Amtrak HHP-8 Discussion: Use, Reliability, Disposition

Well, yesterday's Reginal 135 (07), our engine was HHP8 654, and I was delighted to see such a unit pull our train. So sometimes we do have HHP8s from BOS.

Robert Paniagua wrote:Well, yesterday's Reginal 135 (07), our engine was HHP8 654, and I was delighted to see such a unit pull our train. So sometimes we do have HHP8s from BOS.

Ill agree with that, ill find an HHP8 more on the weekends

My first train to Stamford was pulled by an HHP8. You could notice the difference.

About a year ago around this time, I was on a northbound NEC Regional train to Boston and it was powered by 2 HHP-8s! A rare site, but I recall seeing that same trainset a few times - with the doubleheading of the HHP8s. More than enough power for a 7 car Regional train!

Recently, I've noticed more HHP8s on the road than I used to. Coincidence, or finally some reliability has cometh forth on the HHP8s!

Well, yesterday, when I got 194 (08) back from NHV to Route 128/Canton-Westwood-Norwood, it was pulled by another HHP8, this time being 662. And it was a reliable engine, better than an AEM7, I have to say.

Alex- be careful how you use the word "always."

-otto-

Robert Paniagua wrote:Well, yesterday, when I got 194 (08) back from NHV to Route 128/Canton-Westwood-Norwood, it was pulled by another HHP8, this time being 662. And it was a reliable engine, better than an AEM7, I have to say.

How on earth do you see one engine is more reliable from another from one ride unless you are an amtrak engineer or a mechanical person? If not then how are you able to tell, the HHP-8's are still engines vs the AEM-7's. I would think you will have to see how the HHP-8's work when they are aging before you can assume anything about one engine vs another.

There is no ryhme or reason for HHP8 assignments. With the loss
of mail and express work, long hauls rarely get over 10 cars in length
so any availible engine is used. Reliabilty is about the same for all
electric engines on the corridor.

The HHP8s are alot newer that AEM7, so that's why I think they are better running, although I still have respect for the toasters. The engines I do not like at all are theose ugly-bulk E60s

One thing is for certain: HHP8s are rarely found on Keystones.

The folks I know in the mechanical department at Amtrak are of the opinion that the HHP8s are garbage - their maintenance frequency is twice that of their older siblings and it is harder to access a lot of the equipment leading to longer and thus more expensive visits to the locomotive shops.

They also tell me that the cab cars don't talk to the HHP8s properly and so if they are assigned to a keystone, a wye move must be made at HBG and an enginge change at PHL. There isn't time in most of the schedules for this and so some effort is made not to assign them to keystone trains.

Robert Paniagua wrote:The HHP8s are alot newer that AEM7, so that's why I think they are better running, although I still have respect for the toasters. The engines I do not like at all are theose ugly-bulk E60s

We won't know for quite some time whether the HHP8's are more reliable than the AEM-7's. If the HHP8's run as well as the AEM-7's do when they are the age of the current AEM-7 fleet, then we will know

HHP8's are much more complex in design and construction, so there are
a million things that can go wrong. AEM7's are much simpler in design and
more rugged.

Oh I see, so the AEM7 s/b more reliable over the HHP8. I now agree, since the new stuff seems to go wrong sometimes (take a look at the MBTA Breda Type 8s while the Kinki T7s are just as good as the AEM7) while the Type 8 trolleys are the same age as the HHP8s.

Robert Paniagua wrote:Oh I see, so the AEM7 s/b more reliable over the HHP8. I now agree, since the new stuff seems to go wrong sometimes (take a look at the MBTA Breda Type 8s while the Kinki T7s are just as good as the AEM7) while the Type 8 trolleys are the same age as the HHP8s.

Kinda like our GP40MC's vs our F40PH screamers. Good old F40PH (basic locomotive) GP40MC (wanna be modern locomotive with a buch of no good comptuers put in it.)