Passenger Trains > Two on the Keystone Line

Amtrak trains #43 and #645 just east of Mount Joy, PA. 6/13/2018

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Curiosity question: why don't they swap electric and diesels at the end of the Keyston line (isn't it Harrisburg?)? I know it would add time, but just curious if it's because of the destination, no requirements for electric like lines headed in to Manhattan, if some other reason.

Nathan

atsf121 Wrote:
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> Curiosity question: why don't they swap electric
> and diesels at the end of the Keyston line (isn't
> it Harrisburg?)? I know it would add time, but
> just curious if it's because of the destination,
> no requirements for electric like lines headed in
> to Manhattan, if some other reason.
>
> Nathan

The engine house which services the diesels is in Philly. No locomotive servicing facilities in Harrisburg.

Jon

The Business Class coach is still Amfleet-1.

I am wondering where the 10 displaced Am-2 coaches went to when they had to get removed from Maple Leaf and Adirondack consists for GCT operation.

Also they have to do an engine swap at Philly anyway (43/42 are not push-pull, as are the Keystones) so why do it again at Harrisburg?

PRR1361 Wrote:
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> Also they have to do an engine swap at Philly
> anyway (43/42 are not push-pull, as are the
> Keystones) so why do it again at Harrisburg?

The engine change is only done once, in Philadelphia.

Although today they did it in Harrisburg! It took 37 minutes, unlike the old Pennsy days when they did it in what? 10 minutes? Apparently no diesel engines were available in Philadelphia so the train came to Harrisburg behind ACS-64 600 (the "David L. Gunn") and the Harrisburg protect engine; P42DC no. 119 was attached to take the train on to Pittsburgh. They had to stop at the Harrisburg fuel pad to make sure they had enough fuel to get to Pittsburgh and back, which further delayed them.

resqjon Wrote:
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> atsf121 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Curiosity question: why don't they swap
> electric
> > and diesels at the end of the Keyston line
> (isn't
> > it Harrisburg?)? I know it would add time, but
> > just curious if it's because of the
> destination,
> > no requirements for electric like lines headed
> in
> > to Manhattan, if some other reason.
> >
> > Nathan
>
> The engine house which services the diesels is in
> Philly. No locomotive servicing facilities in
> Harrisburg.
>
> Jon

Thanks Jon.