AEM7 Disposition (and other motors - HHP8)

I'll believe it when I see it...

ST214 wrote:Rumor has it that a few of the HHP's are coming back.....

The 4 that were brought out of the line were only brought out for 92 day inspections. Because they're on lease, they must be kept in operable condition. They'll most likely be put back after. `

Just stating what I got from a reliable source. I was told to look for four of them to appear in revenue service soon.

Could it be the AEM's have reached the point where the HHP's have better reliability?

Ill keep my ears peeled. Ya never know.

ST214 wrote:Just stating what I got from a reliable source. I was told to look for four of them to appear in revenue service soon.

Could it be the AEM's have reached the point where the HHP's have better reliability?

Hmm I'm thinking possible due to the issue that I've been hearing about with the ACS.

Recent pictures have surfaced of Remans (at least 919) in charge of MARC runs. Anyone willing to share the story behind that?

Fan Railer wrote:Recent pictures have surfaced of Remans (at least 919) in charge of MARC runs. Anyone willing to share the story behind that?

Just a loaner to MARC while one or two of their units are in the shops. Remember Amtrak services their electric units.

gregorygrice wrote:

Fan Railer wrote:Recent pictures have surfaced of Remans (at least 919) in charge of MARC runs. Anyone willing to share the story behind that?

Just a loaner to MARC while one or two of their units are in the shops. Remember Amtrak services their electric units.

Yea, I remember haha.

The AMTK Reman units probably run more reliably than any of the current MARC electrics anyway lolz.

Along with the 92 day inspections,are the hippos getting renumbered to clear space for the ACS-64's?

The only HHP-8 i have seen leave Bear and go to Wilmington is 654. It was livened up at some point because the tracking software shows that it was online in the last 30 days. It also has not moved from the same spot where I last saw it about a month ago.

Amtrak is still short power. We were late leaving DC the other day because it took them a half hour to get a motor on the train after leaving time. And yes, Remans are being used in Marc service most likely because Marc is not going to bother with fixing or repairing their DC meatballs if any major work comes up.

The HHP-8s were first to go not so much for reliability, but as I have said before, they cost amtrak 3 times as much money to keep in daily operation as it would to keep them in storage under the lease contract. End of story. The engines with the highest cost centers were to go out first and thats what happened. HHP-8s cost the most money to operate so gone. Years ago an outside company was hired to study how amtrak could save money on electric locomotives. The first thing they told them was take all of the HHp-8s out of service. Even the old DC meatballs are far cheaper to keep running than those things.

Backshophoss wrote:Along with the 92 day inspections,are the hippos getting renumbered to clear space for the ACS-64's?

They were renumbered about a month ago.

on paper anyway

If 4 HHPs were to be sprung from storage, would putting them on MARC runs now being covered by Remans make sense since they wouldn't be going far?

Believe Amtrak Mech would be happier with the Hippo's in storage,then out running for MARC.
MARC's Hippo's were still "stock",not modified as Amtrak's were.

What 4 hhps do you people keep talking about? Have you seen 4 hhps leave storage with your own eyes? I have only seen one.