Passenger Trains > 7(26) - Dead Charger

307 solo on 7(26) dead in the water with electrical issues in Wenatchee. Passenger reports a bus is coming to pick them up and bring them to Seattle. Not sure if they have HEP or not. 

sethamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 307 solo on 7(26) dead in the water with
> electrical issues in Wenatchee. Passenger reports
> a bus is coming to pick them up and bring them to
> Seattle. Not sure if they have HEP or not

They’re just working the bugs out of them. 🙄

Posted from iPhone

BNSF must be thrilled. I suppose #7 west of SPK is a one-unit wonder ? 

Be interesting to see how they plan to "turn" that train set to go back to Chicago. Haul #7 somehow into Seattle for a late departure as #8 with a new locomotive? Or they can haul out two locomotives with Horizon Coaches, with train #8's passengers on time in Seattle to "meet up" with the train set in Wenatchee, WA and do some shuffling there.......Not ideal. Cancellation could also be in the forecast. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BNSF must be thrilled. I suppose #7 west of SPK is
> a one-unit wonder ? 

Yes it is!!!!

#7 is normally a one-unit wonder west of Spokane. Only during the winter when BNSF requires an extra engine is there two. This situation does sound like there is no HEP, otherwise they'd just grab a BNSF engine in Wenatchee (I guess there may not be any available, but that would be pretty rare) and continue. 
From my perstective, the Chargers have been doing MUCH better this winter. In fact I'd say they are very close to the P-42s for reliability. Nothing is going to be perfect and Amtrak is doing a very good job of making improvements, and I'll admit many had to make. It's funny how people forget or don't know how bad the P-40s were at first. They had tons of issues and there are huge reasons the P-42s were ordered and the P-40s upgraded to P-42 status. I also remember how much banter there was of people complaining that Amtrak didn't order more EMD equipment to replace the F40's. Good times!!😁

Maybe get a BNSF unit to drag it to Everett and wye it to go back east, and deadhead another Amtrak loco to Everett. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/24 10:55 by joemvcnj.

The SC44/ALC42 Self Ventilators won't have HEP if there are electrical issues. Hope everyone has some warm clothing!

G600DRVR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #7 is normally a one-unit wonder west of Spokane.
> Only during the winter when BNSF requires an extra
> engine is there two. This situation does sound
> like there is no HEP, otherwise they'd just grab a
> BNSF engine in Wenatchee (I guess there may not be
> any available, but that would be pretty rare) and
> continue. 
> From my perstective, the Chargers have been doing
> MUCH better this winter. In fact I'd say they are
> very close to the P-42s for reliability. Nothing
> is going to be perfect and Amtrak is doing a very
> good job of making improvements, and I'll admit
> many had to make. It's funny how people forget or
> don't know how bad the P-40s were at first. They
> had tons of issues and there are huge reasons the
> P-42s were ordered and the P-40s upgraded to P-42
> status. I also remember how much banter there was
> of people complaining that Amtrak didn't order
> more EMD equipment to replace the F40's. Good
> times!!😁


It's been a light winter.

Posted from Android

BNSF could easily be out of engines in Wenatchee or have none facing west. I watched two trains disappear on the lineup cause Wenatchee had no east facer's. 

There is a Y at Merritt but not sure if it's big enough for the whole train or if is even avalible.

Pacific5th Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BNSF could easily be out of engines in Wenatchee
> or have none facing west. I watched two trains
> disappear on the lineup cause Wenatchee had no
> east facer's. 
>
> There is a Y at Merritt but not sure if it's big
> enough for the whole train or if is even avalible.

Don't confuse them with facts. This is the Passenger Board, Amtrak must be bashed at all costs!

