More P-40 overhauls

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battalion51

battalion51

Engineer
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
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7,193
Location
USA
As some of you may know the P-40's are being overhauled right now. Several have already been done over such as 832, 835, 836, and 839. A few more are in Beech Grove being done right now, among them 833, 842, and 843. A return date is not known at this time, but I will pass it along to you once I know they're back.

No word yet on whether the DASH 8 experiment is going to happen. But Cab Signals would have to be installed on the units before it happens. Currently 506 is getting HEP work in Sanford, 513 new traction motor in SFA, and 514 is switching in JAX.
 
513 went out on a shortened Sunset today, flooding caused the other consist to be held in NOL.
 
battalion51 said:
But Cab Signals would have to be installed on the units before it happens.
Click to expand...
Now I know I'm no expert when it comes to operations...especially controls and signals up in the engine, however, I believe that cab signals are only available for NEC, and for higher speed routes, such as SWC, and Michicagan Services. Most other routes do not utilize the cab signal ability (as I understand it).
 
Well I know that's not true, based most on the fact that I rode up in the head end on the CZ. They all have the "cab signal box", but they don't all utilize them. The majority of the routes in the midwest do not have that capability. The freights do not have that installed into their lines....The exceptions are the Michigan service, and the new high speed corridor between Chicago and St. Louis.
 
As far as cab signals go Conrail is the only major line that utilizes Cab Signals. When you look at the Cab Sinal unit, at the top and bottom it says something to the effect of "Amtrak Conrail Cab Signal Unit." I have a NORAC book that shows all the cab signals. I'll try to scan the page and get it to Viewliner so it can be posted on his site.

Another update on the original post, all DASH 8's already have Cab Signal units, but do not have FRED readback capabilities. Since the EMD control stand was installed that prevents the computer screen from giving the read out. So a new unit would have to be placed on the Dashboard that can read FREDs. Also I have finally gotten all my numbers accurate on P-40 rebuilds. Units 832-843 (except 837 and 838) are SFA based engines. Engines 832, 835, 836, 839, and 841 have been rebuilt and are in SFA (all except 841 are on AT, currently 832 is with 835, 836 with 839). Engines 833, 834, 840, 842, and 843 are listed as in Beech Grove being rebuilt. As the engines start to roll back in I will post it. When the engines come back AT will go back to a rotational schedule with its engines, for example, if 832-835 comes into SFA on 53, it would rest overnight and go out on the next days 52. So three sets (with two engines on each) at one time would be AT regulars. The other four are either in for maintence, or have been sent out on the Sunnyset as emergency power.
 
Ok here they are:

CabSignals.jpg


CabSignals3.jpg


http://www.trainweb.org/amtrakonline/CabSignals.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/amtrakonline/CabSignals3.jpg
 
I know that Conrail is gone. But most people refer to the territory as Conrail because of the fact that NS and CSX still share some routes and facilities. Also the fact that Conrail used the cab signals, not CSX and NS keep it Conrail in my mind. If you listen carefully to the DD's, many of the still say Conrail on the greeting.
 
Amfleet said:
B-51, Conrail is gone. It's now CSX and NS mainly.
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Technically Conrail is not completely gone. While overall the main corporation is gone, there is still a small company called Conrail Shared Assets (CSA). Both NS and CSX have a share in CSA and both control and funnel monies into CSA.

CSA runs some of the conrail yards and tracks in New Jersey and I think that there is an area in either Michigan or Illinois. Since NS and CSX couldn't agree on who should get those tracks during the sale of Conrail, this small portion of Conrail was left intact.
 
Going back to the main topic, here's a little up date on what's going on with these new P-40's. 843 has arrived back from Beech Grove, but some of the others are dying. 835 and 839 have both died on Auto Train within the past week. When 835 died JAX gave AT its switcher (514) to help them get over the road, 506 was sent to JAX today to take its spot. No word on what got 836 and 839 over the road. 843 is expected to fill in for 839 in its absence.
 
I didn't catch the engine number, but I welcomed 21 through town tonight. They didn't have any power on the train! Something must be wrong up at the head end. I thought it seemed kinda quiet when it came through and I didn't hear any fans. Then I noticed the lights were off, and I asked one of the passengers getting off if the power was out, and he confirmed it. Sucks!
 
The likely cause is a cable that fell off one of the engines, or a bad connection between cars. This is not an unheard of occurance, some crews always keep a spare jumper cable and HEP cable on them, some don't.
 
Well I realize that much, but I was surprised that nothing was done about it before they pulled out.
 
According to my to my Amtrak source P-40's 800, 801, 802, 803 have been listed as stored in DPF. The units have been listed as having their cab signals stripped out and so on. Anyone know an explination?
 
battalion51 said:
According to my to my Amtrak source P-40's 800, 801, 802, 803 have been listed as stored in DPF. The units have been listed as having their cab signals stripped out and so on. Anyone know an explination?
Click to expand...
No, but while we're on DPF, why exactly is 2300 there?
 
I am pretty sure it's there because of both the A/C systems and the trucks are bad. Because the car is a prototype it was not built with the same equipment as a standard run of the mill Viewliner. Therefore parts are expensive to buy/make, and are not worth Amtrak's money and effort since the car has frequent break downs.
 
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