philipmartin wrote:Fan Railer wrote:
They'd switch where every other train from hoboken to the NEC switches voltages; on the hudson connection west of the meadowlands interlockings and east of hudson interlockings, and by kearny interlockings:
Thank you for the solid information. I worked both Hudson and Karny towers, but hudson connection and meadowlands interlockings are new terms for me.
In another note, I didn't realize how loud these things were in the hot summer heat in electric mode.
I think the diesels were running. When I see them at Middletown, NJ, only in electric mode, (have they gotten to Middletown, NY yet?,) they sound the same as Alp46s. The one on 2307 yesterday had the diesel running before he dropped the pantograph.
During the mode change, there is always a little bit of overlap time where the pan is up and the diesels are on; that way, HEP doesn't shut off during the change. However, in the video I shot at Chatham, the 4500 is clearly operating with the Pan up on train 852, and will continue to operate in electric until Dover, where it will change over to diesel to complete the journey. That is why I'm wondering if that loud wirring sound is really the motor blowers, or if it is, for some reason, coming from one of the diesels in the engine, which I would figure to be unlikely.
However, if it is because one or both of the diesels are idling, I'd be curious as to know why they would be doing this.