Kawasaki PA-5 delivery status.

JCGUY wrote:Has anyone else noted that the PA-5s seem to have been taken out of service entirely? I don't even see empty test trains running through the stations any more.

I saw a set running yesterday morning (Tuesday) out of Newark during the early AM rush....

Well then the PA must be running a few at least. I'm on PATH all the time I haven't seen any for a couple of weeks. The concentration of the new trains was increasing for a while, and based on my sample size it's fallen off a cliff lately. The last few I noticed running back in early February seemed to have malfunctioning signage and speaker systems, i.e., the destination sign was not lit up and there was no audible announcement of where the train was going (though the onboard TVs appeared to be working somehow). There is a different crowd on the 33rd vs. the WTC line, so the savvy user can sort of figure out where the thing is likely going, but . . .

lostsoul wrote:

kwyjibo007 wrote:Anybody know why the blue light flashes on the PA-5s?

I haven't been able to figure it out. Its either a few cars in a consist or the entire train. It can get kinda annoying seeing 5, 6, or 7, blue lights flashing (especially when they are all out of sync) when you're around them for an extended period of time.

when those blue lights are for automatic train control

I spoke with a couple of guys at C-Yard yesterday. The blue lights may not be associated with ATC since not all the PA5s suffer from blue light blinking syndrome.

Could it be possible that the blue lights are for 'blue flag' protection? I believe it is covered under "utility employees" in section 49 CFR Part 218.22 of FRA regs.

I'm gunna go out on a limb and totally theorize that it has to do with the handbrakes like on the NJT coaches. Blue lights on there typically mean the handbrake is fully applied when solid blue, and in the process of being applied when blinking blue. Cars have also been known to just be flashing anyway even though the brake is fully released and fully in motion.

OportRailfan wrote:I'm gunna go out on a limb and totally theorize that it has to do with the handbrakes like on the NJT coaches. Blue lights on there typically mean the handbrake is fully applied when solid blue, and in the process of being applied when blinking blue. Cars have also been known to just be flashing anyway even though the brake is fully released and fully in motion.

Handbrakes are the white lights i seen em come on at hoboken when they were doing there brake test

lostsoul wrote:

OportRailfan wrote:I'm gunna go out on a limb and totally theorize that it has to do with the handbrakes like on the NJT coaches. Blue lights on there typically mean the handbrake is fully applied when solid blue, and in the process of being applied when blinking blue. Cars have also been known to just be flashing anyway even though the brake is fully released and fully in motion.

Handbrakes are the white lights i seen em come on at hoboken when they were doing there brake test

If you're talking about white lights on NJT's equipment, I believe those are lights indicating the cab signals are cut in for that cab car/locomotive. Blue lights are handbrakes, red lights are doors are open on that car, yellow means >25?psi in the brake line(cylinder?), green means <25?psi in the line/cylinder?.

...or if you're talking about PATH, then sure, I don't have a clue about the PA5's. I don't go to Hoboken (via PATH at least) anymore when I live a block away from Newark Broad St.

The blue exterior lights on PA-5 equipment will be used when ATC {automatic train control comes online} Still years away... The reason it flashes is because its searching for a signal. A solid blue light on a PA-5 in the future will indicate its recieving the ATC signal.

In other PA-5 news PATH has accepted delivery of 100 PA-5 cars. Any given day they operate from 49 to 56 PA-5 cars in passenger service. The rest are being repaired,function tested by company reps, or being prepped to go into intial service on PATH.

Thank you Ponya, for the factual update. I guess the end is drawing ever closer............

Head-end View wrote:Thank you Ponya, for the factual update. I guess the end is drawing ever closer............

That's still not even a third of the full 340 car order...anyone care to speculate how much time we have left? I give it a year.

I dunno about other folks, but i think the blue lights add to the high-tech ambiance of the overall design, blinking or not.

- A

Oport, I think your estimate is about right...............

TREnecNYP wrote:I dunno about other folks, but i think the blue lights add to the high-tech ambiance of the overall design, blinking or not.

- A

There was a conductor who was bitching about the blue lights making it hard to see the red lights on the side

It seems like the PA-5's appear sporadically. They have no set schedule. I want to take some pics, but I don't want to wait 2 hours and not see it.

On 3/19/10, I saw a Pa-5 5650, 5658,and 5649 as I was going to 33rd street to check on the PATH fleets.