GLAD YOU LIKE THE DESIGN AND THAT AMTRAK HAS DONE SOMETHING RIGHT
More specifically, Siemens did something right. I got to tour the factory before the first one was released so I saw it being constructed. Very cool to watch them transform a light rail facility into a mainline loco facility. Waiting for a Chance to see them building Diesel Electrics.
There used to be grade crossings on the corridor, now there are none. The reason the cabs were moved on later P5s and GG1s were the result of a bad grade crossing accident with an early P5. All the AEM7 and E60 locomotives had their cabs at the front. The ACS-64 locomotives are probably constructed like their German counterparts wherein the cab is solidly built but the body behind the cab is designed to crumple in the event of a collision, so the cab remains intact and with minimal deformation. If the collision is that severe the crew will suffer their injuries from colliding with the walls of the cab, since they don't wear full safety harnesses and have air bags.
there are stil about 3 grade crossings on NEC all in Connecticut I believe but all in relatively slow speed area's
ndbprrWell intercity kids have been known to do things like dropping rocks as trains go by. E60s had grates put over the front windows. Then there is the Gunpow incident where the CR engineer was high on pot and pulled onto the main in fro nt of Amtrak. He survived. The AEM7 crew did not and these windows are much bigger. It is a very dangerous location regardless of break zones.
Rock dropping is not limited to intercity kids - country boys know the trick too.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
There will be a feature story on the new Siemens ACS-64 locomotives in the January 2015 issue of Trains.
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
Interesting that these locomotives are now being used on the Keystone Corridor:
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/New-Amtrak-locomotive-debuts-on-Keystone-route--42338?
The AEM-7's were "Toasters" or "Swedish Meatballs", HHP's were "Bananas" or "Rhinos", we still need nicknames for the ACS engines! I suggest "Frankfurters" and\or "Bratwursts"!
Jay1 The AEM-7's were "Toasters" or "Swedish Meatballs", HHP's were "Bananas" or "Rhinos", we still need nicknames for the ACS engines! I suggest "Frankfurters" and\or "Bratwursts"!
"Catwomen".
How about "Krautmobiles"?
caldreamer How about "Krautmobiles"?
A variation on that term was already used to refer to the Krauss-Maffei diesel-torque converter locomotives on Rio Grande and Southern Pacific.
Nah, they've already been nicknamed "Sprinters".
NorthWest Nah, they've already been nicknamed "Sprinters".
We'll see how long Sprinter lasts.
A nickname needs to be short and memorable. Sprinter meets both criteria, and has apparently been adopted by crew members.
FWIW, the nickname for the HHP-8 was not 'rhino' but 'hippo'.
NorthWest FWIW, the nickname for the HHP-8 was not 'rhino' but 'hippo'.
M636COwing to the lack of a nose horn, no doubt...
Pretty good! But I think more likely it's a different phonetic spelling: "HHPo"...
A locomotive without a horn?
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul of CovingtonA locomotive without a horn?
No, that's not at ALL what he said -- remember that M636C comes from a land where 'nose horn' actually means something:
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