Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

Relevant to recent discussion re: Amtrak/NNEPRA response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

TRAINS NewsWire wrote:University to advise Amtrak on COVID-19 response

George Washington University will advise Amtrak on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the railroad has announced. The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the school’s Milken Institute School of Public Health will advise Amtrak on such matters as safe work practices, monitoring the pandemic to anticipate and respond to geographic transmission trends, practices for COVID-19 prevention, and review of disinfecting and sanitation practices at trains and other facilities. “To continue providing service across 46 states, we need to be aware of the impact of the coronavirus as well as best practices, regional disparities, and evolving guidance from health officials,” Steve Predmore, Amtrak executive vice president and chief safety officer, said in a press release. “The extensive expertise within the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health will augment our internal health and safety team as we continue to make decisions to protect customers and our employees who serve them.”

Amtrak statement: https://media.amtrak.com/2020/08/george ... -response/

swist wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:02 am I was a weekly DE rider for work purposes until the shutdown, and have not used it since. I would really like to return to my old schedule using the train at some point. Has anyone been on it lately? Exactly how are they separating passengers? I assume that at the least they won't put two (unrelated) people together in one seat-pair? But do they also leave every other row empty, which they would have to do to maintain 6' spacing between people ahead of or behind you?

I have been on it several times lately, most recently this Monday morning. Nobody sits next to you if you are traveling alone, and you are invited to use the empty seat next to you for personal items. Passengers are not restricted from sitting directly in front of you or behind you, but everyone is required to be masked for the entire trip except while actually eating or drinking. The cafe car is closed, but the cafe attendant goes through the train taking orders and will bring food to your seat. That said, I do not choose to eat on the train or use the rest rooms.

I don't know how much of the ventilation is outside air as opposed to recirculated (and potentially virus-laden) inside air.

The trains I've been on have never even been close to half full.

I thought I read somewhere that NNEPRA would be getting the chargers within the next 2-3 years as they begin to replace the Genesis locomotives throughout the network...then it will probably be a couple years of Charger-Amfleet consists before the Amfleet replacements come in around 2024-2025. Still not sure about the cabbage units though. If NNEPRA got 6 chargers they could run dual-power on all 3 trainsets.

The easiest answer is that when Amtrak gets new equipment for their Northeast Corridor pool that it will be seen in service on the Downeaster within a short period of time. The rule is true for power and/or rolling stock. The cabbage replacement question is tricky because the NPCUs have done so well in collisions. Cab cars seem unlikely to deliver the same performance.

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The F40-based NPCUs can be overhauled and/or rebuilt over and over again. In theory, Amtrak could continue using them indefinitely.

I would imagine they need the cabbage cars to keep the diesels out from under North Station

Suspect that the present 75 Chargers will not make it to the LSL. That is the only way that Amtrak can rotate the locos. However it could change. PPresent assignments of P-42s is a very low utilization specifically New Haven -s Springfield with a couple standy locos in New Haven.

MEC407 wrote:The F40-based NPCUs can be overhauled and/or rebuilt over and over again. In theory, Amtrak could continue using them indefinitely.

That would likely be a pleasing outcome to a lot of people involved in operations.

Not saying they like the cabs ... But the safety factor is definitely there ...

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Maybe they could be rebuilt with a hybrid /battery setup . they have the room , the controls , and the traction motor( or mounts for such). Even if it was jsut enough for yard movements/ station starts , it would be a use of a existing asset.

So, who will be the first post on Page 600?!

The NPCU's are used for bicycles, right? With all the talk of replacing them with additional engines, is the feeling that bicycle transport is expendable?
(ETA: Shoot, Jeff got my hopes up!)

New cab cars have space for baggage. I'm sure that's where the bike racks will go if the NPCUs don't continue in service. This is years away ...

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gokeefe wrote: ↑Mon Aug 17, 2020 10:52 am New cab cars have space for baggage. In sure that's where the bike racks will go if the NPCUs don't continue in service. This is years away ...

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It seems absolutely counterproductive for the F40 NPCU fleet to remain in service once there are enough Siemens cab cars to replace them one-for-one. Amtrak might even get some money for their usable parts. (I’d love to see F40ECO conversions, but that’s not happening - certainly not with these units - nor is it germane to Downeaster service.)

markhb wrote: ↑Fri Aug 14, 2020 8:44 pm The NPCU's are used for bicycles, right? With all the talk of replacing them with additional engines, is the feeling that bicycle transport is expendable?
(ETA: Shoot, Jeff got my hopes up!)

Not every train runs with a cabbage, so where do the bikes go when two engines bookend the set?

On the Downeaster a cabbage car is a standard part of every consist. When they are not present I believe Amtrak/NNEPRA blocks off bicycle reservations.

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