STATUS OF THE **BL20-GH** FLEET

[mncommuter]

Not to get too off topic, but the Gennies don't have a toilet, right? According to Dutch, they don't have to since they're pulling passenger cars. But practically speaking, how is an engineer supposed to use a passenger bathroom? The closest one to the engine might be several cars back.

[Railhead]

On the P32 ACDM, how does the enginer get to the passenger cars?
Does he have to get out of the engine and walk back along the train?
I thought, I read in another thread, that there was no rear door on the P32 ACDM engines.

[Alcochaser]

Most crews don't want to use a locomotive toilet even when it is there...... they tend to be nasty things.

[the missing link]

nice paint scheme, but that radiator flare and the rear of the hood is scary/ugly! looks like some kinda' unit you'd see from durkadurkistan...

[Alcochaser]

It could have been delivered to Harmon to be fitted out with things like the toilet, cab signals, etc etc.....

[DutchRailnut]

no we buy completed units, the units will be tested out of Harmon.
The radiators are flared to give more radiator space and overhead space for the Caterpillar C-15 Hep unit.

[ajp]

who omitted the toilet
was it not in the mncr specifications (did management "forget")
did the builder/designer not know the FRA rules and didnt point this omission out?
Is there room in the body for a toilet facility?
Can this be a basis to cancel the rest of the order if these locomotives cannot be used in multiple services?

[pablo]

Is there space for a potty in the sort hood?

Dave Becker

[RearOfSignal]

RearOfSignal your tree remark is kind of dumb, specialy when the Federal Railroad Administation has ruled otherwise.
The CFR which has governing rules on how to run a railroad DO specify the unit needs a bathroom when used as worktrain or in freight service.
Unless MNCR or ACRE can come up with a list of frequent available bathrooms on Railroad property.
Your comments only undermine the effort to get what crews need and deserve.

(Sigh...)Come on Dutch, get with the game, you think I'm saying I want crews to go behind a tree. It was a sarcastic remark, let me fix it for you...

Nope, but that's ok there's trees along the ROW. </sarcasm>

[Maybrook fan]

#1) If things go well during testing. Whats a good rough estimate as to when we can watch for 125 out and about in the system ???

#2) Would this toilet issue be resolved if a caboose was on the work train ???

[MTASUPT]

Management didn't forget, we had to give Dutch new material.

Units to be used for Branch/Shoreline/yard service.

Don't forget, the GP's aren't going anywhere...maybe work trains to make Dutch Happy! :o)

[Otto Vondrak]

I was going to ask- what does it take to put one of these units in service?

-otto-

[RedSoxSuck]

Dutch,

Do you know if MNR/CDOT will be terminating the P40 lease? If so, do you know if those engines will be going back to Amtrak?

[mkm4]

question is why

Kickbacks

[Trainer]

"question is why"

The reason probably is there's probably a couple of comedians at MNCR who get amused by confusing its riders into thinking they're riding Amtrak into Waterbury and Danbury.

In return for the favor, next year a couple new BL20GH's with New Haven markings will be leased to Amtrak for use on long distance trains out west, alternating on "Texas Eagle" and "Southwest Chief" routes.

There's no truth at all to the rumour that the LIRR, Metro-North, NJT and SEPTA will each take every-other weekend turns in 2010 hauling the "Empire Builder" in exhange for Amtrack "Auto Train" random appearances on each of its respective routes.