Today's #4

[greatcats]

Calling all experts!!! How come #4, the Southwest Chief due in Chicago today, is running over 7 hours late? Pretty unusual for that train...........

 

[printman2000]

Power troubles. Reported elsewhere that it picked up a BNSF unit in Barstow. Not sure if they got the protect unit from Albuquerque or not, but at this point not sure it matters.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Power troubles? The locomotive probably broke down. Anybody know why it broke down?

 

[Ryan]

That's what "power troubles" means.

Pretty sure I read that they picked up the unit in ABQ, but since they were running with only 1 P42 the timekeeping was still abysmal.

 

[Donctor]

Locomotive broke down? That probably caused some power troubles.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

The P42 is supposed to be equipped with limp home technology which means depending how badly something went wrong it should be able to limp to a station.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

So nobody knows why the locomotive broke down?

 

[printman2000]

So nobody knows why the locomotive broke down?

Because Amtrak does not maintain them very well?

 

[NY Penn]

Most likely because #4 arrived at CHI at 11 PM, today's #3 left two hours late.

If even 23 hours of layover is not enough time to ensure that a train leaves the terminal on time, I don't know what is.

 

[Agent]

I think

is of this train in New Mexico, but there is not much to see.

 

[Donctor]

So nobody knows why the locomotive broke down?

Because there were power troubles.

 

[jb64]

Locomotive broke down? That probably caused some power troubles.

:giggle: :giggle: :giggle:

 

[Ryan]

So nobody knows why the locomotive broke down?

Because there were power troubles.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I don't want to looks like a fool, but why were there power troubles?

 

[AlanB]

I don't want to looks like a fool, but why were there power troubles?

If anyone knows, then they're not posting because its privileged information. My guess however is that no one really knows exactly what went wrong. Amtrak doesn't make it habit of telling people why an engine broke down.