Canadian Railroads > VIA F40PH-3.....Running in Reverse

VIA has said they will be reconfiguring the F40PH-3 to run back to back when the Ocean resumes in November and then just run around the train in Halifax. Currently the F40's run 'elephant-style'. There's discussion on other forums that in the current configuration......they can't run at speed in reverse. I always thought units were bi-directional?

Just about every VIA trainset I see these days has one locomotive at each end, and often they are F40s. Does that mean all "rear facing" F40s are not functioning on these trains?

Ray

All locomotives will operate the same whether running in forward or reverse (just look at virtually any freight train).  What the configuration issue may be related to is having the HEP connections working on the front of the unit (for connecting to the train).

From info just posted on another forum.....apparently there was an issue with lubricating a suspension bearing on the traction motors when running in reverse and units have been set out with hot bearings. They are now being modified.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/20 08:56 by ghCBNS.

Don't some F40's run backwards on some corridor trains with a loco at each end, like Quebec- Ottawa trains ? 
Will they retain the Park car or substitute a Coffee Shop dome ? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/20 10:19 by joemvcnj.

That still seems very odd, but perhaps if they are always running forward and then start running in reverse, the wicks for the suspension bearings have taken a set, such that they are no longer making good contact for opposite direction running.

It does seem to be an odd excuse, since they already run them in reverse in the corridor.  It hasn't happened very often on the Ocean (I think I posted about one that had been involved in an accident about 20 years ago), but just a year ago, on April 7, it happened again.  This time the move was planned, due to the Renaissance derailment near Coal branch in New Brunswick.  CN thought they would have the track open in time for the eastbound Ocean, but to hedge their bets, VIA reversed one F40 in case the train was annulled and had to return to Montreal.  As it turned out, they made it through OK to Halifax, where the full train was turned on the loop before returning west the next day.  The westbound trip is shown here at Shubenacdie and on the East Mines Trestle in Nova Scotia.

GTD

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Is there a working turntable somewhere in Halifax area where they could at least turn the Park-car?  Google Earth suggests the Fairview turntable is still there, but is it functional?

Fairview has a working turntable, but it's old and unreliable, and the roundhouse staff try to avoid using it if they can.  Coordinating between VIA and CN shop forces would be a major hassle too.

Since VIA has so many Park cars, they could likely put two on each Ocean set, but there would still be switching required since the baggage car has to be next to the locomotives.

GTD