cascades engine in michigan

[amtrakwolverine]

whats a cascades F40PH doing in here in michigan. those engines go from Seattle to Vancouver so its along way from home. we don't have any maintenance shops here do we

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BthPqjmNtdo

 

[Jaanfo]

Sorry, took a second to figure out how this thing works (Moderator can delete the previous post).

Presently a Chicago-pool NPCU is working on the Cascades route, equipped with a custom auxiliary Main Resovoir Compressor being tested as a method to hopefully alleviate some low main res pressure issues experienced by the Cascades Talgo Equipment. Since the NPCU is taken from the Chicago pool it was replaced in the pool with a Cascades NPCU for the duration of the test, I don't know how long this is expected to go on for but it's been about six months now.

In layman's terms Seattle and Chicago traded a pair of NPCUs to test some equipment, thus there's a PH-v NPCU working on the Cascades, and a Cascades NPCU working out of Chicago.

 

[jackal]

Sorry, took a second to figure out how this thing works (Moderator can delete the previous post).
Presently a Chicago-pool NPCU is working on the Cascades route, equipped with a custom auxiliary Main Resovoir Compressor being tested as a method to hopefully alleviate some low main res pressure issues experienced by the Cascades Talgo Equipment. Since the NPCU is taken from the Chicago pool it was replaced in the pool with a Cascades NPCU for the duration of the test, I don't know how long this is expected to go on for but it's been about six months now.

In layman's terms Seattle and Chicago traded a pair of NPCUs to test some equipment, thus there's a PH-v NPCU working on the Cascades, and a Cascades NPCU working out of Chicago.

Hey Jared--good to see you over here, finally! You should register and contribute at least every now and then! You'd be one of only a couple of currently-employed employee posters (you may know another, known on here as Blue Jean Girl, who works as a conductor on the Surfliners).

For those who don't know, jaanfo is a regular over on another board, socalrailfan.com, which I've linked to a couple times when folks here have asked for links to other railfan sites. He's also a dang good photographer--a great nighttime shot he took in SAN made it on the Amtrak calendar a year or two ago.

(Jared, I assume that since your name and position are more or less public info on the other site, it's OK to post them here--but PM me here (as I don't check socalrailfan often anymore) if you'd like me to edit them out.)

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

And one day in the future-- All trains will be uniform and not trade stuff. LoL

 

[Mark]

The Cascades NPCU makes its occasional appearance on the Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandberg as well.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

whats a cascades F40PH doing in here in michigan. those engines go from Seattle to Vancouver so its along way from home. we don't have any maintenance shops here do we

The Cascades NPCU is being tested, it had a electric air compressor added , powered off the HEP, the releasing of the brakes took to long, when running of the NPCU, so by adding the compressor, they hope the air will be more plentyfull.

 

[rtabern]

They were running that engine on the Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee for awhile... then the last time I saw it was on #381 to Quincy.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

They were running that engine on the Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee for awhile... then the last time I saw it was on #381 to Quincy.

ok a NPCU is not an engine, its a locomotive, but without propulsion, just like a cab car.

Just like a MU car is not an engine, but it is a locomotive.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

They were running that engine on the Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee for awhile... then the last time I saw it was on #381 to Quincy.

ok a NPCU is not an engine, its a locomotive, but without propulsion, just like a cab car.

Just like a MU car is not an engine, but it is a locomotive.

locomotive,engine same thing. call it what you will. deal with it.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

They were running that engine on the Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee for awhile... then the last time I saw it was on #381 to Quincy.

ok a NPCU is not an engine, its a locomotive, but without propulsion, just like a cab car.

Just like a MU car is not an engine, but it is a locomotive.

locomotive,engine same thing. call it what you will. deal with it.

Not really, a locomotive is anything that controls the movement, it can be an engine, a MU, a DMU, a electric locomotive, a cab car.

btw a Electric locomotive is called a motor as its not self propelled, its not an engine, it gets its power not from fuel but in form of power directly to motor, just like a toaster ;-)

Just going by FRA definitions.

 

[Rockracin]

Havent been able to review my trip from a couple weeks ago yet as i have been very busy, and sick too but i have a few photos of just what you are talking about, a Cascade Engine on the Empire Builder, and a GE unit (i think it is anyways) on a Cascades train, was gonna put some pics up but it wouldnt let me link to my photos.