Dutchrailnut
Conductor
Last week they ran a two car Bombardier with P40 train due to slippery(leaf) rail.
The Electrics just could not make the hill without sand.
The Electrics just could not make the hill without sand.
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What hill is that? Talmadge Hill? Do P40's get better traction?
Dutchrailnut
Conductor
The New Canaan branch is one big hill starting at stamford Mp-0 all way to New Canaan Mp-7.7 or Grove street, first 4 miles slightly less than one % rest is 1.2 % or more.
Traction was not a problem, stopping is and P40's and cab cars have sand, Mu's don't
Traction was not a problem, stopping is and P40's and cab cars have sand, Mu's don't
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Slide though the station at New Cannan and you're in the street and well on your way into the local store fronts.
And even the engines can still slide nicely at times. I was behind a P32 AC-DM heading for Waterbury I believe a few years back. The poor engineer slide right past the Naugatuck stop. Missed it by at least 5 car lengths.
Felt like we were on a bucking bronco.
And even the engines can still slide nicely at times. I was behind a P32 AC-DM heading for Waterbury I believe a few years back. The poor engineer slide right past the Naugatuck stop. Missed it by at least 5 car lengths.
Felt like we were on a bucking bronco.
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How many trains did they run like this? I commuted on Monday, Tuesday morning and Friday evening, I didn't notice this.
Another question would be, where did they get the P40's from? Unless they made all the through trains stop for a passenger transfer at Stamford, they would have needed a fair number. I suppose there must be a more slippery time of day?
Oh and thanks for all the replies. This is really a great forum. I'm glad I found it.
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Well as Battalion noted above CDOT leased several of Amtrak's mothballed P40's. My guess would be that they probably stopped at Stamford and transferred them to electrics, but Dutch might know for sure.
As for slippery, it really depends on just how many leaves have come down that day. Add even a tiny bit of rain and it really gets bad. So wet, windy days would tend to be worse than dry, sunny, windless days.
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I can't tell if I'm glad or sad that I missed this. Sounds like a bit of a pain. especially with the 7:41 out of Talmadge Hill, my train, having to stop at Stamford (it usually doesn't) and getting packed. What does ConnDOT do with these locomotives? ConnDOT doesn't operate any railway, so far as I know - the MTA runs Metro-North (with partial funding from ConnDOT) and Amtrak runs SLE (also funded by ConnDOT) but does ConnDOT actually own any equipment of its own?
Well it's only a temporary thing that happens for maybe 2 or 3 weeks each fall, then things will go right back to normal.
As for your other questions, Metro North is basically a NY operation. CT pays money and helps to provide equipment for any train that runs north of Port Chester. If they stop paying, Metro North will stop running into CT. Highly unlikely that would ever happen, but that is the simple reality. So yes, CDOT does own equipment. That's one reason that some of the new P32 AC-DM engines were painted in the old New Haven colors.
One reason that the other two Metro North lines have new cars is because NY State paid for them. CT on the other hand took forever to find the money to buy new cars, and only just recently signed the contract to have the new M8 cars built. So they are still a few years away from delivery. I believe that I read some where that CT thought CDOT, is paying approximately 60% of the contract cost, while NY through Metro North pays the other 40%.
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yes, I think that all New Haven line expenditures on done this as per some court ruling in the '80s.
Oh, and with regard to SLE, you are correct Amtrak runs that for CDOT, but AFAIK CDOT owns all of that equipment. Amtrak certainly doesn't own the equipment.
I was always confused by this since many of the locomotives are in the Amtrak livery. Of course, many of the cars are in VRE livery (some kind of railroad!) so I suppose the livery means just about nothing. The locos must be the P40's that Battalion was talking about.
Yes, if you see an Amtrak engine pulling Metro North equipment and/or SLE equipment, then it is most likely one of the leased engines. The fact that the engines are only leased probably has something to do with why they are still in Amtrak livery. The VRE equipment I think has more to do with their rushing to get those cars on the road, and perhaps not wanting to spend the money to repaint them.
Dutchrailnut
Conductor
The day with P40 on branch was saterday a weeek ago when high wind and rain knocked most tleefs free all at once.
Conndot owns the Following.
about 2/3th's of all M2/M4/M6 equipment.
They own 6 FL9m's in New Haven livery.
They own 4 P32acdm's in New Haven Livery.
They own 6 GP40-2h in new haven livery.
They own 11 Constitution liners (ex SPV)
They own about 48 Bombardier Push Pull Cars.
They own 33 ex VRE push pull cars.
ConnDOT is leasing 8 ill maintained P40's from Amtrak, 6 for MNCR shuttles and 2 for SLE duty.
before anyone disputes the Ill maintained, consider the 55 gallons of oil per 24 hour they use.
