#30(26) ???
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Engine died at Cleveland and they picked up an NS engine to take it to Pittsburgh. They were then busituted due to, I believe, a water main break somewhere in/near Pittsburgh. A fellow AUer is on the bus now.
Said water main break is on the Carnegie Mellon campus, on Forbes Ave next to its overpass over the railroad at the South portal of the Schenley Tunnel. Time of occurrence was 11pm, 29 (26) may have encountered it. The break washed piles of dirt from a hillside construction site onto the street and tracks below. As of 2pm water's not completely off yet. No visible track damage, but the crossing is flooded and there's probably scour damage if not minor washouts. If 29 (27) leaves tonight it'll probably need to detour.
amtrakmichigan
Lead Service Attendant
Actually I noticed something was going on this morning. It arrived TOL about 30 min late last night, but departed TOL about 5 hours late. Also departed Sandusky, Oh about 5 1/2 hours late. So something either happened upon arrival in TOL, or they held the train there for a while knowing what was going on in PGH.
Though I said above the engine died in Cleveland, I suspect I misinterpreted his FB post and it probably died in Toledo. As stated above an NS engine was added at some point to the train.
Where were the passengers transferred to buses? The break is entirely south/east of PGH station, it would've been possible to bring the train there.
He "checked in" at PGH, so I'm pretty sure that's where they got on the buses.
Acela150
Super Buff
Ok ladies. Engine died at TOL. Ironically NS sends a Dash 9 to "save the day". It was unclear for a long time whether everyone was to be bussed to DC etc or if they were going to be able to get the train by. CSX I guess wouldn't let the train go. They bussed us to WAS. Folks for 42 were bussed to Harrisburg or in between. CNOC had everything nailed down but CSX wanted to basically play chicken. We didn't know we were getting bussed until we passed Conway. So 15-20 minutes from PGH. The staff at PGH was super and kept everything moving and everyone calm and confusion was nill. My only issue is the fact that the bus ride was non stop and no meal compensation was offered. I checked into the lounge at DC sat down and some Railfan who thinks he's a God and knows everything was saying that an axle fell off. At that point I said. I don't know where you heard that. But that is incredibly untrue. He was so bad that I actually left the lounge to get a bite to eat. At which point I bumped into Anderson. I'm actually glad that we got bussed. It was looking like a 6 or 7pm arrival into DC. Which would make it a late arrival into Philly. The problem was simple. They sent the train out with one unit. When I got on I noticed that and didn't think it was a good idea. Turns out my instinct was dead on.
Thirdrail7
Engineer
- Joined
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Welcome to the new reality.
Acela150
Super Buff
Yeah isn't that the truth.. It's bad when a Non-Amtrak Employee is riding and senses things will go wrong..
The problems started when the throttle jockey decided to put the HEP in Stand By mode to "Save Fuel".. When the relief crew got on they went to put the HEP in Running Mode. In which case the Unit wouldn't load.. NS spared a Dash 9 to hook up and go east.. HEP is and was still provided by the P40/42.
They learned quick..
I should add that when I arrived in DC I went to the lounge. A serious hardcore foamer who thought he was a God was complaining that quote "An axle fell off this is FRA stuff that should be inspected". At which point I looked at him and said "I don't know where you heard that.. But that is incredibly false.." Moron asked "Well then what happened" To which I replied that they had issues with HEP. He continued his "I'm a God of Trains" attitude to the point where I actually left the lounge.. If I didn't I would have told him to politely shut up and then some. I am very tolerant of rail fans, cause I'm one too.. But many rail fans don't understand what the job does to you, or what things are like. There is one thing that I openly admit to now, and that's the fact that working for NS beat a decent amount of rail fan out of me.
Unfortunate breakdown for the CL. Which has been doing pretty well lately for On-Time Performance. According to the Amtrak website, the CL had a OTP of 90.2% in January, well, ignoring the cancellations between PGH and WAS due to the big snowstorm. Checking Amtrak Status database, looks like the CL will come in with a >85% endpoint OTP in February. Which is a heck of a lot better than the CL OTP of even just a few months ago.
west point
Engineer
The HEP switch is standard for all stops a certain length of time. It is often done at ATL , JAX, ABQ and also smoke breaks. Cuts down on the engine noise and exhaust as well. All is done is the diesel RPMs are changed. When the chargers are in service the loco diesel will run at a even slower speed at all stations and while waiting in sidings due to HEP coming off the traction inverters.
EDIT. As well part of the dynamic braking will back feed to the HEP further reducing fuel consumption.
EDIT. As well part of the dynamic braking will back feed to the HEP further reducing fuel consumption.
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Acela150
Super Buff
The train was already running behind and they weren't going to be stopped in TOL long. Just long enough to do station and baggage work as well as change T&E crews. Shouldn't have taken more then 10 minutes. No need to change to Stand By for that brief a period of time. What does Engine Noise and Exhaust have to do with anything? TOL is an outdoors station.. It's not like say CHI where there is an overhang.
Thirdrail7
Engineer
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It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes, but you don't know for sure that it wouldn't have taken longer. Additionally, do you have System General RFN#79? If you do, read it and understand crews will be charged if it is not followed, either willing or unwilling since it can be monitored remotely. If you don't, you should probably bow out of this part of the conversation and quit before someone starts grumbling about rail fans being God of Trains while not passing false information.
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My guess is it has to do with reduction of fuel consumption by placing HEP in L/O mode during anything other than brief station stop...But I may be wrong also...
Acela150
Super Buff
Fair enough Third Rail. I can agree that I don't have access to that memo or instruction. And I hate to see crews charged with anything that would take them Out of Service. While I don't know the policy I thought it would be acceptable to leave the HEP on running mode during a potential 10 minute crew change. You're right I would have no idea if it would take 10 minutes or more it is just a guess of how long it would have taken. And I can't stand rail fans trying to be Gods so to speak. As always thanks for your insight. Not being sarcastic. I say this with seriousness. As always you have my respect.
neroden
Engineer
Toledo *always* takes a while. Crew change point. 10 minutes is certainly long enough for it to be worth changing modes. If it was "in and out" like Utica, that would be different.
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