Passenger Trains > 1340/341 - Engine Trouble

1340's trailing engine 25 seemed to have some issues as it was unable to lead 341 tonight. The train took a 1 hour and 38 min delay adding 514 to the head end, departing CUS at 9:43pm. Out of Glenview at 10:22, an hour and 55 mins late. 

1340 arrived into CUS at 7:45pm, and 341 departed CUS at 9:43pm. We will see if this set stays together on 1333 tomorrow. 

5 was 4 hours and 13 mins late out of Chicago due to an engine failure and subsequent swap.

---

---

---

There was a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul going on today. 5's replacement engine was from 40, which they then stole a unit off of inbound 4 to replace. That process took far longer than it should have and the "burning flamingo" 🦩 41 left Chicago over four hours late. 

I don't have confidence this crisis is going to resolve soon, unfortunately. One of the Michigan trains today left with a P42, I understand... nice variety if you're a fan in Michigan tired of the Chargers but really underscoring the problem with the IDTX turds...

Is there a lesson to be learned here ?
So, it ends up that the most reliable diesel in the fleet is the one ordered during
a motive power pinch. One that is a freight engine with HEP thrown on and high speed gearing.
A diesel that the amtrak design department and mechanical geniuses had little input to influence.

The school of experience is expensive but fools will learn in no other.

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is there a lesson to be learned here ?
> So, it ends up that the most reliable diesel in
> the fleet is the one ordered during
> a motive power pinch. One that is a freight engine
> with HEP thrown on and high speed gearing.
> A diesel that the amtrak design department and
> mechanical geniuses had little input to
> influence.
>
> The school of experience is expensive but fools
> will learn in no other.

"Standby engine does job" isn't some revelation that the P32-8 is more reliable or was the products of a better design process than the P42. The entire GE -8 and -9 platforms have been a success story in Amtrak service, but they are still going to wear out. 

mbrotzman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Englewood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is there a lesson to be learned here ?
> > So, it ends up that the most reliable diesel in
> > the fleet is the one ordered during
> > a motive power pinch. One that is a freight
> engine
> > with HEP thrown on and high speed gearing.
> > A diesel that the amtrak design department and
> > mechanical geniuses had little input to
> > influence.
> >
> > The school of experience is expensive but fools
> > will learn in no other.
>
> "Standby engine does job" isn't some revelation
> that the P32-8 is more reliable or was the
> products of a better design process than the P42.
> The entire GE -8 and -9 platforms have been a
> success story in Amtrak service, but they are
> still going to wear out. 


Exactly. The Dash 8s have far fewer service miles on them than the P42s, which is really what counts at this age

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is there a lesson to be learned here ?
> So, it ends up that the most reliable diesel in
> the fleet is the one ordered during
> a motive power pinch. One that is a freight engine
> with HEP thrown on and high speed gearing.
> A diesel that the amtrak design department and
> mechanical geniuses had little input to
> influence.
>
> The school of experience is expensive but fools
> will learn in no other.

They aren’t more reliable, they have much much fewer service miles. The Dash 8s are also the slowest locomotives Amtrak has that regularly sub in for passenger service.

            As bad as this is, I would be willing to be there are great delays in the decision making arena by people who absolutely cannot look at the situation and make anything sensable happen in less than 2 hours, changing their minds at least 5 fimes and being caught at least twice by a blue collar worker that the Amtrak car number they are demanding replace a broken down locomotive is actually just a car . . . . . .with 72 seats and an out of service bathroom at one end.      Amazing                 and those thinkers are probably asking for a raise too.

AmtrakMidwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Englewood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is there a lesson to be learned here ?
> > So, it ends up that the most reliable diesel in
> > the fleet is the one ordered during
> > a motive power pinch. One that is a freight
> engine
> > with HEP thrown on and high speed gearing.
> > A diesel that the amtrak design department and
> > mechanical geniuses had little input to
> > influence.
> >
> > The school of experience is expensive but fools
> > will learn in no other.
>
> They aren’t more reliable, they have much much
> fewer service miles. The Dash 8s are also the
> slowest locomotives Amtrak has that regularly sub
> in for passenger service.

Slowest in top speed or slowest in acceleration? IIRC the P40's and P42's are not exactly quick off the line either. I've been told it's GE's software that is the issue.