Amtrak ACS-64 664 on SEPTA

Does anyone know if 664 will be running on Saturday? If so which line?

Thanks in advance!

-Andrew

bdawe wrote:I have to ask - why does SEPTA bother with push-pull service? Why not just run more EMUs? Having electric locomotives and unpowered coaches seems like an unnecessary complication

They were ordered when they retired the blueliners and Silverliner Is, probably just because they were cheaper and they only needed to run them at rush hour anyway, also long push pull trains are cheaper to run than longer EMU trains.

jackintosh11 wrote:

bdawe wrote:I have to ask - why does SEPTA bother with push-pull service? Why not just run more EMUs? Having electric locomotives and unpowered coaches seems like an unnecessary complication

They were ordered when they retired the blueliners and Silverliner Is, probably just because they were cheaper and they only needed to run them at rush hour anyway, also long push pull trains are cheaper to run than longer EMU trains.

The other consideration is that MU's are considered locomotives and therefore subject to more frequent inspections than standard coaches.

WT line on Friday. Crossed Red Lion Rd at approx 1:45 heading towards WT. Back towards CC around 2:35.

jackintosh11 wrote:

bdawe wrote:I have to ask - why does SEPTA bother with push-pull service? Why not just run more EMUs? Having electric locomotives and unpowered coaches seems like an unnecessary complication

They were ordered when they retired the blueliners and Silverliner Is, probably just because they were cheaper and they only needed to run them at rush hour anyway, also long push pull trains are cheaper to run than longer EMU trains.

Also, don't forget that in the 1980s, there were rumblings that SEPTA would be taking over the Harrisburg service from Amtrak. There were plans for a Silverliner V, but it was easier, it was determined, to order "off the shelf" vehicles instead of issuing an RFP and what would surely be an expensive one-off. SEPTA was pretty broke at the time.

CNJGeep wrote:

jackintosh11 wrote:

bdawe wrote:I have to ask - why does SEPTA bother with push-pull service? Why not just run more EMUs? Having electric locomotives and unpowered coaches seems like an unnecessary complication

They were ordered when they retired the blueliners and Silverliner Is, probably just because they were cheaper and they only needed to run them at rush hour anyway, also long push pull trains are cheaper to run than longer EMU trains.

Also, don't forget that in the 1980s, there were rumblings that SEPTA would be taking over the Harrisburg service from Amtrak. There were plans for a Silverliner V, but it was easier, it was determined, to order "off the shelf" vehicles instead of issuing an RFP and what would surely be an expensive one-off. SEPTA was pretty broke at the time.

SEPTA did make a RFP for the multilevels though, I guess Bombardier's multilevels were a bit too tall or was the problem something else?

zebrasepta wrote:SEPTA did make a RFP for the multilevels though, I guess Bombardier's multilevels were a bit too tall or was the problem something else?

Hadn't heard that. You would think that if they fit into the Hudson tubes, they would certainly fit anywhere on SEPTA. Maybe they just RFP'd the bathrooms out.

glennk419 wrote:

zebrasepta wrote:SEPTA did make a RFP for the multilevels though, I guess Bombardier's multilevels were a bit too tall or was the problem something else?

Hadn't heard that. You would think that if they fit into the Hudson tubes, they would certainly fit anywhere on SEPTA. Maybe they just RPF'd the bathrooms out.

The RFD technical specs sheet does state the minimum caternary hangs anywhere on SEPTA/AMTRAK territory is 15 feet

I saw the Amtrak locomotive trailing Bombardier cars outbound on the West Trenton line shortly before the line becomes single track before Yardley around 5:20-5:25 pm on Monday, March 14.

Is 664 still doing test runs? I heard what could have been it at Roslyn around 1:30 this morning followed closely by PNER L160 around 1:40. Whatever came through at 1:30 was playing on the horn pretty well.

The 664 is back at Amtrak as of today.

amtrakhogger wrote:The 664 is back at Amtrak as of today.

Thanks. Maybe they were squeezing in some last trials while it was still on the property.

Philadelphia Chapter NRHS, in the October issue of its newsletter Cinders, reports that 15 ACS-64s ordered by SEPTA are due to begin delivery in 2018, and are identical to those currently in service on Amtrak, except for one thing:

They will not have restrooms.

ExCon90 wrote:Philadelphia Chapter NRHS, in the October issue of its newsletter Cinders, reports that 15 ACS-64s ordered by SEPTA are due to begin delivery in 2018, and are identical to those currently in service on Amtrak, except for one thing:

They will not have restrooms.

Looks like any hopes of SEPTA going into Maryland are nil

mcgrath618 wrote:

ExCon90 wrote:Philadelphia Chapter NRHS, in the October issue of its newsletter Cinders, reports that 15 ACS-64s ordered by SEPTA are due to begin delivery in 2018, and are identical to those currently in service on Amtrak, except for one thing:

They will not have restrooms.

Looks like any hopes of SEPTA going into Maryland are nil

Why should they go to Maryland when MARC can come up to Newark?