Passenger Trains > Wow, that Coaster is faaast!

Del Mar State Park, CA 7/12/95

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at least they still do 90, Metrolink had to slow down because of fuel, which I for one don't get since they can't do 90 until after San Juan Capistrano

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> at least they still do 90, Metrolink had to slow
> down because of fuel, which I for one don't get
> since they can't do 90 until after San Juan
> Capistrano

I thought because of Chatsworth...

I suspect that the Metrolink slow down had to do with trying to keep track of which cab cars and power cars had ATS. But it could be for "safety" as that was John Fenton's goal to "do something" at every opportunity.

90 MPH saves a bit of time, and speed is a big part of the quality of service in a passenger operation. Maybe the same minutes can be or were saved by tightening up station dwells or meets.

I wanted to go 100 but the FRA regulations to go back to the 1960s ATSF operation are very complex and expensive. The track is better than before (welded rail), it could be done.

As it is now, trains going 79 MPH between San Clemente and Oceanside are routinely passed by traffic on parallel I-5.

railstiesballast Wrote:
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> I suspect that the Metrolink slow down had to do
> with trying to keep track of which cab cars and
> power cars had ATS.

Since everything at SCRRA has ATS now, it's kinda silly...

I believe it had something to do with changing the overspeed switch...

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> at least they still do 90, Metrolink had to slow
> down because of fuel, which I for one don't get
> since they can't do 90 until after San Juan
> Capistrano

They can do 90, if they wanted to, south of Santa Ana once they cross Red Hill all the way through Irvine.

The reason Metrolink is doing 79 is because the Mechanical department (due to liability reasons) did not want to leave the ATS in/out switch sealed in the 93mph position on all trains. So, they left it sealed in the 83mph position. This is supposed to change with the coming of PTC.

The Rotem cars will need to be certified for 90 mph operation as well.