M1/M3 (railcar)

A then-recently-retired Metro-North M1A on the unpowered siding at Harmon Shops, April 2006

Even though the LIRR's fleet of some 900 MP54 electric MU cars constructed between 1908 and 1930 had been augmented between 1955 and 1963 by about 150 newer MP72 and MP75 EMUs, the roster still contained a large number of increasingly elderly pre-war cars, which the cash-strapped LIRR was unable to replace. In 1965, the nearly bankrupt commuter railroad was taken over by the state-owned Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority (later renamed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968), which was then able to provide large amounts of capital funding to bring the system to a state of good repair. One of the first items on the list was a massive order of brand new self-propelled electric railcars that could replace the remaining MP54s and provide modern levels of comfort and performance.

The Metropolitans, at the time of their introduction, were notable for their rounded ends and quarter-point sliding doors. The cars were fully air conditioned, accommodated only high-level boarding, used lightweight construction, and were built with a top speed of 100 mph (161 km/h)[5] and support for Automatic Train Operation. The Metropolitan cars were also the catalyst of change for their respective systems as the high-level boarding required all stations in the electrified zone to be rebuilt between 1966 and 1968,[6] and the increased power demand forced the LIRR to update its third rail power supply from 650 V DC to 750 V DC to take advantage of the car's performance. On December 30, 1968, the M1s went into revenue service, with the first revenue train being an 8-car local from Babylon to Penn Station.

With a completely new look and feel both inside and out, the Metropolitan cars blurred the line between traditional commuter rail and rapid transit, with the later R44 and R46 series of cars for the sister New York City Subway adopting many of the same design elements. Compared to the older cars with their drop sash windows, slow speeds, rough suspension, and growling gearboxes, the Metropolitans ushered in a new era of commuting in the New York region.

M1 cars at Jamaica station in 1969

The M1 series were funded by both New York State and the then-fledgling Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which gained operation of the lines partway through the order.[4] The 770 M1s (9001–9770) built for the LIRR between 1968 and 1973 represented the largest single order of electric multiple units in North America up until that time. 620 cars were in the base order from 1968–71, with 150 option cars following in 1973. In addition, 178 M1As (8200–8377) were built for the former New York Central commuter operations from 1971 and 1973, allowing the railroad to replace its remaining pre-war MU cars and the 100 4500 series ACMUs (which were in need of a 20-year overhaul). Using Budd Pioneer III trucks and powered by four 148 horsepower (110 kW) GE 1255 A2 traction motors, each car had 592 horsepower (441 kW). They were designed to achieve 100 mph (161 km/h) running in service, achieving only 80 mph (129 km/h) in service due to track and signaling limitations. The LIRR cars also featured support for Automatic Train Operation, although this, too, was never seen in service.

A Metro-North M3A train entering Ossining on the Hudson line

With electrification areas of both railroads expanding, the MTA placed an order for another series in 1982, the M3 series. Essentially compatible with, and (on the exterior) very similar to, the M1 series, the M3s had updated mechanical elements, such as the use of General Steel GSI 70 trucks and a few other small differences. Traction motor cooling was added to the M3 at the cost of added weight which was compensated for by the use of more powerful 160 horsepower (120 kW) GE 1261 motors. Even with the extra power, this created different acceleration and braking rates from the M1. While LIRR chose to mix M1s and M3s in the same consist, Metro-North chose not to and would always run with uniform trainsets. A total of 174 M3s (9771–9944, with 9891 and 9892 renumbered to 9945 and 9946 after the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting) were produced for the LIRR between 1984 and 1986, while 142 M3As (8000–8141) were produced for Metro-North, arriving between 1984 and early 1985.

This order would be the second-to-last handled by Budd, which in April 1987, left the railroad business after taking the name "TransitAmerica," under which the last M3s were produced, though their builders' plates kept the Budd name.

With the arrival of the M3 series, the M1 and M1A cars each saw midlife rebuilds in the late 1980s in order to prolong their useful life. The overhauled interiors were very similar to those of the M3s. Still, time began to take its toll on the original M1 cars, and by the end of the 20th century, the time for the cars was running short.

Some Metro-North M3As received minor interior refreshes throughout 2006/2007. The LIRR M3s, however, have remained with their original, old-fashioned interior style of wood and faux leather.

In 1997, all M1s and M1As received headlights mounted on the center top of their front-ended fiberglass bonnets to illuminate the top areas. This modification was done following an incident in which a Metro-North engineer operating an M1A train was severely injured and blinded when a cinderblock tied below a fence of an underpass crashed through the windshield of the train.

• M2/M4/M6 (railcar)
• M7 (railcar)
• M8 (railcar)
• M9 (railcar)
• Budd Silverliner

• Cudahy, Brian J. (2003). A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York's Underground Railways. New York: Fordham University Press. ISBN 0-8232-2292-6.
• Middleton, William D. (2001) [1974]. When the Steam Railroads Electrified (2nd ed.). Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-33979-9.

Media related to M1/M3 (railcar) at Wikimedia Commons

• MTA Long Island Railroad official website
• MTA Metro North Railroad official website