The Metroliner MU lives on! (Well, sort of)

What year were metroliners removed from service on NEC? And also, I used to see Detroit trains with metro-cabs through the 90's. Now Detroit trains have two units, one on each end. Why use two units when the system is running low on money when one unit worked ten years ago (one with less power on similar size trains). It seems Amtrak has moved away from cab cars, even though others still use them.

I've been perplexed myself by Amtrak's waste of locomotives. They claim that they can't afford to run two P42s on the Texas Eagle, and yet numerous short haul trains can run with a P42 on each end? Why not make use of all those ex-Metroliner cab cars that are sitting in storage?

The Kentucky Cardinal, when it was still running, was the most ridiculous example. Two P42s for a single Horizon car? If they couldn't wye the train, then that would have been the obvious place for a Metroliner cab car in place of the Horizon.

I just saw a Metroliner EMU cab car as part of an AEM7/Amfleet (Keystone?) consist @ Nwk yesterday.

It's really sad to see what's become of it. Looking into the cab window, I also forgot how small and inhospitable it is. It also looks like the cab became sort of a makeshift storage area. And I forgot how different the trucks were compared with the Amfleet coachs'.

I've always wondered why Amtrak couldnt convert these units into cab controller units for push/pull duty like NJT's Comet 1A/1B.

F23A4 wrote:I've always wondered why Amtrak couldnt convert these units into cab controller units for push/pull duty like NJT's Comet 1A/1B.

Um...try reading further up in this thread. That's exactly what they did, and that's the only reason you still see these cars on the roster. Amtrak used ex-Metroliner cab control cars for many years in push-pull San Diegan service, and they were also used in the Midwest as well. The Vermonter used one for several years, since it travels part of its route in reverse, and the current shuttles between Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT still use the cab cars last I heard. And there was some discussion here earlier about whether the Harrisburg trains would use the cabs for push-pull. That may have even been what you saw in Newark.

astrosa wrote: That may have even been what you saw in Newark.

The cab end was adjacent to the "rear" of the toaster.

The cab cars only work with diesels, the AEM7 has a differend MU system and can not run in push pull with the cab cars, only Cab car a AEM-7 can mu with is conference car 9800.

I do believe that when the Keystone Corridor is rehabilitated, all trains ending in Harrisburg will have them. I think it is a very good idea. For one thing, the dwell time in Philly will reduce and you don't need to have engines run around the entire consist especially if a genny is on the point. Also, the future only one train heading west of HAR should have a cab car as well.

when i was first broken in on the NEC it was running metroliners between washington and nyc. i posted with an oldtimer from PC days and let me tell you, for the year and state of things, these things would fly.
We opened them up in NJ and sometimes we would be off the meter as far as speed. Today you cant do this because of FRA and radar and other things, but i have to tell you it was the greatest rides of my life.

engineman1028 wrote: Today you cant do this because of FRA and radar and other things...

Or can you?

http://img3.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img3&image=160_mph.jpg

Anyone got a picture of the famous Metroliner digital speedo? I was always curious what it looked like...

I think I've got one or two b&w photos in a book...I could try to scan them. Just looks like an ordinary readout...maybe like the display on an alarm clock.

Awww I wanna see it anyway

(I'd LOVE to read a good description of how it worked or see a schematic. My Metroliner manual doesn't cover the speedo, only th propulsion system )

engineman1028 wrote:when i was first broken in on the NEC it was running metroliners between washington and nyc. i posted with an oldtimer from PC days and let me tell you, for the year and state of things, these things would fly.
We opened them up in NJ and sometimes we would be off the meter as far as speed. Today you cant do this because of FRA and radar and other things, but i have to tell you it was the greatest rides of my life.

Nice!!!!

I was in junior HS when I last saw them rolling through my town (Edison, NJ). All I can say is that they seem (unscientific supposition) to go by at least as fast as the Acela Express does now, though I have no doubt that the AE is smoother.

Although the Acela is a beauty, I really do miss seeing the Metroliner EMUs.

However, I seem to recall seeing an analog speedo in the cab; did they have digital ones as well??

Nice pic hsr. I take it you were on the Acela Express.

F23A4 wrote:However, I seem to recall seeing an analog speedo in the cab; did they have digital ones as well??

Yes, they definitely had a digital speedometer. I'll see if I can find that old picture and scan it.

Nice pic hsr. I take it you were on the Acela Express.

Sure was...that was along the stretch between Providence and Kingston, RI. I had a lock on at least 3 satellites, and the speed was holding steady (typically, erroneous readings will jump all over the place). So, was it accurate? Who knows! I don't know how much leeway the ACSES gives, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions!

hsr_fan wrote:

F23A4 wrote:However, I seem to recall seeing an analog speedo in the cab; did they have digital ones as well??

Yes, they definitely had a digital speedometer. I'll see if I can find that old picture and scan it.

Nice pic hsr. I take it you were on the Acela Express.

Sure was...that was along the stretch between Providence and Kingston, RI. I had a lock on at least 3 satellites, and the speed was holding steady (typically erroneous readings will jump all over the place). So, was it accurate? Who knows! I don't know how much leeway the ACSES gives, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions!

NICE!! I only ride the AE between Nwk and Stamford; needless to say, I never experience speeds any faster than an NJT MU or MNCR M3 can muster. But the ride was nice.