Amtrak ACS-64 Sprinter Discussion

612 acted up yet again on 660 this morning. She randomly stopped drawing traction power while pushing, bringing the train to a stop. After a little while 612 responded to a recycle and got going again, costing the train half an hour. It is my understanding 612 was also responsible for some antics on 643 last week, resulting in that trains cancellation for that day.
From the rumblings ive been hearing, 612 with regard to issues/failures/hiccups (frequency, not severity) seems to be hands down the worst of the Sprinters. What exactly is tripping it up so badly?

Sometimes the problem is input device, not the engine
or as they say the linkage between seat and throttle..

DutchRailnut wrote:Sometimes the problem is input device, not the engine
or as they say the linkage between seat and throttle..

In the computer industry this is known as a PEBKAC issue.

Problem exists between keyboard and chair.

Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

acelaphillies wrote:Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

DLG.JPG

There was a news release about this a couple of weeks back.

Fan Railer wrote:

acelaphillies wrote:Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

DLG.JPG

There was a news release about this a couple of weeks back.

Ok, musta missed it. Thanks!

Main comment I recall from the Trains article, was that most crews like the new engines.

acelaphillies wrote:Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

DLG.JPG

Was that taken yesterday? If so the fire on 600 must have been minor if it is back out already

Martin Baumann wrote:

acelaphillies wrote:Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

DLG.JPG

Was that taken yesterday? If so the fire on 600 must have been minor if it is back out already

Yes, 600 was out and about yesterday. It is seen here shoving 664 through Edison:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/erielimit ... /lightbox/

Rob

DutchRailnut wrote:Sometimes the problem is input device, not the engine
or as they say the linkage between seat and throttle..

No this case is def engine not the operator. Looks like the error between the keyboard and the chair has a lot to do with it and not the engineer. (Software programming) The 612 needed a full software reload the other day.

acelaphillies wrote:Did anyone else notice that the 600 has special lettering on the front commemorating President Gunn? The nose reads "David L. Gunn"

I was still setting up when this train went by, so I didn't get it with my good camera. Here is a still from my video:

DLG.JPG

There's a good shot of it posted by chuchubob (today) in the Keystone Line thread (the second photo).

Rob,

That's an excellent photo, thanks for sharing!

For years they kept the best remans on the Harrisburg trains while we had to struggle with the DC meatballs on the regionals, today I saw 3 ACS on keystones and it ticked me off to waste them on 4 and 5 car trains. luckily I had 617 on 172 and 616 on 93 so I didn't get crazy but jeez give the keystones some remans and call it a day till u have enough ACS-64's

r40slant wrote:For years they kept the best remans on the Harrisburg trains while we had to struggle with the DC meatballs on the regionals, today I saw 3 ACS on keystones and it ticked me off to waste them on 4 and 5 car trains. luckily I had 617 on 172 and 616 on 93 so I didn't get crazy but jeez give the keystones some remans and call it a day till u have enough ACS-64's

How are the keystone engineers and mechanical people going to get used to operating them on the keystones if they dont run them there? Its all part of the rotation. Eventually everything will have ACS-64s while the meatballs everyone is familiar with stay in standby for keystone trains.

If anyone noticed, as of the thanksgiving holiday week the protect motor in NY Penn was finally switched from a reman to an ACS64.

Interesting how quickly even the AEM-7ACs are now being replaced. I would have thought protect duty would have been on of the very last places we would have seen the Sprinters.