This incident shows the need for more diesel backup on the NEC. Don't believe it will happen but once enough Chargers are replacing maybe Amtrak could assign about 10 surplus P-42s to standby service. The P-42s would need ACSES and wiring provisions to operate the electric locos. Where to store them ? unknown ?
No one is going to maintain an inventory of 10 usually idle diesels that are kept in tip top running order for anything when faced with general severe shortage of resources. Same reason that no one will maintain a surge fleet f passenger cars for use six days a year either.
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West Point's plan wouldn't make much immediate financial sense but it does make good railroad sense. Indeed, many years ago, there were strategically placed HEP equipped diesels scattered along the corridor. Some were F40s and I specifically remember some GP40tcs here and there.
At any rate, the Mid Atlantic Division had a work train diesel in Odenton yard, a road protect (whatever the could get their hands on) at Baltimore, an HEP equipped work train diesel (typically a GP40tc) in Perryville, an electric and diesel in Wilmington Shops and Race Street. The New York Division had a work train diesel in the Morrisville ET base and Adams yard, a pair of back to back F40s in the "A" Track pocket at Union and a Pumpkin in Hudson Yard. The New England Division had back to back diesels in NHV, a pair of back to back F40s at Shaw's Cove at NLC and at one point, a lonely GP40tc, sitting in the "hot box" track near Carolina Curve in Rhode Island. PVD mow base usually held a work train diesel.
While the vast majority of the engines never had a crew, ian engineer of a disabled train could be picked up by a train heading in the opposite direction, dropped off at the one of the units and they often could rescue themselves before an "official" rescue unit arrived.
Naturally, someone decided the cost of the protection wasn't worth keeping the units in service. My opinion is that person was probably never left for three hours in the sweltering heat or freezing cold, waiting for a rescue unit.
