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  • Special move (chargers)

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1468632  by MCL1981
 
Policy for what and why?? I can't imagine every new Charger now has to be operated as a double head with an MP36.
 #1468640  by CNJGeep
 
MCL1981 wrote:Policy for what and why?? I can't imagine every new Charger now has to be operated as a double head with an MP36.
They will be run with a second engine as insurance until everyone is satisfied they can run alone. No point in being able to go fast if you're dead on the main somewhere.
 #1468679  by D.Carleton
 
CNJGeep wrote:
MCL1981 wrote:Policy for what and why?? I can't imagine every new Charger now has to be operated as a double head with an MP36.
They will be run with a second engine as insurance until everyone is satisfied they can run alone. No point in being able to go fast if you're dead on the main somewhere.
Yes, should have clarified that. All Chargers will go through the same break-in. 81 has passed the test and ran solo this afternoon.
 #1468682  by jcepler1
 
Charger 81 in service this afternoon by itself. The other day it was with an MPI but I wasn't fast enough for a pic.

With the bombardier bi levels, on the Frederick line?
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 #1468719  by avgeeky
 
KTHW wrote:
STrRedWolf wrote:
KTHW wrote:The picture above shows a Charger leading an MPI-36, is this just as backup while the Chargers get all their quirks ironed out, or MTA policy? IIRC MTA was looking for equipment that it could run between all three lines but still achieve speed (125mph?) on the Penn Line. I don’t think the MPIs can run above 100, so I’m hoping that if they do have to double up MARC will use 2 Chargers.
I think more than likely that they accepted delivery at the Riverside MARC yard, and they're putting the Chargers on the consists there. They'll be out on the Camden line for a while (which I think is max 79 mph CSX line) until they can get a few Chargers out to DC and then back on the Penn Line to really push 'em.
I take it then that the belief is that a single Charger will be able to hit 125mph on the Penn line pulling a rush hour consist? I saw the video of them testing at Pueblo pulling 3 K-Cars, but I’d be interested to see how 6-8 fully loaded bi-levels will affect the Charger’s performance.
Well maybe if Amtrak dispatchers were a little more cooperative :D All jests aside, it's got 4400 base HP disregarding HEP, I guess if you give them enough time under green, they'd get there eventually. This compared to a 3600 HP MP36, which can barely hit 85 with 8 MARCIIIs, I'd say the two expresses between WAS and BWI in the afternoon have the best chance of hitting 125. If I'm lucky enough to get one of these new guys on my evening train I'll update with a max speed
 #1468850  by STrRedWolf
 
Well, MTA pushed up an update and tooted their own horn.

First: Engine 82 on the test-haul.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BheFW_jnDEu/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Second: https://mta.maryland.gov/content/penn-l ... e-april-23" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What else is being done to address Penn Line On-Time performance?

We will be introducing several of our eight new Siemens SC-44 Charger locomotives into Penn Line service in the very near future. Revenue testing of the Chargers started April 5th on the Camden Line and the first revenue test will occur on the Penn Line during the week of April 16. During revenue testing, a Charger is paired with one of our current MP-36 locomotives for redundancy and testing/calibration purposes. Chargers will be prioritized for assignment to seven and eight car rush hour trains – especially those operating north of Baltimore -- as they are released for solo revenue service. The higher horsepower and higher maximum speed of the Chargers will help with on time performance and reduce occurrences of MARC trains having to stop and wait for Amtrak trains to pass. Until all Chargers are fully deployed, there will be days when Perryville trains operate with one of our current locomotives and that may result in delays.
So my thinking is that once all the Chargers are fully solo, the MP-36's get put on Camden/Brunswick only duty, where the speed is tops 79 MPH.
 #1468955  by MCL1981
 
Will the chargers be able to accelerate from a stop remarkably faster? A loaded Brunswick Line train departing some of the uphill stations is anemic.
 #1469031  by D40LF
 
STrRedWolf wrote:
So my thinking is that once all the Chargers are fully solo, the MP-36's get put on Camden/Brunswick only duty, where the speed is tops 79 MPH.
8 Chargers alone will not be enough to run the Penn Line, but I agree that's where they should be run. MP36s on the Penn line should probably be used on shorter consists.
 #1469052  by STrRedWolf
 
D40LF wrote:
STrRedWolf wrote:
So my thinking is that once all the Chargers are fully solo, the MP-36's get put on Camden/Brunswick only duty, where the speed is tops 79 MPH.
8 Chargers alone will not be enough to run the Penn Line, but I agree that's where they should be run. MP36s on the Penn line should probably be used on shorter consists.
Alone, no. The six HHP-8's will still be running Penn line service. I'm more thinking that the MP36's will not be long on the Penn line.
 #1469081  by mtuandrew
 
STrRedWolf wrote:Alone, no. The six HHP-8's will still be running Penn line service. I'm more thinking that the MP36's will not be long on the Penn line.
How long will the HHPs operate? I haven’t heard how the BBD program is faring.
 #1469111  by STrRedWolf
 
mtuandrew wrote:
STrRedWolf wrote:Alone, no. The six HHP-8's will still be running Penn line service. I'm more thinking that the MP36's will not be long on the Penn line.
How long will the HHPs operate? I haven’t heard how the BBD program is faring.
Word from the conductors is that they're happy with the rebuilt hippos, but I'd give it this summer to see how they fare.
 #1470102  by MelroseMatt
 
Hello from SEPTA land. I only recently read about MARC's purchase of diesels to run on the electrified NEC, and I'm still trying to figure out what lead to this apparent non-sequiter. It sounds like MARC was tired of dealing with Amtrak for maintenance, and tired of unreliable catenary power. I'm curious if there was much pushback on environmental grounds? Or people are too busy trying to get to work to even notice the change? I wouldn't be surprised if most 'civialians' never ever realize the chargers don't have a pantograph raised.
 #1470158  by D40LF
 
MelroseMatt wrote:Hello from SEPTA land. I only recently read about MARC's purchase of diesels to run on the electrified NEC, and I'm still trying to figure out what lead to this apparent non-sequiter. It sounds like MARC was tired of dealing with Amtrak for maintenance, and tired of unreliable catenary power. I'm curious if there was much pushback on environmental grounds? Or people are too busy trying to get to work to even notice the change? I wouldn't be surprised if most 'civialians' never ever realize the chargers don't have a pantograph raised.
I haven't heard of any complaints. As you mentioned, the SC-44s are very quiet and they also don't produce as many harmful emissions when compared to MARC's other diesels. Overall, they will be an improvement for air quality along the Penn Line once they displace some of it MP36s.