B32-8WH's are normally used to switch the Auto Train at both the Lorton and the Sanford end of the line. When they are used as road power on that train, it is usually as a substitute for one of the normally assigned P40's, or to move an engine to/from shop work.
Tom
CandOforprogress2 So what abou the Auto Train?
So what abou the Auto Train?
Today's Auto Train uses P40s that were rebuilt under the TIGER program after they were mothballed left to rot when the P42s came out.
Rarely you see one P42 in the consist but one P40 apparently needs to be present for the conventional "freight-style" braking system.
Another locomotive sometimes seen in the consist is the GE B32-8WH which I've overheard crews refer to as the "yard engine" as it switches cars in the yard. One of these units and two P40s pulled our train coming north from Florida.
Fun things to know and tell.
The GP40's in question were AMTK 650-664, and were leased for two years from Helm (I think). Most were of PC ancestry and were equipped with signal lines and HEP cabling to serve as second or third units in a lash-up. They were also fully painted and lettered for Amtrak.
Amtrak used some GP40's at some point. When aged and notoriously trouble-prone GE P30CH's were (thankfully!) removed from use on the Auto Train around the early 1990's, the Company obtained a few GP40's and used them as middle units in F40/GP40/F40 sets for a while until the first P40's arrived from GE. The GP40's were obtained from a freight road, but I don't remember which one(s). I also don't know what mods may have been made to the units to make them compatible with the F40's, except for pass-through HEP cables.
The northbound Auto Train derailed around 5:00 p.m. on April 19, 2002 near Crescent City, Florida. Four passengers were killed, and several passengers and crew members were injured. The operating crew and onboard service crew 5 were roundly praised for their performance in the emergency. Some employees were so traumatized that they never returned to work, and there were some very serious consequences to some of those folks' private lives. On the other hand, some employees returned to work. Some are still working on that train. Quite a few have since retired and/or passed away.
The cause was a weakness in the roadbed, exacerbated by the passage of a heavy freight train shortly before no. 52's arrival at the spot. This rough location had been reported to CSX on a number of occasions prior to the date of the derailment. I don't know why CSX had not addressed it.
The locomotives on the wrecked train were P40's --- not freight units.
Amtrak had used freight locos in the late 1990s I had seen them at Acca Yard. also BTW anyone remember the auto-train wreck of 2002?
http://staugustine.com/stories/041802/new_655521.shtml#.VyD8nY-cHwp
Auto-Train's U36B's were built to SCL specs but were not picked up by SCL. There were 4 U36B's (4013-4016) that were built but never delivered that eventually became Conrail 2971-2974.
Are you asking about the early days when the service operated GE U36Bs?
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
jeffhergert SD70M-2Dude BaltACD CandOforprogress2 I know about Head End Power but that could be taken care of by having a HEP car. Anything else like lights and handling and extra bells and whistles? I know that F units were duel use. Amtrak could free up double Geneses Units with freight parings. Freight units are geared for a maximum speed of 70 MPH - to change gearing would require different gears on both the drive wheels and traction motors. I don't know if the trucks are engineered for sustained speeds in excess of 70 MPH. I believe passengers uses a different schedule of air brake equipment than freight does, what their compatibility is, I don't know. I thought you could switch from freight to passenger mode by moving the cutout cock on the locomotive's brake stand (or change the setup on the computer screen if it's a newer unit). That gets you graduated release, but it won't give you blended braking (dynamics and air being controlled together or something like that), and I'm not sure what the purpose of the second air hose is on passenger equipment now (used to be the communication line), I believe it's main reservoir air supply from the locomotive but am not sure. And you would still have to regear the traction motors and wheelsets, and take into account that freight units are heavier than passenger units (and the aforementioned truck designs) and so may have a lower safe top speed anyway, just look at what happened with the E60s when Amtrak tried using them at high speed. Of course if you only wanted to run your passenger trains at 65-70 MPH it might work out, MetroLink has been leasing BNSF units in place of cab cars lately and they haven't destroyed the system... yet. Not all freight engines are equipped for passenger mode on the automatic air brakes. I don't think I've seen the passenger position on any of our engines where the air brake set-up is controlled through the computer screen. When we handle Amtrak detours or company passenger cars we use the freight position, even if the engine is equipped with the passenger position. The only time I've ever used the passenger position was to compensate for a leaking equalizing reservoir. Jeff
SD70M-2Dude BaltACD CandOforprogress2 I know about Head End Power but that could be taken care of by having a HEP car. Anything else like lights and handling and extra bells and whistles? I know that F units were duel use. Amtrak could free up double Geneses Units with freight parings. Freight units are geared for a maximum speed of 70 MPH - to change gearing would require different gears on both the drive wheels and traction motors. I don't know if the trucks are engineered for sustained speeds in excess of 70 MPH. I believe passengers uses a different schedule of air brake equipment than freight does, what their compatibility is, I don't know. I thought you could switch from freight to passenger mode by moving the cutout cock on the locomotive's brake stand (or change the setup on the computer screen if it's a newer unit). That gets you graduated release, but it won't give you blended braking (dynamics and air being controlled together or something like that), and I'm not sure what the purpose of the second air hose is on passenger equipment now (used to be the communication line), I believe it's main reservoir air supply from the locomotive but am not sure. And you would still have to regear the traction motors and wheelsets, and take into account that freight units are heavier than passenger units (and the aforementioned truck designs) and so may have a lower safe top speed anyway, just look at what happened with the E60s when Amtrak tried using them at high speed. Of course if you only wanted to run your passenger trains at 65-70 MPH it might work out, MetroLink has been leasing BNSF units in place of cab cars lately and they haven't destroyed the system... yet.