These 8 locomotives are to be replaced by 11 shuttle/worktrain locomotives ordered from Brookville mining in Pa.
The first 6 rebuilt VRE's are now on road in ConnDot livery:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=20...&bydate%3A9
Conndot owns the Following.
about 2/3th's of all M2/M4/M6 equipment.
They own 6 FL9m's in New Haven livery.
They own 4 P32acdm's in New Haven Livery.
They own 6 GP40-2h in new haven livery.
They own 11 Constitution liners (ex SPV)
They own about 48 Bombardier Push Pull Cars.
They own 33 ex VRE push pull cars.
ConnDOT is leasing 8 ill maintained P40's from Amtrak, 6 for MNCR shuttles and 2 for SLE duty.
before anyone disputes the Ill maintained, consider the 55 gallons of oil per 24 hour they use.
These 8 locomotives are to be replaced by 11 shuttle/worktrain locomotives ordered from Brookville mining in Pa.
The first 6 rebuilt VRE's are now on road in ConnDot livery:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=20...&bydate%3A9
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had8ley
Engineer
Dutchrailnut;
I noticed the engines noted as SLE's looking very much like the SD-45's that the freight railroads ran away from because of fuel consumption. (Wasn't there a big flap in the 70's about the SDP-45's derailing in curves?) Where did they come from? Also I can attest to the ill maintained status of the P-40's. The UP lleased a bunch after the SP merger-meltdown and PROMISED Amtrak that they would only be used in iintermodal high speed service. We switched with a pair for almost the entire length of the 92 day inspection card. Our units were dead account out of date inspections. A stack train was coming through town and the dispatcher told the crew to set out the two rear units. You guessed it~ a 200 and 300 series P-40's. They left town tired and dirty after switching around the clock for three months.
Dutchrailnut
Conductor
Just because you see a flared radiator housing does not make them SD45's they are GP40-2h units and were built in Canada at AMF, they may have used housings from freight units.
as for P40's the units can not have been in 200 or 300 numbers as P40's are and always were numbered in 800 series.
as for P40's the units can not have been in 200 or 300 numbers as P40's are and always were numbered in 800 series.
had8ley
Engineer
Sorry...I've never seen a passenger unit with the flares. Nothing like those units has ever run in this area that I know of after the SDP-45's left. Just what were the 200 and 300's ?
The 200 - 400 series was largely used by the F40 series.
F40PH 200-228
F40PHR 229-409
F40PH 410-415
had8ley
Engineer
That would make more sense too, since doing switching ops with a P40 could be pretty interesting, since a P40 looks just like the P42's that currently haul most Amtrak trains today. There are no railings or steps to stand on and backing up is lots of fun too. The F40 would be far more suited to switching ops on the other hand.
By the way, just as a side note, the current P42 numbers actually invade the F40 range, since they run up to 209. However, since all of the Amtrak F40's have been retired, demotored, or sold, it doesn't create a problem.
had8ley
Engineer
Alan;
Thanks for the engine clarification. I just ran them until they burned up, broke down or got us to the away from home terminal. I guess the lettering and numbering is something I never paid much mind to. The SD-45 was one of my favorites so that's why I inquired as to the look alike engine. I'm sure you see them all the time. Those F-40's had the same ladder climb that the P-40's have and it's straight up.
battalion51
Engineer
Actually Alan, the highest the P-42's go is 207. Amtrak does still have a few F-40's hanging around on its property, supposedly some of these still hanging around are going to be converted to Cabbage to be used in Michigan and Illinois service where there is a need for a cab on each end of the train.
Oops, slight slip of the finger.
They may be hanging around, but they are not on the active roster meaning that Amtrak considers them retired and therefore they don't cause conflicts with the current "active" engines.
J
[email protected]
Guest
<_< <_< Do the Constitution Liners - Former SPV2000 - still operate on the ShoreLine East RR?
I rode them with my wife in the Summer of 2004.
I have been told Multiple times that they have "Little or No Historical Valve" and would be sold as Scrap -
when they are done being used.
I rode them with my wife in the Summer of 2004.
I have been told Multiple times that they have "Little or No Historical Valve" and would be sold as Scrap -
when they are done being used.
Dutchrailnut
Conductor
Yes their still being operated, as museum stuff they have no value, and as far as spare parts their a nightmare.
expect them to be stored or scrapped after retirement or replacement by the Mafersa cars CDOT bought.
J
[email protected]
Guest
I talked to a former Budd Company employee who worked on the SPV 2000's. He didn't tell me what way he worked on them. It was his project he said. And....They have - "Little or No Historical value" - yet, all the Books about Budd / RDC's mention them. They have one in the Eastern Ct RR musuem. They end up on display in all types of pictures about Railroads : Internet, Books, Videos and Other venues. - A point to Ponder.
