Passenger Trains > Double Power On A The Local Amtrak

Sighted on the Olive Sub at CP Maple. I thought it was rather unusual to see two engines at the front. Normally, these San Diego to Ventura via Orange and LA shuttle trains operate with single engine push/pull mode. Occasionally, there will be power on both ends. But this was the first I've seen with double front power.

Thanks for looking.

Sometimes after a minor trip through the shop will result in a run with a back-up engine just in case the work doesn't hold up.

Well that answer makes sense. *BUT*...


...that brings up a darker question:

Are they being proactively cautious?

Or do they have little faith in their mechanics?

After all, you did say *minor*.....

X-2000R Wrote:
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> Well that answer makes sense. *BUT*...
>
>
> ...that brings up a darker question:
>
> Are they being proactively cautious?
>
> Or do they have little faith in their mechanics?
>
> After all, you did say *minor*.....

I'm gonna take the 5th on your question, but sometimes when you have an intermittant problem and you think you got it fixed...

cs16 Wrote:
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> Sometimes after a minor trip through the shop will
> result in a run with a back-up engine just in case
> the work doesn't hold up.


ALSO, after a failure that could, or did, result in a stalled train out on the road, Amtrak puts that engine on a PAIR ONLY list; while on that list, it is restricted from operating by itself until it's been put through its paces and the problem appears to be satisfactorily fixed, by its not recurring throughout one or more roundtrips while operating paired with another unit.

With the number of trains Amtrak now runs with only one locomotive, this would appear to be a prudent precaution.

Don't blame them, I know it sucks when the problem comes back after mechanical does what they can to fix it, and when they hear it. they're probably very fustrated!

The 450 suffered a computer system failure last week, it went around for a few days needing to be restarted about once a day, finally Redondo slapped the 459 to the point in the middle of a run from Goleta to San Diego because it was being too problematic. The train made it down to San Diego, but on the trip back up to LA 450 had the last laugh and refused to cooperate with the 459. Being in between the 459 and the rest of the train, the entire train's brakes would not release stranding the equipment in Oceanside until Amtrak's mechanics came and did something to it. It was fixed, and as stated above, when a locomotive strands passengers It's put on a pair-only list, meaning it can only run with another locomotive for use as a backup in case more repairs are discovered necessary. In fact, on the second day of testing 450 was set out at San Diego, then deadheaded to Los Angeles the next day. More computer problems. Seems to be working fine now, once it's done with its current run it will probably be placed back into the regular pool.

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