Additional Saturday Acela Service

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Acela150

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MDBF = Mean Distance Between Failures, a measure of reliability

Thanks.

What is the MDBF of the Acelas these days? What is the monthly utilization of each set on an average?

I'll have to look at some of the paperwork I have at home that I have so I can give you an idea on how many miles a set does in a week. But keep in mind that there are several different types of Failures. Small ones where all you'll need to do is recycle the power. Drop the pan and put it back up. And more serious failure that require a termination of the trainset. I know that you know this. But are you looking for an overall failure rate? or more serious failure rate?
 
How much routine servicing is done on a Saturday or Sunday really?

With continuous maintenance program, a lot of the running repair items are rectified during the weekend.

What is the MDBF of the Acelas these days? What is the monthly utilization of each set on an average?

You need 16 sets on an average weekday and that leaves you a bit of breathing room. When you press them into additional weekend service , little things aren't corrected in a timely fashion. This can lead to bigger things.

I suspect they are looking past these sets though. They are thinking they'll have a new equipment so you might as well run them into the ground. It will only be an issue if the new equipment doesn't show up when expected.

But, that can't possibly happen....right? :rolleyes:
 
With continuous maintenance program, a lot of the running repair items are rectified during the weekend.



You need 16 sets on an average weekday and that leaves you a bit of breathing room. When you press them into additional weekend service , little things aren't corrected in a timely fashion. This can lead to bigger things.

I suspect they are looking past these sets though. They are thinking they'll have a new equipment so you might as well run them into the ground. It will only be an issue if the new equipment doesn't show up when expected.

But, that can't possibly happen....right? :rolleyes:

Of course they're looking past the current equipment. You know that :) What ever happened to taking care of what we have?
 
With continuous maintenance program, a lot of the running repair items are rectified during the weekend.
Is any maintenance work done at night at all, or is everything done only during day shifts? I would have thought that since the trains are intensively used during daylight hours and even late into the evening, in addition to daytime periodic maintenance, the running maintenance work would be a night time thing. But given Amtrak's parsimony, who knows?

I genuinely have no idea how and when maintenance is done on the Acelas.
 
Of course they're looking past the current equipment. You know that :) What ever happened to taking care of what we have?
If Amtrak could have made sense of keeping the Acela cars in service post-Acela II introduction, that would be one thing. That ship has sailed, somewhat understandably given all of the issues with it. Thus, in their minds and in their shoes, it makes a certain amount of sense to try and "poke" at the timetables to see where they can best add service with the new equipment.
 
Is any maintenance work done at night at all, or is everything done only during day shifts? I would have thought that since the trains are intensively used during daylight hours and even late into the evening, in addition to daytime periodic maintenance, the running maintenance work would be a night time thing. But given Amtrak's parsimony, who knows?

I genuinely have no idea how and when maintenance is done on the Acelas.

Maintenance is done during the all day and at night. That is the premise of continuous maintenance. It handles routine maintenance as well as periodic maintenance in gradual intervals. However, with that kind of schedule, slots for unforeseen problems often close, particularly if sets are already in short supply. Therefore, longer projects that involved non running gear defects are typically scheduled for the weekends, when you don't need as many sets.
 
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