I rode the 8:07 out of GCT the last two Fridays, and in both cases there were deadhead cars.  In the first case, on Jan 28th, the 8:04 and 8:07 express trains to New Haven were combined into a single 10-car train.  However the conductors decided en route to clear the head car and run a 9-car train, forcing passengers to move back.  The same thing happened on Feb 4th though the two trains weren&#039;t combined.  But the head cars were deadheaded again, leading me to wonder what rush hour train was shortchanged its usual complement of cars to not be used on the train I rode.  

On the weekends I noticed ample use of the diesel push-pull trainsets covering the GCT-New Haven runs.  Couldn&#039;t Metro North pull one of these off the Hudson Line to cover another New Haven line run during the week?  It seems to be the overcrowding is on the New Haven line, not the Hudson.

I also wonder whether the M7s in use on the Hudson and Harlem lines couldn&#039;t at least get as far as Mount Vernon East?  I know the third rail ends between there and Pelham but at least they could make that one station stop maybe on a rush hour train until the current crisis is resolved.