Uniq. Eqpmt Sightings: Private Varnish (PV's), Charters, etc

Amtrak Train #97 - 15 has private car Hickory Creek as per a post on Facebook's Amtrak's Northeast Corridor railfans when it left NYP this afternoon.

As per Webb Rail LLC - Babbling Brook -
The Babbling Brook is hitting the rails!

Friday February 16, 2018 - Amtrak 281 (NYP to ALB), 448 (ALB to BOS)
Monday February 19, 2018 - Amtrak 449 (BOS to ALB)

Multiple reports throughout the web that Bennet Levin's PRR E8's are history due to PTC. The cost to install would be prohibitive so they will no longer have the opportunity to lead.

Which brings up the question: what happens to 4449? 611? 844 and 3985?

The two E8s are set to lead on the upcoming PRRT&HS 50th Anniversary Inspection Trip this May:

https://philaprrths.us4.list-manage.com ... 83601b8721" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That trip is scheduled to be the final excursion for the E units.

Per a friend, it would cost Mr Levin about $100,000 for each E unit to have PTC installed.
Ben

Since Steam engines have a diesel helper along,that power has the PTC gear.

liftedjeep wrote:The two E8s are set to lead on the upcoming PRRT&HS 50th Anniversary Inspection Trip this May:

https://philaprrths.us4.list-manage.com ... 83601b8721" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That trip is scheduled to be the final excursion for the E units.

Per a friend, it would cost Mr Levin about $100,000 for each E unit to have PTC installed.
Ben

Totally understandable that he doesn't want to spend $200k for engines that run 2x/year or something like that.

What would be an interesting workable solution to me - supposedly Amtrak is leading CDOT FL9's for this summer's diversions to GCT because they need power with nose doors. If the JT E8's fit the third rail and tunnels, I bet they are in better shape than the CDOT FL9's. Third rail is a moot point as the FL9's had their shoe gear removed and cables cut. Why not trade free use of E8's for a month for PTC installation? It would make them more marketable in the long run if Mr. Levin decides to sell them.

Tadman wrote:Totally understandable that he doesn't want to spend $200k for engines that run 2x/year or something like that.

What would be an interesting workable solution to me - supposedly Amtrak is leading CDOT FL9's for this summer's diversions to GCT because they need power with nose doors. If the JT E8's fit the third rail and tunnels, I bet they are in better shape than the CDOT FL9's. Third rail is a moot point as the FL9's had their shoe gear removed and cables cut. Why not trade free use of E8's for a month for PTC installation? It would make them more marketable in the long run if Mr. Levin decides to sell them.

I figured you were suggesting Levin hire a CDOT FL-9 as a leader for his pair. It wouldn’t be as pretty, but a set of three covered wagons is still cool.

Amtrak had leased a pair of E-8's to MN,they did find their way into GCT from time to time.
The PRR E-8's would fit,but tuscan red would clash with New Haven line red!

Does it have to be the leading locomotive that has the PTC equipment installed? As long as thier was one car equipped, with the ability to stop the train, would n't that suffice?

I'd like to see an answer to that from someone who knows the details. With cab signals the lead unit has to be equipped, but that's because the first axle shunts the track circuit; it would seem that any communication with the train not dependent on the track circuits would work, or could be made to work, on any unit regardless of its position. It may be that the problem with the E8's is that they need to run on Amtrak's version of PTC, which is based on ACSES and I think continues to depend on information from the track circuits on the NEC. And of course they're based on the NEC.
Edit: On second thought, the E8's have operated on the NEC; perhaps whatever is eventually installed on the Port Road, and between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, to name a few examples, is what would require the additional equipment.

NS uses I-ETMS,that requires more PTC gear and is radio/GPS based,that's what will be installed on the Port Road back to Eola yard.

Saw the Babbling Brook this evening on 449 in Dalton. Unfortunately for them they had to stop due to Q424 pulling a knuckle on the hill leaving Pittsfield. The dispatcher mentioned that it was a key train (hazmat) & that the entire train would need to be inspected before any trains could pass. The ensuing delays also included 448 & a Housatonic train.
At least the passengers of the Babbling Brook had comfortable accommodations for their extended delay.

Train 42 Pennsylvanian had PV SUGAR CREEK Tuesday.

chuchubob wrote:Train 42 Pennsylvanian had PV SUGAR CREEK Tuesday.

Interesting to see that the car is improperly pointed and was running immediately behind the locomotive from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia; it would be rearmost (but still improperly pointed) for the final leg from Philadelphia to New York.

The car is enroute to the M&E Railway at Morristown NJ for an Amtrak PC-2A truck roll-out inspection. This inspection is required at 10 year intervals after the original PC-2 "forty year" inspection. The car will return to Pittsburgh after the inspection and any necessary repairs are completed -- date TBD.

The MARC control cars 7745 and 7755 are right now on the rear of 235 (14) to Albany, it is running on schedule this afternoon.

Private car Colonial Crafts went on Empire Service trains #233/244 from NYP to Albany and back this past Sunday 3/11, then the next day it went on train #91 from NYP to DC. This St. Patrick's Day weekend it will be heading on Northeast Regional train #162 from DC to Boston, MA - South Station on 3/17, it will return back to DC on 3/19 on train #173.

Tadman wrote:

liftedjeep wrote:The two E8s are set to lead on the upcoming PRRT&HS 50th Anniversary Inspection Trip this May:

https://philaprrths.us4.list-manage.com ... 83601b8721" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That trip is scheduled to be the final excursion for the E units.

Per a friend, it would cost Mr Levin about $100,000 for each E unit to have PTC installed.
Ben

Totally understandable that he doesn't want to spend $200k for engines that run 2x/year or something like that.

What would be an interesting workable solution to me - supposedly Amtrak is leading CDOT FL9's for this summer's diversions to GCT because they need power with nose doors. If the JT E8's fit the third rail and tunnels, I bet they are in better shape than the CDOT FL9's. Third rail is a moot point as the FL9's had their shoe gear removed and cables cut. Why not trade free use of E8's for a month for PTC installation? It would make them more marketable in the long run if Mr. Levin decides to sell them.

Remember the FL9's were used in revenue service into GCT until ~2005. Pretty sure that whatever cab signals + (?) they're equipped with meet the PTC requirement in the territory between Albany and GCT.