n2cbo wrote:I worked as a travelling electrician for Amtrak during that period while I was in college. The diesel power cars WERE operated within the tunnels and Penn Station. They were relatively small engines and did not generate anywhere near as much exhaust fumes as a prime mover would. Later on, the GG1 was modified for HEP, and some of the E-60's were equipped with HEP (although on the E-60 the HEP would need to be reset quite often.
N2CBO and Everyone:
Amtrak used 690 series power cars to provide HEP for Amfleet cars in NEC service back when they were new and
they were to be hauled by a non-HEP equipped locomotive - GG1s or one of the few E60s that did not have HEP
capability. These cars - which were former short baggage cars at around 50 feet long (690-699?) were used until
the AEM7s were established in the early 1980s and until non compatible locomotives were retired. These power
cars were cleared for operations in all of the NEC tunnels in NY-NJ, Baltimore and Washington.
GG1s - as GBN mentions - never had HEP installed requiring these modified power cars. Amtrak retired their
remaining GG1s in 1981 when there were enough AEM7s to provide NEC Amfleet service.
MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS