NEC Equipment Moves and Test Trains

pgengler wrote:what does it mean for something be serving as "protect engine?"

It means an engine, or engines, assigned to move in and replace an engine which breaks down in service. By placing engines at CAPE, they can go south on the NEC toward Newark, north on the NEC to Secaucus/NYP, or either direction on the M&E via the Meadows track.

I'm guessing that the engineer assigned to the work would drop either the '44 or the Geep and take the other engine depending on where the problem was.

They sometimes put protect engines in other places. They had some of the ex-Amtrak F40s operating as protect engines about a year ago at Midway during the track work on Track 3. With one track out of commision, they need all of the other tracks to be clear with no train blocking the path as it would really do a number on causing train delays.

Another spot you can see protect engines sometimes is at Secaucus on the NEC. Sometimes they have an ALP44 there or an Amtrak AEM7 there.

Thanks Nick and Lackawanna ... like they say, "The more you know ..."

I do have one other question, though, in regard to the Geep. Last time I passed by near Newark, it was 4301, and the 43xx units don't have HEP, right? It seems like a bad idea (from a customer service point of view) that if something should happen to an engine (and it loses HEP and the prime mover) the 'rescue' engine isn't going to be able to provide HEP. Not only are the riders stuck waiting (which is inevitable), but they're also in the dark until they get off.

Sounds like a trip I had out of Newark some summer day a year or two ago, when there weren't any lights or A/C (at least in the car I was in).

Most times, if the rescue engine has to go out there to pick up a disabled train, the lights have been out for a long time already!!!

After being on a disabled train, the LAST thing anyone wants or cares about is lights...........they just want to get moving, and get off the piece of junk, thats all!!!

the 4300 series is used only when no other engine is ready for service

I just spotted another NEC move, this time westbound with a GP40 (I was too far away to get the #) with a single Comet IV, swiftly around 60 maybe. This was just east of Metuchen station above Grove Av. What could be the purpose of this move?

That was 4209 enroute to AC to change out an motor and cab car. Already on its way back.

Yesterday at Edison, I spotted a 44, GP40PH long-hood forward, and a Comet V tagging behind the two going eastbound. Was this another move from the ACL?

F40 wrote:Yesterday at Edison, I spotted a 44, GP40PH long-hood forward, and a Comet V tagging behind the two going eastbound. Was this another move from the ACL?

Nah, sounds like a move from Morrisville Yard. The ACL doesn't use Comet Vs- yet. They do use them for special trains though like for the Teacher's Convention but other than that, no.

Not really an actual "move", but on Tuesday in Harrison, I saw 3 MU's coupled to a few push-pull coaches, with #4303 and a 44. What kind of special coupler is used to connect MU's with push-pulls? And would this connection ever be seen in revenue service?

F40 wrote:Not really an actual "move", but on Tuesday in Harrison, I saw 3 MU's coupled to a few push-pull coaches, with #4303 and a 44. What kind of special coupler is used to connect MU's with push-pulls? And would this connection ever be seen in revenue service?

No, only for moves.

Yesterday afternoon I saw 4301 pulling 4601 (with pan down), a Comet IIM, and a string of 6 Arrow III's between Metuchen and Metropark eastbound on Track 1. I thought the train was being rescued until I saw the Comet coupled to the Arrow and some of the vestibule doors on the engineer's side of the Arrows were left wide open. Another move to the MMC and from where?

Those diesels sure run quiet without the HEP running (or in the case of the 4300's without the HEP being there).

F40 wrote:Yesterday afternoon I saw 4301 pulling 4601 (with pan down), a Comet IIM, and a string of 6 Arrow III's between Metuchen and Metropark eastbound on Track 1. I thought the train was being rescued until I saw the Comet coupled to the Arrow and some of the vestibule doors on the engineer's side of the Arrows were left wide open. Another move to the MMC and from where?

Those diesels sure run quiet without the HEP running (or in the case of the 4300's without the HEP being there).

You see these now and again. That's a rather normal equipment move for the NEC. These happen whenever needed (either from Morrisville to MMC or vice versa.)

why arent the Comet Vs used on the ACL?

jimzim66 wrote:why arent the Comet Vs used on the ACL?

They just aren't. It's actually a good thing. Keeping the Vs away from the ACL allows for their trains to look pretty decent in terms of solid sets or almost solid sets (trains with IIIs and IVs.)