by RRspatch
Matt Johnson wrote: ↑Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:53 amSeveral more comments -frequentflyer wrote: ↑Wed Dec 11, 2019 11:12 am Anderson stated at a recent congressional committee that Amtrak was leaning toward EMU/DMU as Amfleet replacements for the NEC.That makes so little sense when you consider Amtrak's stated desire to avoid fixed consists, its varied routes from North Carolina to western Pennsylvania to Vermont & Maine which use the NEC as a hub, and its practice of adjusting consists to meet demand (particularly around the Thanksgiving holiday and other peak travel periods).
Not to mention Amtrak's recently acquired fleet of ACS-64 electric locomotives!
1) Amtrak moved away from the Metroliner EMU's because they were fixed consists of either 4 or 6 cars. These trains were replaced with AEM7's pulling upgraded Amfleet cars re-branded as "Metroliner Service". Of course later on Amtrak when the ACELA route and back to a fixed consist train.
2) Remember that EMU's and DMU's are considered "locomotives" by the FRA and fall under the 92 day rule. A dumb non powered hauled coach needs a full inspection once a year? A six car EMU is really six locomotives and that's a lot of equipment (if we're talking NEC Amfleet replacement) to push through the shops every 92 days.
3) While you can couple two BR class 700's or 800's together what you really have is two separate train sets. What you're looking at is two train crews (conductor and AC), two cafe cars with staff and two first or business class cars with staff. While only one engineer would be needed to run the two coupled sets everything else would be duplicated. Where's the savings?
BTW - have you ever seen two ACELA's coupled together like the TGV or the ICE? I'm pretty sure the reason is the FRA said NO. I suppose it is possible the software on the ACELA's isn't set up for two train sets to run coupled together. It's a shame we can't do what the British, French and Germans do everyday especially with the sold out ACELA runs. This needs to be looked into as well if we're talking about coupling two BR class 800 type trains together.
4) So you go with the BR class 800 which is a bi-mode electric/diesel-electric. Lets say you want to run from Boston to Norfolk. Of course you want to make sure it's fueled in Boston as fueling at the platforms at DC (end of wire) isn't going to be possible. Now I seem to remember all the problems that NJT had getting the NYFD to approve the ALP45DM's through the tunnels and into NYP. Passengers of course don't ride on ALP45DM's nor do they ride on P32AC-DM's. But they will be riding in coaches that have fuel tanks under them. I sure hope someone at Amtrak runs this by the NYFD before this plan get to far down the tracks.
Just have Siemens crank out more Viaggio/Brightline cars or what ever they're called now and be done with it.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Is just a freight train coming your way
No leaf clover ~ Metallica.
Is just a freight train coming your way
No leaf clover ~ Metallica.