number of powered axles on the Metroliner EMUs

[Joel N. Weber II]

Back when the Metroliner passenger cars were EMUs with powered axles, were all of the axles powered?

What fraction of a total Metroliner trainset's weight was sitting on powered axles, vs what fraction of an Acela trainset's weight sits on the powered axles?

 

[PRR 60]

I believe that all the Metrolner axles had traction motors, although that is just my recollection.

For Acela, here's the breakdown:

- Power car - 204,000 lbs

- First Class - 142,000 lbs

- Intermediate Business Class - 139,000 lbs

- Intermediate Business Class - 139,000 lbs

- Bistro - 137,000 lbs

- Intermediate Business Class - 139,000 lbs

- End Business Class - 142,000 lbs

- Power car - 204,000 lbs

Total: 1,246,000 lbs (623 tons), more or less.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Question:

Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

 

[PRR 60]

Question:
Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

Crash reinforcement, I believe.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Question:
Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

Crash reinforcement, I believe.

Bingo!

IIRC there is extra re-enforcement on the first/last cars to prevent both head-on damage and telescoping if an accident were to occur.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Question:
Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

Crash reinforcement, I believe.

So FRA safety guidelines makes sense just wasn't sure so its just extra dead weight?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Question:
Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

Crash reinforcement, I believe.

So FRA safety guidelines makes sense just wasn't sure so its just extra dead weight?

Until we have an accident.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Question:
Why does the End Business Class Car weigh more? or the same as first class?

Crash reinforcement, I believe.

So FRA safety guidelines makes sense just wasn't sure so its just extra dead weight?

Until we have an accident.

Right, exactly. Extra dead weight.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

There has been a fatal (for at least one of the passengers of the automobile) grade crossing accident at at least one of the 11 grade crossings in eastern Connecticut that the Acela travels through, I believe involving an Acela trainset.

I think the accident where over 100 passengers on an MBTA Commuter Rail train were injured when a stray boxcar hit the locomotive may have happened on tracks that the Acela uses.

 

[George Harris]

I think the accident where over 100 passengers on an MBTA Commuter Rail train were injured when a stray boxcar hit the locomotive may have happened on tracks that the Acela uses.

No. Think it was on the ex B&A line west of Boston, but definitely not on the Corridor tracks.

 

[AlanB]

I think the accident where over 100 passengers on an MBTA Commuter Rail train were injured when a stray boxcar hit the locomotive may have happened on tracks that the Acela uses.

No. Think it was on the ex B&A line west of Boston, but definitely not on the Corridor tracks.

No, it was on the NEC, just north of Canton Junction. The box car rolled off the T's Stoughton branch and onto the NEC hitting a train about to switch onto the branch, which thankfully was already running slower thanks to the need to switch and make a station stop. It was thanks to the NEC's ASCES (PTC) that the engineer of the T train became aware that something was headed towards him, as his cab signals dropped.

He managed to stop his train and was on the radio trying to obtain permission to put his train into reverse when the box car struck the passenger train. The engineer paid a price for his dedication to his passenger by trying to get permission to reverse; by getting tossed around the cab in the collision and loosing a few teeth in the process, along with some really nice bruises.

 

[AlanB]

There has been a fatal (for at least one of the passengers of the automobile) grade crossing accident at at least one of the 11 grade crossings in eastern Connecticut that the Acela travels through, I believe involving an Acela trainset.

Yes, at Miner Lane just south of New London. Three people were killed, two children and their grandmother.

I don't believe that anyone on the train was hurt at all, since the train was only going about 60 MPH at that point in time. It was headed southbound and just starting to speed up after the slow 25 MPH limits through New London.