Connecticut governor Jodi Rell showed off the new exterior as well as some interior aspects for the M-8 cars that will be introduced on the New Haven Line late in 2009. Between reader surveys and focus groups, more interior features will be ironed out before the cars go into production.

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Rell says the car’s attributes include:

  • Brighter interior lights and color
  • More open appearance
  • Enhanced comfort and customer security with enhanced vestibule flooring highlighting egress
  • Larger windows, high-back seats featuring individual head rests,
  • Convenient outlets by seats
  • Automated announcements with coordinated destination signs to improve customer communications

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    Also on hand was Metro-North president Peter Cannitto, who reveals that he spends a lot of time dreaming about new Metro-North cars. “Seeing a mock-up of the M-8 car has shown us that the dream of a new commuter rail car on the New Haven line is becoming a reality,” he said. “Although we are still more than a year away from seeing the prototype cars in operation in this country, the dream of improved service for our New Haven Line customers in New York and Connecticut is also one step closer to reality, too.”