It's been reasonably common for a while now. Amtrak isn't that short on motive power, particularly now that they have Chargers in the Midwest, PNW, SoCal, and NorCal.Browsing Railpictures.net I came across this http://www.railpictures.net/photo/678103/
Since when did Amtrak have enough spare power to lease out?
Not all of the Midwest...AML services still don't have theirs yet. No word on when they're coming either.It's been reasonably common for a while now. Amtrak isn't that short on motive power, particularly now that they have Chargers in the Midwest, PNW, SoCal, and NorCal.
They're shorter on Power then you'd think.It's been reasonably common for a while now. Amtrak isn't that short on motive power, particularly now that they have Chargers in the Midwest, PNW, SoCal, and NorCal.
If that is the case, what about the freight engine in the lead if there are enough locomotives?only buffs think Amtrak is short of power, its been proven Amtrak is not...
How many trains leave the original terminal with a freight engine? The number of spare P42s in an Amtrak yard doesn't matter if you have collision or breakdown necessitating replacement power hundreds of miles from an Amtrak facility and with freight locomotives closer.If that is the case, what about the freight engine in the lead if there are enough locomotives?
I'm guessing that it was possible due to reserve stock not usually touch. As for the beef stew, I'm assuming Dinty Moore (the kind you can find on some vending machines or at Dollar General).A few years ago I was on an Empire Builder that left Seattle with 1 P42 and a BNSF engine. The freight engine was on the train all the way to Chicago. The train arrived in Chicago at 10:45 PM. The sleeper passengers got an extra regular dinner. I had the steak. The coach passengers got the beef stew.
With a freight engine, BNSF dispatcher thought they were freight and didn't make them sit on the siding. :giggle:A few years ago I was on an Empire Builder that left Seattle with 1 P42 and a BNSF engine. The freight engine was on the train all the way to Chicago. The train arrived in Chicago at 10:45 PM. The sleeper passengers got an extra regular dinner. I had the steak. The coach passengers got the beef stew.
If that is the case, what about the freight engine in the lead if there are enough locomotives?
To add on to Keelhauled's response, this is often the best way to return a borrowed unit to an outlying point or the initial terminal. You put it on the head end so it is easier to set out.How many trains leave the original terminal with a freight engine? The number of spare P42s in an Amtrak yard doesn't matter if you have collision or breakdown necessitating replacement power hundreds of miles from an Amtrak facility and with freight locomotives closer.
To add on to Keelhauled's response, this is often the best way to return a borrowed unit to an outlying point or the initial terminal. You put it on the head end so it is easier to set out.
The main problem with P-42s in winter is it uses DC traction. Those DC motors are very prone to short out in fine snow that gets into the windings. Amtrak has had incidents where 2 locos in snow have short out. Do realize with 4 traction motors on each unit not all may short out. GE has an improved model DC traction motor that is somewhat better but still will short out . There are still many older design DC motors out there. If we were Amtrak we would dispatch 4 P=42s on the Builder route anytime there was snow forecast along the route. And other routes 3 when going into snow conditions. You probably have noticed whenever one or more freight units are added to an Amtrak train that the units are almost always AC traction motors !As for the Empire Builder, there was a time a few years ago where BNSF was requiring three locomotives during the winter because Amtrak locomotives were failing too frequently, and a single engine wouldn’t be able to pull the consist through the area, combined with the fact that harsh winter weather made sending an en-route rescue locomotive difficult. BNSF didn’t want a passenger train potentially stranded in the middle of Montana on a rail line with no road access in the middle of winter. Since Amtrak didn’t have enough of it’s own locomotives to add an extra engine to each Empire Builder, they were automatically leaving each initial terminal with a freight unit.
Do the P32AC-DMs not have this issue, then?The main problem with P-42s in winter is it uses DC traction. Those DC motors are very prone to short out in fine snow that gets into the windings. Amtrak has had incidents where 2 locos in snow have short out. Do realize with 4 traction motors on each unit not all may short out. GE has an improved model DC traction motor that is somewhat better but still will short out . There are still many older design DC motors out there. If we were Amtrak we would dispatch 4 P=42s on the Builder route anytime there was snow forecast along the route. And other routes 3 when going into snow conditions. You probably have noticed whenever one or more freight units are added to an Amtrak train that the units are almost always AC traction motors !
DC traction motors occasionally short out in salt spray or sand. These reasons are why we oppose any new DC traction motored locos on snowy RRs or ones near salt water locations.
I understand that. I'm asking if those AC motors ever get shorted out by fine snow and particulate matter.They have AC motors.
I have....many times, particularly around RVR, JAX and SAV. Perhaps you see more western operations than eastern operations.I don’t think I’ve ever seen Amtrak return a freight unit by putting it on the front of a passenger train.
Yes but is doesn't happen anywhere near as often. Last winter, fine snow wrecked havoc on a particular system on the new Charger.I understand that. I'm asking if those AC motors ever get shorted out by fine snow and particulate matter.
Not impossible of course, but much less likely as the motor is of fundamentally different construction.I understand that. I'm asking if those AC motors ever get shorted out by fine snow and particulate matter.
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