Why do trains spend so long stopped in Washington?

[David Benton]

1 person too , vs 3 to 5.

Sometimes at New Haven it looked like they were having a committee meeting around the coupler.

As I recall there was one person who was responsible for blue flagging the engine while the unhitch/hitch were made. Also I believe the mechanical coupling and the electrical connections (HEP etc.) were done by separate people, different crafts I guess? Seems like Europe is more flexible in that area.

Yes , but it shouldn't need a Electrician to throw a switch and pull a plug.

[MattW]

I think that the proof that it doesn't is when an Amtrak train adds or drops an engine or car on the road. It's just the conductor and maybe their assistant. If it can be done out in the wild, it can be done in a station.

[Hawaiitiki]

A catenary DM version would have a lot of through-running possibilities, though, including MNRR runs to NYP off the branches with bilevel equipment (obviating the need for Third Rail extension), and Amtrak runs to Long Island (part of the Penn Access agreement) off the NEC (the DC/DM could be used off Empire).

/endfoam

Vermonter, Pennsylvanian, and Inland Mass/CT NEC always come to mind as very low hanging fruit for a DM Loco, in terms of time and equipment saving. Alas. Maybe within our lifetimes, they finally string wire to Richmond, probably not though.

[ST214]

There is a lot going on in Washington when trains stop there. Engines and crews must be changed, cars serviced as needed, cafe's restocked as needed. Sometimes coach cleaners will board and empty the bathroom trash. It is NOT simply a engine change and off you go.