BaltACD CandOforprogress2 I know about Head End Power but that could be taken care of by having a HEP car. Anything else like lights and handling and extra bells and whistles? I know that F units were duel use. Amtrak could free up double Geneses Units with freight parings. Freight units are geared for a maximum speed of 70 MPH - to change gearing would require different gears on both the drive wheels and traction motors. I don't know if the trucks are engineered for sustained speeds in excess of 70 MPH. I believe passengers uses a different schedule of air brake equipment than freight does, what their compatibility is, I don't know.
CandOforprogress2 I know about Head End Power but that could be taken care of by having a HEP car. Anything else like lights and handling and extra bells and whistles? I know that F units were duel use. Amtrak could free up double Geneses Units with freight parings.
I know about Head End Power but that could be taken care of by having a HEP car. Anything else like lights and handling and extra bells and whistles? I know that F units were duel use. Amtrak could free up double Geneses Units with freight parings.
Freight units are geared for a maximum speed of 70 MPH - to change gearing would require different gears on both the drive wheels and traction motors. I don't know if the trucks are engineered for sustained speeds in excess of 70 MPH. I believe passengers uses a different schedule of air brake equipment than freight does, what their compatibility is, I don't know.
I thought you could switch from freight to passenger mode by moving the cutout cock on the locomotive's brake stand (or change the setup on the computer screen if it's a newer unit). That gets you graduated release, but it won't give you blended braking (dynamics and air being controlled together or something like that), and I'm not sure what the purpose of the second air hose is on passenger equipment now (used to be the communication line), I believe it's main reservoir air supply from the locomotive but am not sure.
And you would still have to regear the traction motors and wheelsets, and take into account that freight units are heavier than passenger units (and the aforementioned truck designs) and so may have a lower safe top speed anyway, just look at what happened with the E60s when Amtrak tried using them at high speed.
Of course if you only wanted to run your passenger trains at 65-70 MPH it might work out, MetroLink has been leasing BNSF units in place of cab cars lately and they haven't destroyed the system... yet.
Not all freight engines are equipped for passenger mode on the automatic air brakes. I don't think I've seen the passenger position on any of our engines where the air brake set-up is controlled through the computer screen.
When we handle Amtrak detours or company passenger cars we use the freight position, even if the engine is equipped with the passenger position. The only time I've ever used the passenger position was to compensate for a leaking equalizing reservoir.
Jeff
CN's units are a bit different then, our GEVO fleet gives you the freight/passenger option on the air brake screen, but the SD70M-2s don't have it (one would think the computer system could be updated with it though). All the older units with 26L or 30CDW systems have the passenger option too, but like you I've only seen it used as a backup, such as when the pressure maintaining feature fails.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
CandOforprogress2 Your hubby has spoken but what does your cat say?
Your hubby has spoken but what does your cat say?
She is to busy trying catch the fish in the tank to notice.
Several firms rebuilt freight power into suburban locomotives during the 1970's and early 1980's. Most of them started out as GP40's or GP38's and the rebuilding was pretty extensive. MBTA, NJ Transit, MARC and VRE were the primary users of such rebuilds.
To my knowledge there are no additional light or bell requirements for passenger power.
All one would need to do is install new B trucks that can handle higher speeds; build a new lighter frame and fuel tank to lower the weight so that rail wear is less extreme, the trucks can handle it and the center of gravity is lower and install a new carbody with greater aerodynamics for higher speeds. Simple and easy!
This doesn't make any rational or economic sense, instead of building HEP cars simply build Siemens Chargers.
Amtrak and commuter rail rarely go 70 mph so the gearing should not be a problem. It might be too much horsepower
Interesting question
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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