VRE to make longer trains

[davinp]

VRE will be receiving 9 new cars over the next couple of months. Two of those cars will be used to improve our spare ratio and the other 7 will be used to lengthen existing trains.

Five new cars shipped from Rochelle, IL in September, and will be in service in October. Another four cars will ship this month and will be in service in November.

Manassas Line 327 will receive the first additional car, as it currently faces the most crowding issues.
Fredericksburg Line 300 will be lengthened from the current 7 cars to 8.
Fredericksburg Line 309 will be lengthened from the current 7 cars to 8.

Read here: https://www.vre.org/about/ride/2017-oct ... -magazine/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MCL1981]

This reminds me of something I've been wondering. How many cars (presuming typical rush hour loading) can an MP36 haul without negatively impacting the schedule due to slower acceleration or slower top speeds?

[mmi16]

This reminds me of something I've been wondering. How man cars (presuming typical rush hour loading) can an MP36 haul without negatively impacting the schedule due to slower acceleration or slower top speeds?

Don't know the exact answer to your question. However, back when Amtrak's normal power was FP40's; on CSX with their 'incentive bonus system'; if a Amtrak train was 8 cars or less the scheduled run time applied to On Time performance at the designated check points. If the trains was 9 to 12 cars, still with a single engine the allowance was increased by 10 minutes; if over 12 cars the allowance was increased by 20 minutes. If two locomotives were on the train, scheduled times applied upto 12 cars and if more than 12 cars then 10 minutes was added to the On Time allowance.

[Rockingham Racer]

This reminds me of something I've been wondering. How man cars (presuming typical rush hour loading) can an MP36 haul without negatively impacting the schedule due to slower acceleration or slower top speeds?

I've seen double-headers on Metra with 10 bi-levels.

[STrRedWolf]

This reminds me of something I've been wondering. How man cars (presuming typical rush hour loading) can an MP36 haul without negatively impacting the schedule due to slower acceleration or slower top speeds?

Eight. Any more risks breakdown, as MARC experienced seven years back.

[MCL1981]

What about HEP capacity? I'm guessing even if you have two locos, only one can provide HEP to the train? Unless You put one on each end and half comes from one end and half from the other I suppose?

[Backshophoss]

The HEP gen-set should be good for 8 cars,only 1 unit supplies the HEP to the cars.
The only operator to use the "Split" method to supply HEP to the cars was VIA with "pure" LRC sets when new.

[STrRedWolf]

What about HEP capacity? I'm guessing even if you have two locos, only one can provide HEP to the train? Unless You put one on each end and half comes from one end and half from the other I suppose?

8 full MARC IV's are easily pulled and powered by a MP39. If you see a double-headed train set, it's usually because one engine is broken and heading to the shop.

[cobra30689]

What about HEP capacity? I'm guessing even if you have two locos, only one can provide HEP to the train? Unless You put one on each end and half comes from one end and half from the other I suppose?

From what I was told by Motive Power, the genset is good for 10 cars. Considering MOST of the platforms are only between 5-8 cars now, unless you see some major infrastructure upgrades, you probably won't see a 10 car set (at least on the Manassas line....try running 10 cars on those grades and you might as well throw the schedule out the window) for quite a while. And you are right, only one could supply HEP at a time. I don't see a reason to short-loop, except in an emergency......and the first time I brought up the practice I was looked at like I was speaking another language lol

[STrRedWolf]

From what I was told by Motive Power, the genset is good for 10 cars. Considering MOST of the platforms are only between 5-8 cars now, unless you see some major infrastructure upgrades, you probably won't see a 10 car set (at least on the Manassas line....try running 10 cars on those grades and you might as well throw the schedule out the window) for quite a while. And you are right, only one could supply HEP at a time. I don't see a reason to short-loop, except in an emergency......and the first time I brought up the practice I was looked at like I was speaking another language lol

I would say "Yeah, MARC June 2010" but that was a HHP-8 that broke down and caused MARC to put a universal 8-car limit on all it's trains. VRE would be wise to follow that "artificial" limit in practice for those MP's.

[MCL1981]

But the # of cars had nothing to do with that breakdown. Did they institute that limit just to pretend they did something, even though it did nothing? Or did they institute it to reduce the number of cars they have to deal with in an emergency?

[davinp]

When VRE first got the new locomotives, they tested a 10 car train set and it worked well.
VRE doesn't run long trains because they don't have enough railcars and the mid-storage yard (Ivy City) is full.
Also, most station platforms only support up to 6 cars.

[STrRedWolf]

But the # of cars had nothing to do with that breakdown. Did they institute that limit just to pretend they did something, even though it did nothing? Or did they institute it to reduce the number of cars they have to deal with in an emergency?

If I remember the post-event documentation, it was to reduce the chance of even diesel engines breaking down at the time. It did end up a net positive, though, because it added more trains during rush hour and added capacity to MARC.