Pieces of junk. Amtrak sure got taken on this deal

goduckies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> G600DRVR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > #7 is normally a one-unit wonder west of
> Spokane.
> > Only during the winter when BNSF requires an
> extra
> > engine is there two. This situation does sound
> > like there is no HEP, otherwise they'd just grab
> a
> > BNSF engine in Wenatchee (I guess there may not
> be
> > any available, but that would be pretty rare)
> and
> > continue. 
> > From my perstective, the Chargers have been
> doing
> > MUCH better this winter. In fact I'd say they
> are
> > very close to the P-42s for reliability.
> Nothing
> > is going to be perfect and Amtrak is doing a
> very
> > good job of making improvements, and I'll admit
> > many had to make. It's funny how people forget
> or
> > don't know how bad the P-40s were at first.
> They
> > had tons of issues and there are huge reasons
> the
> > P-42s were ordered and the P-40s upgraded to
> P-42
> > status. I also remember how much banter there
> was
> > of people complaining that Amtrak didn't order
> > more EMD equipment to replace the F40's. Good
> > times!!😁
>
>
> It's been a light winter.
>
> Posted from Android

Maybe, but the Chargers used to not even be able to get out of Chicago. 

alan2955 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sethamtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 307 solo on 7(26) dead in the water with
> > electrical issues in Wenatchee. Passenger
> reports
> > a bus is coming to pick them up and bring them
> to
> > Seattle. Not sure if they have HEP or not
>
> They’re just working the bugs out of them. 🙄
>
>
> Posted from iPhone

And how long have they've been doing that besides claiming they were better than the GEs?

G600DRVR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #7 is normally a one-unit wonder west of Spokane.
> Only during the winter when BNSF requires an extra
> engine is there two. This situation does sound
> like there is no HEP, otherwise they'd just grab a
> BNSF engine in Wenatchee (I guess there may not be
> any available, but that would be pretty rare) and
> continue. 
> From my perstective, the Chargers have been doing
> MUCH better this winter. In fact I'd say they are
> very close to the P-42s for reliability. Nothing
> is going to be perfect and Amtrak is doing a very
> good job of making improvements, and I'll admit
> many had to make. It's funny how people forget or
> don't know how bad the P-40s were at first. They
> had tons of issues and there are huge reasons the
> P-42s were ordered and the P-40s upgraded to P-42
> status. I also remember how much banter there was
> of people complaining that Amtrak didn't order
> more EMD equipment to replace the F40's. Good
> times!!😁

Much better? Oh yeah, claim that when you don't run the Builder for 11 days a few months ago and try to claim that? Give me a break!

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Much better? Oh yeah, claim that when you don't
> run the Builder for 11 days a few months ago and
> try to claim that? Give me a break!

Sorry that the facts are inconvenient for you. As far as your theory that the ALC42s are the reason for the Builder not running for 11 days you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. There remain open items - and as new units the goal should be greater than the P42 reliability. But given where we were last year not admitting any improvement and denying that there is any effort being made to address issues is just being dishonest. Amtrak was aware of the issues the state units which is why they got the maintenance agreement. Siemens faces stiff penalties when incidents like this occur that are their fault.

Better start rebuilding those GE Genesis units, like UP is doing with their GE's.  Full rebuild, new paint.  AMTRAK needs to get serious, now.

Amtrak needs to keep ALL of its passenger equipment - passenger cars, locomotives etc. - in good order and refurbished/in good repair, etc. It can't afford to have anything down for the count.

lordsigma Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Much better? Oh yeah, claim that when you don't
> > run the Builder for 11 days a few months ago
> and
> > try to claim that? Give me a break!
>
> Sorry that the facts are inconvenient for you. As
> far as your theory that the ALC42s are the reason
> for the Builder not running for 11 days you have
> absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
> There remain open items - and as new units the
> goal should be greater than the P42 reliability.
> But given where we were last year not admitting
> any improvement and denying that there is any
> effort being made to address issues is just being
> dishonest. Amtrak was aware of the issues the
> state units which is why they got the maintenance
> agreement. Siemens faces stiff penalties when
> incidents like this occur that are their fault.

Whatever Lord because that's the other issue, they're afraid to run any train when it even snows for crying out loud, I'm staying with my viewpoint on this since it's been proven time and time again before this current regime took over for Amtrak how they toughed it out even when it was bitterly cold and blizzard conditions even when they had the F40s! Sorry, but I'm still not impressed with the current Amtrak leadership!