FL9 F-10 Discussion: Metro-North / CtDOT / Amtrak

Those 6 units are not in good shape, no longer have E mode all cables cut and shoe beams disconnected, fuse boxes removed etc. just straight diesel and FRA had them restricted to 75 mph due to cant deficiency.
the last few years we needed 2 units for a mini bomb (3 cars) and on average they lasted no more than two days before shopped.
most Engineers would not exceed 60 as trucks had such bad lateral it would throw you from seat.

With having a diesel at both ends of train as Amtrak proposes has two problems , yes one unit has nose door. but on outside tracks in Park avenue it would be impossible to evacuate passengers from a train in case of derailment or fire.
the P32acdm at other end does not have a rear door or nose escape hatch, peoples lives are being gambled with, and even with one unit a FL-9 there is no way to evacuate passengers past HEP engine and hot 567. and then out the nose door.

No chrome units, these are the M-K FL-9m's 2011-2014-2016-2024-2026-2027.

Those 6 units are not in good shape, no longer have E mode all cables cut and shoe beams disconnected, fuse boxes removed etc. just straight diesel and FRA had them restricted to 75 mph due to cant deficiency.
the last few years we needed 2 units for a mini bomb (3 cars) and on average they lasted no more than two days before shopped.
most Engineers would not exceed 60 as trucks had such bad lateral it would throw you from seat.

With having a diesel at both ends of train as Amtrak proposes has two problems , yes one unit has nose door. but on outside tracks in Park avenue it would be impossible to evacuate passengers from a train in case of derailment or fire.
the P32acdm at other end does not have a rear door or nose escape hatch, peoples lives are being gambled with, and even with one unit a FL-9 there is no way to evacuate passengers past HEP engine and hot 567. and then out the nose door.

Tadman wrote:Is this April Fools a bit early? Or is this in response to another summer of NYP trackwork?

I do NOT do April fool's jokes and never have. My sources are very good.
Noel Weaver

They aren’t planning to use them as they are, they are being refurbished for new use. How much they will be updated and upgraded few of us will know. Positive train control and possibly diesel upgrades to meet stricter EPA emission standards are likely. As for any speed limitations, they aren’t planned to be used on the 125 mph NEC, but for use on the slower 79 mph Empire corridor.

But the Keystone is 110 mph. Do you mean the Empire, and isn’t that 90/110 mph?

Dutch: it’s a minor quibble, but I thought I’d read that the FL-9s have 645s now. Can you confirm?

electricron wrote:They aren’t planning to use them as they are, they are being refurbished for new use. How much they will be updated and upgraded few of us will know. Positive train control and possibly diesel upgrades to meet stricter EPA emission standards are likely. As for any speed limitations, they aren’t planned to be used on the 125 mph NEC, but for use on the slower 79 mph Keystone corridor.

Keystone? The only reason to use something this ancient is for the third rail capability or that nose door, thus the Empire Corridor. It will be annoying if the brief 110 MPH and not so brief 100 & 90 MPH sections have to get cut down, though. Maybe they'll try and avoid attaching them to late inbound runs coming from west of Albany...

I wonder if this is related to the recent accidents knocking out national pool Genesis engines... the three P42s that previously ran cab car duty for this purpose are likely more needed elsewhere...

I did mean Empire, and will correct my earlier post soon. Hw much of the Empire Corridor is rated at those higher speeds?
Back in 2014, NYDOT released the following and started planning for higher speed trains.
https://www.dot.ny.gov/content/delivery ... Boards.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How much has been funded, and what the preferred alternate chosen was, I don’t know.
But I don’t think any higher speed modifications have occurred. Don’t confuse talk and planning with accomplishment.

I don't recall how much, but there's several sections north of Poughkeepsie and Albany and I believe a section west of Schenectady (though I would guess the FL9s won't go west of Albany.

As Noel stated they will be used on account the nose door. Ill add a little more to soup. You will see cab cars (MARC?) also on the Empire this summer. As of right now the rumor is cab car dual mode coaches FL9. As for 110mph not with a FL9 in tow. 75 to 80 max this summer.

Dutch claims the 6 units have been "barefooted"(no 3rd rail shoes,mounts and the shoe beam,some wiring cut/removed)
Albany maintained Amtrak's FL-9 till they were retired by the P32DM's,should be able to repair/replace what missing and get the cab signals
back on line for this summer's diversion into GCT.
After the "shotgun wedding" into PC, all had the movable shoes change to fixed mounts on a spring,was an relative easy repair to replace a broken shoe spring
or 3rd rail shoe(away from the 3rd rail of course)

Waiting for April 1st when one of you posts "April Fools ".

the 6 units have 567's with 645 power assemblies, but no electrical upgrades so hp is still only 1850 hp.
the third rail gear was removed, cut and would take total truck removal overhaul including the underbody 600 volt cabling as it was all cut.
and again trucks are in such sad shape that 60 mph was considered dangerous by those of us who ran them last.

and little reality check, as of wednesday the 6 units are still stored in Bone yard in New Haven.
Rensselaer does not do heavy repair like truck overhauls, so units would need to go to Beech Grove Ind.
considering that these units would be needed in in about 3 months, yet it takes Beech Grove 8 months to do one P32acdm ??

Were the 42s they used last year actually on or were they basically cab cars? Couldn't they theoretically do the same thing with the FL9s?

Wouldn't it be easier to install nose doors on a handful of Amtrak P42s for GCT tunnel use?