New York’s MTA Metro-North Railroad unveiled its seventh heritage unit on Friday, paying homage to the silver and blue “M-Central” scheme that made its debut in 1979 and lasted into the mid-1980s. Unlike the previous six heritage units that were wrapped, P32AC-DM 203 was painted in the historic scheme by employees at the paint shop in North White Plains, N.Y. 

In 1979, Conrail operated commuter service on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven Lines originating from Grand Central Terminal under contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The MTA sent seven dual-mode EMD FL9s to be rebuilt by General Electric at their shop in Hornell, N.Y. The first unit to return from the rebuild was 5043 (ex-New Haven 2043, built in October 1960), which was also the first to receive the new MTA paint scheme of a silver body with a wide blue stripe in August 1979. The two-tone blue MTA logo featured the word “CENTRAL” underneath to indicate equipment designated for use only on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, which were formerly New York Central territory. The seven rebuilt units retained this paint scheme until they were eventually repainted into red, blue, and silver by Metro-North after 1983. (CR/MTA 5043 would later be rebuilt with AC traction as Metro-North 2045 in the 1990s, and later scrapped).

The “CENTRAL” logo indicated equipment assigned to the former New York Central territory. —Courtesy Metro-North

This latest heritage tribute from Metro-North is the seventh in a series commemorating the commuter railroad’s 40th anniversary in 2023. The first tribute unit (MN 208) was released in May 2023, honoring Metro-North’s red, blue, and silver image from the 1980s and 1990s. This was followed by a tribute to the Conrail era of operation from 1976 to 1983, released in November 2023. The third unit showcased the distinctive “lightning stripe” design, paying tribute to predecessor New York Central, the original owner of the Hudson and Harlem lines until 1968. The fourth unit debuted in March 2024 and honored the MTA/Penn Central partnership of 1970, paving the way for enhanced commuter rail services. An Employee Tribute unit (MN 214) was released in July 2024. Earlier this year, the sixth specially wrapped unit (MN 222) paid tribute to the New Haven and its iconic green and yellow livery. —Railfan & Railroad Staff

Metro-North employees pose with MN 203 after painting the locomotive at North White Plains shop. —Courtesy Metro-North