Amtrak HHP-8 Discussion: Use, Reliability, Disposition

mtuandrew wrote:We're pretty far off the AMTK topic, but as long as we're here...

a) are there MARC IIAs left to run?
b) why 8 cars - platform length, HEP, or another reason?

I don't get to Union Station much, but I'm looking forward to seeing these vaunted SuperHippos.

On B: The 2010 New Carrollton breakdown in high heat and heavy passenger load. The solution became more trains with less cars. Amtrak, FRA, NTSB, and MARC agreed to limit all MARC engines to push/pull/HEP no more than 8 MARC III’s (ie don’t overload the engine).

STrRedWolf wrote:So capacity is coming, and MARC will need more cars and more engines... which is more money needed. If the HHP-8 experiment works, that means not as much money is needed, because you're saving it on engines. You replace 4 toasters with 8 diesels, and you keep 6 now reliable hippos. This means you got a surplus to run the MARC IIA and IIB cars with, until you get a surplus on the MARC IV's.

Not to mention the possibility that MARC would acquire some of Amtrak's surplus HHP-8s for their own use on the Penn Line. I agree with F-line that there are problems associated with this fleet but if its all run by a single operator and BBD can tear out and replace obsolete components with brand new systems this might all work out.

If MARC really wanted to get aggressive they could run 2 HHP-8s in tandem and lengthen some of their Penn Line trains to the maximum length at major stations. The cost savings might very well pay for the change.

Don't know but due to previous problems with the CAT WASH - Perryville it may be that there is still a capacity problem for available trains using electric motors ?

Marc 4910 spotted at Ivy City today with pan up. 1/10/18.

amtrakhogger wrote:Marc 4910 spotted at Ivy City today with pan up. 1/10/18.

Given the general engine trouble MARC has been having in the cold, getting 4910 going and tested ASAP must be priority now. There's been two weeks where MARC was forced to cancel a train due to the cold.

4910 in revenue service today, 1/11/18.

I need to try and get the inside scoop on this thing. It seems there is little to no info out there about what they did to it exactly.

4910 was on MARC 408/421 this past Friday (1/19/2018). Looks like no issues there... but I'd love to get this past week's operation lineup to see if we had issues with it on an early southbound.

i saw 4910 taken off in DC friday night and its been in ivy city so probably there for them to take downloads and do evaluation.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:An off-topic, yet relevant, "Q".

How did MARC acquire their "Hippos"?

This Inspection General report should answer your question.
https://www.amtrakoig.gov/sites/default ... ograms.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Per the third paragraph of the report:
"The Acela procurement involved the purchase of 20 high-speed trainsets, 15 high-horse power electric locomotives (HHP-8), three maintenance facilities and a financing agreement at a cost of more than $750 million. Six additional HHP-8 units were purchased by the State of Maryland for MARC service utilizing an option in the Amtrak contract. The contract also included a 10-year trainset maintenance contract with an option for an additional 10 years. The trainsets and locomotives were to operate on the Northeast Corridor between Washington DC and Boston with the intent of reducing the trip time between New York City and Boston to a congressionally mandated 3 hours."

The IG Report also compared what went wrong with the Acela order to what went right with the Surfliner order, an interesting read.

electricron wrote:The IG Report also compared what went wrong with the Acela order to what went right with the Surfliner order, an interesting read.

Interesting read. It raises a question:

If Amtrak mothballed their HHP-8's (having MARC go through all the teething troubles), then what's powering the Acela fleet now?

I'm also interested in seeing how 4910's rebuild works out.

STrRedWolf wrote: If Amtrak mothballed their HHP-8's (having MARC go through all the teething troubles), then what's powering the Acela fleet now?

I'm also interested in seeing how 4910's rebuild works out.

Acelas were never powered by HHP-8s. They are powered by Acela power cars, which are single ended.
Confusion arose when Boardman tried to name all NEC trains "Acelas", and HHP-8 654 was painted in the Acela scheme.

Also every HHP was delivered with the Acela logos, not just 654.

There were still scars of those acela wings on some of the HHPs for a while. I think one of them was retied that way. Acela regional, what a horrible idea.