by STrRedWolf
east point wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 1:20 pmThey would still keep some electrics for express service, and rebuild Odenton and BWI to allow for express service... but then they’d also extend it out to Wilmington too. That’s a few other threads.STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:42 pmYes but and a very big but. Use of diesels on the NEC will require two diesels to maintain MARC speeds of up to 125 MPH. MARC is the fastest commuter rail in the USA. One diesel is not enough HP to maintain that speed that Amtrak requires on the NEC. MARC could get by with just one diesel if they would build 4 main tracks on the NEC from WASH to Perry. That way slower and many stop MARC trains could stay on outer tracks not interfering with AMTRAK HSR trains.
MARC is rehabbing their 6 HHP-8s and would rather buy more diesels to replace them. They replaced their AEM-7s with Siemens Chargers.