The FMCB discussed this today. The deal is still in planning and they talked about replacing the 5 worst locomotives in the fleet with these leased units. If the plan goes through, the Keolis contract would be amended so that 5 (or whatever number is equal to the number leased) less available MBTA-owned locomotives would be required each day for service.
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They need to arrive before winter rears it's ugly weather.
The Land of Enchantment is not Flyover country!
What are they fighting over now? Lease terms or WHAT??? 
The Land of Enchantment is not Flyover country!
Between the delay with lease term agreement on the Chargers and the delays in getting back the F40PH-2Cs, this is going to be a long winter of delays and breakdowns.
As it was explained to me by someone who knows these things, a key source of funding for the chargers has been pulled. As of right now, they’re not coming. I’m sure “thanks for the 40 brandy new engines you underwrote for us, but we don’t like them so we need more” is a tough sell to the feds.
Moderator: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Brightline Trains
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
Wouldn't it be a better sell to say that the older unites are wearing must faster than expected and the GP's do not have an other overhaul in the life cycle which will result in a shortage if we don't take measures now?
Either way it always comes down to money.
Either way it always comes down to money.
There is only so long I can restrain my snarkish tendencies: As long as the failure epidemic holds off until Choo-Choo Charlie gets reelected, there won't be much done. There probably won't be much done after, either, except for duck -- the cloth not the water fowl -- or mebbe Gorilla tape applications cuz band-aids just aren't big enough.
"A gray crossover is definitely not company transportation."
None of that is true. By the T’s own standards the GPs are the newest in the fleet except for the HSPs. They’re regarded as built in 1997 despite being made out of engines built in 1973. The remaining F40s were built in the late 80s and early 90s from a proven design and have been extensively rebuilt. If you can’t keep them going then you obviously don’t take care of your stuff and that’s certainly not a good selling point when looking for someone else’s money.
Moderator: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Brightline Trains
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
CRail wrote:None of that is true. By the T’s own standards the GPs are the newest in the fleet except for the HSPs. They’re regarded as built in 1997 despite being made out of engines built in 1973. The remaining F40s were built in the late 80s and early 90s from a proven design and have been extensively rebuilt. If you can’t keep them going then you obviously don’t take care of your stuff and that’s certainly not a good selling point when looking for someone else’s money.Maybe people in the vicinity of those trains might like cleaner Tier 4s rather than presumably Tier 0 GP40s / F40s.
If those people pay for new engines the T would be happy to get them.
Moderator: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Brightline Trains
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
Avatar:3679A (since wrecked)/3623B (now in service as 3636B).
Why should “those people” pay for the impacts of carrying people from one area to another through theirs, using fifty year old engine designs and forty year old emissions norms? Ancient buses have long since retired so their engines are thankfully no longer choking people but Tier 0 locomotives are just rebuilt again.
Not to mention the health of the riders.
Last month I was on a train that was blowing a lot of smoke. It was one of the F40 PH's. Passengers were getting ill and complaining to the conductors. The conductors had to turn off the HVAC on the first 3 cars behind the engine because it was sucking in all the fumes.
The issue was the HEP I believe. That's the furthest back exhaust on the engines right? That's where I saw all the dark black exhaust coming out of.
Also heard on the conductors radio, the engineer asking if if the lighters were flickering and them talking about how the blowers sounded it had ups and down. It was a hot day so I assume the HEP was at it's capacity trying to run the AC's.
Last month I was on a train that was blowing a lot of smoke. It was one of the F40 PH's. Passengers were getting ill and complaining to the conductors. The conductors had to turn off the HVAC on the first 3 cars behind the engine because it was sucking in all the fumes.
The issue was the HEP I believe. That's the furthest back exhaust on the engines right? That's where I saw all the dark black exhaust coming out of.
Also heard on the conductors radio, the engineer asking if if the lighters were flickering and them talking about how the blowers sounded it had ups and down. It was a hot day so I assume the HEP was at it's capacity trying to run the AC's.