Passenger Trains > Wick Moorman before Senate Sub-Committee

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/moorman-calls-for-amtrak-investment.html

Bullet point:• Construction of track, signaling, and other improvements to remove chokepoints on host railroads or restore service in key underserved markets, such as along the Gulf Coast.

Sounds like Wick wants to restore service between New Orleans and Florida.

And Columbus, Nashville, Billings, Las Vegas, Cheyenne, Boise, etc. 

Mr Moorman mentions "new or rebuilt" diesel engines to support the national network.  With new state locomotives coming on line to replace Amtrak owned power, he should have quite a few engines available for rebuilding.

Maybe VP Pence and Senator Portman could get a grant to rebuild 20-30 engines at Beech Grove, and a few dozen P40/42 elsewhere. Wick Moorman knows quite a lot of rebuilt enginesand what they can do.

I was hoping they would junk the GE's in favor of Siemens.
Nothing about LD cars.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I was hoping they would junk the GE's in favor of
> Siemens.
> Nothing about LD cars.

and pay how much for a new Siemens?

Passenger trains have lot worse economics with a $8 million locomotive  (or two) on the front. I am not so sure that the $8 million locomotive saves operating costs.

More like $7 million, and that will get you 20 years. (Only NJT's dual-modes are up by $9 - 10 Mil). The GE's have more miles on them than the F40's ever did. Even with a $2 mil rebuild, expect 10 years, poorer fuel economy, trucks no longer manufactured, nothing close to a Genesis engine is manufactured, poorer MDBF, and emissions. That is just bad capital budgeting.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/17 12:51 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> . . . nothing close to a Genesis engine is
> manufactured . . .

doesn't GE still use the FDL in some export/South American models?

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> More like $7 million, and that will get you 20
> years. (Only NJT's dual-modes are up by $9 - 10
> Mil). The GE's have more miles on them than the
> F40's ever did. Even with a $2 mil rebuild, expect
> 10 years, poorer fuel economy, trucks no longer
> manufactured, nothing close to a Genesis engine is
> manufactured, poorer MDBF, and emissions. That is
> just bad capital budgeting.

Amtrak shouldn't of gotten rid of the F40s, besides once the began properly maintaining them they outperformed the GEs!

Posted from Android

Maybe since he is old school, rebuild the P42s with 710s.

Do host roads have any say in creating new Amtk service, or is just forced upon them because they joined Amtk when it was created?

Posted from Android

jointauthority Wrote:
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> Do host roads have any say in creating new Amtk
> service, or is just forced upon them because they
> joined Amtk when it was created?
>
> Posted from Android

Nope, endless talks that at times goes nowhere which sucks!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> jointauthority Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Do host roads have any say in creating new Amtk
> > service, or is just forced upon them because
> they
> > joined Amtk when it was created?
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Nope, endless talks that at times goes nowhere
> which sucks!

Host railroads can and do demand improvements like new track, PTC etc to host a new route. Or a restored route like Sunset east of NOL