Sprinter ACS-64 Electric Loco: Siemens.

BuddSilverliner269 wrote:

Amtrakguy wrote:

ApproachMedium wrote:We cant fix cracked windshields in Sunnyside! Send it to DC!

That does seem to be a problem. DC is the toilet bowl of repairs for the NEC.

Huh? DC does much better work on its locomotives the NY or Boston can ever do, and this is coming from someone who runs the equipment daily.

What I meant by the toilet bowl, is that they are at the bottom end of the NEC and that everything that no one else can fix gets flushed down to DC in shop moves at 50mph so that DC can fix it.

Amtrakguy, I understand now what you mean by toilet bowl. Yes the past few years I have been sent on lite or multiple lite moves from NYP to DC and its such a drag at 50 mph and only occasionally will they add a coach to allow track speed if theres no defects with the motors but that is rare. DC does that for there guys but we dont do it for our guys

Well in sunnyside if there WAS a coach to give you, we would....

ApproachMedium wrote:Well in sunnyside if there WAS a coach to give you, we would....

What do you mean WE???? You arent in control of those decisions Mr mechanical and what do you mean if there was a coach to give you? Besides a storage yard and maintanance facility,IT IS a coach yard........

No I'm not in control of that but it seems like they get very attached to the cars. Either they are going to try and hold onto anything that's good for use on all the moring trains incase they shop a car, and anything that's shopped can't leave since they have work orders against them. So, if there was extra cars to give out sure! Probably more likely to get a spare car during the day over getting one for an overnight shop move.

ApproachMedium wrote:No I'm not in control of that but it seems like they get very attached to the cars. Either they are going to try and hold onto anything that's good for use on all the moring trains incase they shop a car, and anything that's shopped can't leave since they have work orders against them. So, if there was extra cars to give out sure! Probably more likely to get a spare car during the day over getting one for an overnight shop move.

Im calling shenanigans!!!!

New article out on the locomotive in the June issue of Railway Age: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/ra0611/#/48
enjoy.

Very cool article, thanks for sharing! I wonder when they are going to update that drawing with a second cab lol, still looks like one of those ALP-45 dual modes NJT just bought with the one cab. Also on the concept drawing the operator's windows look very small. Even on the 3D model you can confirm that the size isn't too generous. Would there be any specific reason for this? On many NEC trains that I have seen at the station the engineer hops out and stands on the platform to wait for the Conductor's signal to go. While I enjoy talking to them when they get out it seems more efficient if they had a way to easily and comfortably look out the cab window to see what the conductor is doing and to check for any issues. It seems this is more of a problem on Acelas and HHP-8s, the crew almost always hops out with them, and a fair amount still don't try to look through the window on the AEM-7s either, even with the better windows than the Acelas. Would it really be aerodynamically compromising to have larger windows, is that even the issue here?

Davis

I would say the engineer is most likely jumping out the seat to stretch out and get some fresh air for a minute vs just taking a motion from the conductor. You can either look in the mirrors to see back from the locomotive and if for some reason you still can't see the conductor the motion to go can be given by radio or communication buzzer....

Engineers are required to hit the platforms at stations to inspect their pantographs. Something you cannot do from a window on the HHP.

With the airpipe pantograph the pan drops long before engineer sees any damage, both on HHP-8 and Acela.
and pretty sure the ACS-64 will have same technology.

Sure and thats why the wire keeps getting taken down in places. You cant rely on a system like that, the AEM-7s, ALP44s and even the 46 all have this same system. Sometimes it can end up being bypassed due to damage/wear in the lines. All of these safety systems are not there to stop engineers from doing their job of inspecting equipment. Sometimes a problem can be spotted and pans swapped before it creates an issue.

Just because an engine has cab signals and ACSES should engineers start forgetting where all the signals are and what speed restrictions are? No. Its called a tool, and must be used properly.

When were the AEM-7 and ALP44 retrofitted with airpipe pantographs ?

here a pantograph with airpipe tech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRgzeNOXRyg

Here a pantogrph without airpipe tech, in same scenario
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgCPPeYmyKw

Its nothing special, its just a matter of how the pan is built. No modifications are needed to the loco. All of the pans we have in sunnyside have the air tubes that go up to the pan shoe. And yes there are HHP and Acela, and AEM7 specific pantographs, but this is only due to mounting points.

DutchRailnut wrote:With the airpipe pantograph the pan drops long before engineer sees any damage, both on HHP-8 and Acela.
and pretty sure the ACS-64 will have same technology.

The Acela's and HHP's no longer have this feature. It was taken out a few years ago. The broken pan alarm is still functional. Amtrak felt that this feature was more trouble then its worth. Personally I wouldve preferred to keep this system in place but as everyone knows, the railroad never listens to the people who have to run this stuff for a living