traded a pair of Comet IIs (since rebuilt) for a pair of Comet IIIs. The table below should explain the trade and renumberings.

The Kearny Connection allows trains from New Jersey Transits Morris and Essex Lines (part of the Hoboken Division) to go to New York Penn Station, known as MidTOWN DIRECT service. ... An eastbound train crosses the Cooper River near Cherry Hill, NJ. The Atlantic City Line is run by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey. ... The North Jersey Coast Line is one of New Jersey Transits commuter lines. ... The Raritan Valley Line is a commuter rail service of New Jersey Transit, running out of Newark Penn Station and terminating at High Bridge. ...

Comet IV

In 1996, two NJT commuter trains collided in Secaucus. The front engineer's side of Comet II Cab 5146 had been sheared off. Both the engineer in 5146 as well as a passenger were killed. After an investigation, it was determined that the car design was not sturdy enough and the Comet IV cars were born. The Comet IV was based upon the Comet III cars with the biggest change being the removal of the engineer's door among other changes which included GPS. Metro-North, ConnDOT, and SEPTA versions are basically the Comet II design with center doors and the removed door at the engineers compartment. SEPTA does not own any cabs. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 15,931. ...

Comet V

These cars were purchased by NJ Transit & Metro-North from Alstom with the intent to replace the aging Comet I, IA & IB fleet. Thus far, only the Comet IAs, Metro-North's Comet IIS "Shoreliners" (returned to East of Hudson service on lines out of GCT) and the Comet I Low Door fleet ("sliders") have been withdrawn from service. All Comet I High Door and IB cars remain in revenue service.

These cars have a markedly different external appearance to the elder Bombardier- and Pullman Standard-built Comets, most notably their larger windows, their shiny brushed stainless steel exterior (compared to the brushed aluminum of the elder cars), and lack of black stripe around the windows.

The launch of the Comet V was rather rocky. Door problems (opening/closing too slowly) and a handful of other bugs and glitches plague this fleet (most notably problems with the EPIC brake system, and seat check holders that easily rip off the seat); the cars are undergoing warranty repairs to correct these.

Comet VI

The newest addition to the Comet fleet. These bi-level cars, constructed by Bombardier, are specially designed for and by NJ Transit to meet tight clearances in the North River Tunnels. The order is for 15 cab cars (139 seats), 37 restroom-equipped coach cars (141 seats) and 46 coaches without restroom (146 seats). (NJT Press Release)

These cars feature doors for high and low platforms (including "long doors"), a return to 2×2 seating (the 3×2 seating on single-level Comets often results in the center seat being eschewed by passengers), wider aisles, and ADA-accessible restrooms.

See also

• Amtrak passenger cars
  • Amfleet
  • Horizon Fleet
  • Heritage Fleet
  • Superliner
  • Talgo Cars
  • Viewliner

Amfleet are a suite of railroad passenger cars built for Amtrak by Budd from 1973 - 1977 totalling 492 cars (406 coaches and 86 Amcafes). ... Amtraks Heritage Fleet program was started was started in 1977 to equip older cars from Amtraks predecessor railroads to Head End Power (HEP). ... This converted Auto Train lounge shows the typical exterior of Superliner cars. ... Tilting Amtrak Cascades passenger cars use the Talgo design. ... The Viewliner is a single-level sleeping car used by Amtrak on eastern routes. ...

External links

• Amtrak Photo Archives- Horizon Fleet Cars