Amtrak DMUs

[frequentflyer]

Siemens passenger cars running on FEC tracks for Brightline service are based upon an European railcar design modified to meet FRA standards. Who's to say some other European train manufacturer can't do the same?
The heart of the Stadler DMU design configuration isn't the lightweight coach cars as much as their power cars placed in between the cars. Replacing the aluminum coach cars with, stronger, even made from stainless steel, FRA compliant coach cars shouldn't be that difficult to design and accomplish.
I'm pretty sure Stadler and other manufacturers of DMUs will submit acceptable designs to any Amtrak RFP - as long as Amtrak's DMU program consists of a sufficient number of cars and therefore trains. All they need is someone to show them the money!

Golly, a Stadler power car placed between two Siemens "Brighline" cars with cabs could be Amtrak's DMU solution.

So the FLIRTs have a power car in the middle of the consist?

https://wwwstadlerrailcom-live-01e96f7. ... 5en_us.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Trying hard to imagine these FLIRTs running among fast inter modal freights and 100 car coal trains.

The majority of these DMUs will be on the east coast and NEC. Amtrak does not need low boarding trains in those markets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu4TsHpHkWs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At 15 sec into the video,is that the "power" car in the middle of the consist?

[chrsjrcj]

I finally had an oppurtunity to ride one of the Sprinter DMUs today in southern California. If Anderson thinks this is a reasonble alternative for a route longer than 30 minutes, he’s out of his mind. The whole time I kept thinking I was on a bus, actually the busses where I live are quieter and more comfortable.

He needs to spend the next 6 months riding every route in the Amtrak system and some routes overseas. Take what works and throwaway what doesn’t.

[electricron]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu4TsHpHkWs

At 15 sec into the video,is that the "power" car in the middle of the consist?

Yes, from the passenger point of view walking between car 2 and car 3. Cars 1 and 4 have the traction motors and cabs.
Here's what the power car looks like from the outside....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUUMgPOW4dc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Un this video there are two three car FLIRT trains; one is an EMU and the other is a DMU.
With the DMU the power car containing two independent diesel generators is placed between car 2 and car 3 as it runs by the camera. It's possible to just add the diesel power car into an EMU FLIRT train and make it operational as both an EMU and a DMU.

FWTA (TexRail) has purchased eight four car FLIRT DMUs. Per the recent DART Cotton Belt DEIS. it also plans to purchase four car FLIRT DMUs, but has an option to add a fifth car to the train set.
TexRail FLIRT DMUs will have 254 seats on the four car train, as will DART's Cotton Belt line trains. But DART suggests later expansion to five car FLIRT DMUs. See page 2-22 of the DEIS:
http://www.dart.org/ShareRoot/about/exp ... il2018.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"DART proposes using one train consisting of four coach cars with a central power pack including four powered axles and eight unpowered axles. The train would be approximately 267 feet long with 224 seats and room for up to 254 standees. Ultimately, it is anticipated that an additional coach section would be added to the train, extending the total train length to 318 feet."

I'll admit that's cramming in seats with fairly small pitch, but that's with just 4 seats abreast per row. An Amfleet I coach has 72 seats. A four car coach class Amfleet I train without business class or food service car can seat 288 passengers.

And as I wrote before, the coach cars could be made by Siemens with a Stadler diesel power car placed in the middle of the train.....

[frequentflyer]

So have two cab cars on the end and a power car in the middle of the consist......Interesting.

[mtuandrew]

Seems like a good way to have three mandatory/frequent inspections per trainset (power car locomotive + 2x cab car “locomotive”), not just two (cab + loco.) I guess if they are permanently coupled it doesn’t much matter anyway.

So, what problem are we solving here, that a low-hp loco + 3 can’t solve without messing up Amtrak’s fleet plan?

[frequentflyer]

This may be relatively heavy, but something light "like" a FLIRT200 ( again, "like") would be more fuel efficient. I would guess the manufacturer that wins the RFP will also include a maintenance package too which should reduce costs significantly and lower overhead for Amtrak.

[bdawe]

I suspect that we're solving a 'trains that accelerate too slowly' problem and a 'trains that cost too much per frequency to operate and therefore limit frequencies" problem.

it's worth noting that countries with far greater rail traffic density than us make hearty use of DMU

[mtuandrew]

I suspect that we're solving a 'trains that accelerate too slowly' problem and a 'trains that cost too much per frequency to operate and therefore limit frequencies" problem.

If DMUs can do more RTs for the same number of personnel-hours and fuel consumption as a BL20/MP15 equivalent, safely, I’m all for them.

it's worth noting that countries with far greater rail traffic density than us make hearty use of DMU

Do they use more DMUs because they have more frequency, or because the DMUs enable higher frequencies?

[electricron]

So have two cab cars on the end and a power car in the middle of the consist......Interesting.

Yes, but why limit the train size to just the two cars with cabs, adding one or two more coach cars to this consist should be possible. Amtrak stations are further than a few miles apart on the NEC.

[DutchRailnut]

DMU's may not even shunt signal systems , if trains at certain railroads are restricted to no less that 5 cars behind an engine ??
the Flexliners had severe enough shunting problems that both 3 car trains could only be run if coupled in US .

[bdawe]

Didn't the Reading solve this problem (at least for the not-axle counting systems), relating to that SEPTA budd car crash in the 80s when the equipment was not present on the particular train?

[george matthews]

There are huge numbers of DMUs and many different varieties in the rest of the world. There is no need to invent new types. Just choose a suitable style and buy them in. That's what the rest of us do with passenger aircraft. Most of them are American designed. But the US has very sparse railway service and very few vehicles, so would do best to make use of the much greater experience in other countries.

[bretton88]

I finally had an oppurtunity to ride one of the Sprinter DMUs today in southern California. If Anderson thinks this is a reasonble alternative for a route longer than 30 minutes, he’s out of his mind. The whole time I kept thinking I was on a bus, actually the busses where I live are quieter and more comfortable.

He needs to spend the next 6 months riding every route in the Amtrak system and some routes overseas. Take what works and throwaway what doesn’t.

The Sprinter is Diesel Hydraulic, instead of Diesel Electric. That was an awful design choice, rides so much rougher than any other DMU I've taken.

[ConstanceR46]

There are huge numbers of DMUs and many different varieties in the rest of the world. There is no need to invent new types. Just choose a suitable style and buy them in. That's what the rest of us do with passenger aircraft. Most of them are American designed. But the US has very sparse railway service and very few vehicles, so would do best to make use of the much greater experience in other countries.

Passenger planes don't need to be reinforced so that if a heavy-as-heck freight train hits them they don't crumple like a can

[R&DB]

Okay, so here's another idea. Why not contact Bombardier and ask them to dig up the Budd RDC plans (they bought 'em in 1987) and upgrade to current FRA standards. Original RDCs were capable of 85mph and could be MU'ed with as many as needed. Different configurations were available: coach, coach/bagg, all bagg. I'll bet they could even configure a 1st class/lounge if needed.