Passenger Trains > Wolverine 351(16) delay at CP 482

Main compressor oil over temperature. CNOC mechanical told crew to cut out and use the P42’s (which was in train).  

Pesky Siemens!
 

MDOT needs to either write their own maintenance contract w/ deductions for unfit for service at origin, etc, or only pay Amtrak for on time fully functional runs. 

BrynMawr Wrote:
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> MDOT needs to either write their own maintenance
> contract w/ deductions for unfit for service at
> origin, etc, or only pay Amtrak for on time fully
> functional runs. 
>
>wonder if Amtrak is maintaining the MDOT locootives?

Mike6640-2 Wrote:
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> >wonder if Amtrak is maintaining the MDOT
> locomotives?

Yes, they are. Amtrak maintains all of the Siemens Chargers that are owned by the Amtrak Midwest coalition of state DOTs in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri.

This failure leads me to again wonder to what extent the problems with the Chargers are due to the Cummins QSK prime mover. Sometimes problem reports that reach us on the outside suggest prime mover issues, and other times they suggest problems elsewhere, as with the Siemens control and electrical subsystems. It would be interesting to know how the problems overall have sorted out between those two groupings, or any other problem pathways. Amtrak likely knows, and the state DOT owners probably do as well. But we on the outside often do not. And that to some extent impairs our ability to properly place responsibility, and to communicate our concerns in doing advocacy work.

Is it valid for us to have this knowledge? Sure is. Public funds were spent to acquire these locomotives, and their continued operation in state-supported services relies on public subsidies. And unlike, say, military hardware that may be having issues, there are not classified security concerns for the operation and maintenance of these locomotives. If they are having problems, we as taxpayers and advocates for reliable rail passenger service have  every reason to know what the issues are, why they are happening, and who are the responsible parties. Amtrak, Cummins and Siemens may not like that, and yes there will be limits due to proprietary information baked into their design and operation. But basic knowledge of problems and their root causes is entirely proper for us, as owners through our state governments, to have.

MC
Michigan Resident
Regular Amtrak Midwest Passenger

ironmtn Wrote:
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> Is it valid for us to have this knowledge? Sure
> is. Public funds were spent to acquire these
> locomotives, and their continued operation in
> state-supported services relies on public
> subsidies. And unlike, say, military hardware that
> may be having issues, there are not classified
> security concerns for the operation and
> maintenance of these locomotives. If they are
> having problems, we as taxpayers and advocates for
> reliable rail passenger service have  every
> reason to know what the issues are, why they are
> happening, and who are the responsible parties.
> Amtrak, Cummins and Siemens may not like that, and
> yes there will be limits due to proprietary
> information baked into their design and operation.
> But basic knowledge of problems and their root
> causes is entirely proper for us, as owners
> through our state governments, to have.

We all look forward to the response you receive to your FOIA request.

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ironmtn Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is it valid for us to have this knowledge? Sure
> > is. Public funds were spent to acquire these
> > locomotives, and their continued operation in
> > state-supported services relies on public
> > subsidies. And unlike, say, military hardware
> that
> > may be having issues, there are not classified
> > security concerns for the operation and
> > maintenance of these locomotives. If they are
> > having problems, we as taxpayers and advocates
> for
> > reliable rail passenger service have  every
> > reason to know what the issues are, why they
> are
> > happening, and who are the responsible parties.
> > Amtrak, Cummins and Siemens may not like that,
> and
> > yes there will be limits due to proprietary
> > information baked into their design and
> operation.
> > But basic knowledge of problems and their root
> > causes is entirely proper for us, as owners
> > through our state governments, to have.
>
> We all look forward to the response you receive to
> your FOIA request.
>
>by now, Amtraks inspector general should be investigating those repeated Charger failures, esp.in the winter.
> Curious, are there more failures in winter, or summer...........

longliveSP Wrote:
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>
> We all look forward to the response you receive to
> your FOIA request.

Not planning to file one. As for you, stop being such a snarky jerk.

MC