U34CH questions

scottychaos wrote:She needs a paint job, but otherwise she doesn't look too bad:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2981921

Is that the original EL paint? or was she repainted by the historical society at some point?

Scot

I'm pretty certain that the URHS didn't repaint her. 3372 was repainted by NJT just before the last run trip, when she was 4172, so her paint should have held up for a while.

Didn't a couple of them run SEPTA diesel trains during the RailWorks project in 1993-94?

Matt: Yes-I remember 4154 and 4158 in SEPTA Railworks diesel service...
One of them was painted blue by SEPTA during the lease...
It is hard to believe that it is now 20 years since the six month 1992
Reading Trunk line shutdown...

MACTRAXX

The first question asked by the original poster pertained to speed of the locomotive. In normal revenue service on the Hoboken Division, I doubt these units ever exceeded 60/65 MPH. When I was aboard the 1987 Bergen Shore Express, it seemed we moved the fastest on the Corridor but maybe not more than 70/75 MPH (my guess) using a U34CH always in push-mode. There was an employee who ran that train and posted in a different forum that "thing were done a little differently one day" getting the speed a bit higher toward (or in) the 90s. Which perhaps this was within the capability of this rather large six-axle monster.

BlockLine_4111 wrote:The first question asked by the original poster pertained to speed of the locomotive. In normal revenue service on the Hoboken Division, I doubt these units ever exceeded 60/65 MPH. When I was aboard the 1987 Bergen Shore Express, it seemed we moved the fastest on the Corridor but maybe not more than 70/75 MPH (my guess) using a U34CH always in push-mode. There was an employee who ran that train and posted in a different forum that "thing were done a little differently one day" getting the speed a bit higher toward (or in) the 90s. Which perhaps this was within the capability of this rather large six-axle monster.

That's pretty fast considering what im used to. The commuter trains here only reach about 50 MPH.

I'd love to see a U34CH doing 90!

BlockLine_4111 wrote:The first question asked by the original poster pertained to speed of the locomotive. In normal revenue service on the Hoboken Division, I doubt these units ever exceeded 60/65 MPH. When I was aboard the 1987 Bergen Shore Express, it seemed we moved the fastest on the Corridor but maybe not more than 70/75 MPH (my guess) using a U34CH always in push-mode. There was an employee who ran that train and posted in a different forum that "thing were done a little differently one day" getting the speed a bit higher toward (or in) the 90s. Which perhaps this was within the capability of this rather large six-axle monster.

I wonder if they suffered from "E60itis" and had horrible lateral motion at those higher speeds?

If in push mode, and if they had Comet 1s, I believe even back then the C1s were limited to 90mph in push mode. I don't know about the C2s if they were limited back then too to 90mph, Im sure someone can check an old ETT and get the speeds, I don't think I have any from that time.

The tram man wrote:

BlockLine_4111 wrote:The first question asked by the original poster pertained to speed of the locomotive. In normal revenue service on the Hoboken Division, I doubt these units ever exceeded 60/65 MPH. When I was aboard the 1987 Bergen Shore Express, it seemed we moved the fastest on the Corridor but maybe not more than 70/75 MPH (my guess) using a U34CH always in push-mode. There was an employee who ran that train and posted in a different forum that "thing were done a little differently one day" getting the speed a bit higher toward (or in) the 90s. Which perhaps this was within the capability of this rather large six-axle monster.

That's pretty fast considering what im used to. The commuter trains here only reach about 50 MPH.

I'd love to see a U34CH doing 90!

50mph? booooooooooooooo thats too slow!!!

double that speed is good tho!

Jtgshu wrote:50mph? booooooooooooooo thats too slow!!!

double that speed is good tho!

You haven't heard the worst yet: that's only on one portion of the commuter network. The rest of the network you'd be lucky to see a train doing 45. The standard speed is somewhere around 40 MPH. But as long as you get where you're going...

100 MPH for a commuter train!? Now that's something! lol

I have some older ETTs. I'll take a look and see what speeds they show for the U34CH and Comet 1 equipment.

In 1987 when the U34's were always in push mode they were always paired with Comet II's... I have a photo of a Uboat with one in Bay Head and a Blockline issue stating as such..... I don't think the Comet I's came back from rebuilding until 1988 as the cab cars lacked cab signals before the rebuild!

I checked Timetable Number 4 dated 10/1/88. It shows a maximum authorized speed with train for the U34CH of 79 MPH. Speeds for single engine and multiple engine light were 30 and 60 MPH respectively. Also of interest was a special instruction prohibiting the class from occupying the engine terminal track at Bay Head.

Please let me know if additional information is desired as I have a number of AMTK Northeast Corridor, Conrail commuter and NJT ETTs from the general time frame in question .

Regards,

Bob

Earle Baldwin wrote:I checked Timetable Number 4 dated 10/1/88. It shows a maximum authorized speed with train for the U34CH of 79 MPH. Speeds for single engine and multiple engine light were 30 and 60 MPH respectively. Also of interest was a special instruction prohibiting the class from occupying the engine terminal track at Bay Head.

Please let me know if additional information is desired as I have a number of AMTK Northeast Corridor, Conrail commuter and NJT ETTs from the general time frame in question .

Regards,

Bob

How can the speed be lower for light units?

A light engine has less braking power than if it had a train.
Multiple light engine have more breaking power, but it's still not as much as it would be with cars attached.

CNJGeep wrote:A light engine has less braking power than if it had a train.
Multiple light engine have more breaking power, but it's still not as much as it would be with cars attached.

Aha. Usually where i live, if an engine is going light it usually goes faster than if it had a train. Though that could be because it doesn't have anything to pull.

The tram man wrote:

CNJGeep wrote:A light engine has less braking power than if it had a train.
Multiple light engine have more breaking power, but it's still not as much as it would be with cars attached.

Aha. Usually where i live, if an engine is going light it usually goes faster than if it had a train. Though that could be because it doesn't have anything to pull.

It's Maximum Authorized Speed, not maximum speed. Like CNJGeep said, a light engine doesn't have the braking power an engine with cars have, so they want a light engine to go slower.