Passenger Trains > Engine change at Washington

I somehow doubt the times noted on the 164 this am and how long he was in Washington. Even in the "good old days", it took them at least 10 minutes to do the engine swap. Also no way they unloaded and loaded passengers in 4 minutes.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

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Cut that much off the dwell at WAS, then lost 26 minutes between WAS and New Carrollton. Things that make you go "hmmmm...."

Or just a fat-finger error. Maybe should have been 9:57 out of WAS, not 9:27.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/16 17:11 by Dcmcrider.

Reality:    departure was 9:50,  25 min late       27 min engine change, about typical. 

And to remember that the Pennsylvania could do an engine at Port Amboy in less than 5 minutes; the New Haven could handle engine change in New Haven in under 8 minutes

Posted from Android

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Worker safety ahead of speed of power replacement.




 

livesteamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And to remember that the Pennsylvania could do an
> engine at Port Amboy in less than 5 minutes; the
> New Haven could handle engine change in New Haven
> in under 8 minutes
>
> Posted from Android

No HEP and Communications cables to deal with, just a Steam Line and the Brake and Communication Line hoses.
The safety procedures with the HEP take some time. And with HEP it's be safe or be dead.

US is not only user of HEP and engine changes are done very quickly.  See http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4140587 (engine change at German -- Dutch border this past October)

John

DocJohn Wrote:
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> US is not only user of HEP and engine changes are done very quickly.  See http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4140587 (engine change at German -- Dutch border this past October)


This is a quote from that link:

Most trains in Europe are: 
1. Passenger 
2. Semi permantly coupled or of mu formation 
3. Use automatic couplers which often incorporate all electrical and air connections. 

If American trains had the coupler hardware that European trains had, then yea, it would be fair to blast away at Amtrak for how long engine changes took.

Brian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/16 06:30 by choodude.

choodude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a quote from that link:
>
> Most trains in Europe are: 
> 1. Passenger 
> 2. Semi permantly coupled or of mu formation 
> 3. Use automatic couplers which often incorporate
> all electrical and air connections. 
>
> If American trains had the coupler hardware that
> European trains had, then yea, it would be fair to
> blast away at Amtrak for how long engine changes
> took.
>
> Brian

Correct as a generalisation, but in the case of the loco swap on the Dutch / German border, which not only required a member of staff at track level but the reconfiguration of the catenary from 16kV AC (Germany) to 1500v DC (Holland).

Why can't we get an American version of this:

3. Use automatic couplers which often incorporate all electrical and air connections.
This would be GREAT!!!!! Even if just between the Viewliner baggage car (brand new car!!!) and locomotive (Sprinters - brand new locos!!!). Amtrak is certainly up on current innovations!!!

Changes in voltage as well as locomotives are pretty common in Europe. Austria to Czech, Hungary to Slovenia, etc.

Posted from Android

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why can't we get an American version of this:
>
> > 3. Use automatic couplers which often incorporate all electrical and air connections 
>
> This would be GREAT!!!!! Even if just between the Viewliner baggage car (brand new car!!!) and locomotive (Sprinters - brand new locos!!!).  Amtrak is certainly up on current innovations!!!

Perhaps you could begin a Kickstarter campaign for that.  Start by kicking some Congress critters.

Brian

choodude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why can't we get an American version of this:
> >
> > > 3. Use automatic couplers which often
> incorporate all electrical and air connections 
> >
> > This would be GREAT!!!!! Even if just between
> the Viewliner baggage car (brand new car!!!)
> and locomotive (Sprinters - brand new locos!!!).
>  Amtrak is certainly up on current
> innovations!!!
>
> Perhaps you could begin a Kickstarter campaign for
> that.  Start by kicking some Congress critters.
>
> Brian

:) +1

Posted from iPhone

We DO have this system here. On NJT, all of the mu's use it and have been for many years..

Automatic couplers have been in use in the US on stuff like Streetcars, Interurbans and EMU's since about 1920 or so.
But, other then some of the early "Streamliners", they have not been used on regular passenger trains.