https://www.railwaygazette.com/tenders/details/show/mta-long-island-rail-road-request-for-proposal.html
Metro-North Commuter Railroad (MNR) requests proposals for the following:
RFP No. 227776 Design, Manufacture, Test and Deliver New Dual Mode Locomotives – Phase 1 Qualification
MNR is seeking initial qualifying proposals from firms to design, manufacture and deliver new dual mode locomotives as described in the Request for Proposal (RFP). This is the first phase of a planned two-phase Request For Proposal (“RFP”) process. Interested firms may obtain a copy of this RFP from Metro-North's Procurement and Material Management Department........
Deadline for submitting proposals is no later than 2:30PM EST on September 17, 2018.
MNR will report to the Section 305 Technical Subcommittee. From their August 23rd, 2018 minutes of meeting: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/305%20tech%20sc%20minutes%208-23-18%20draft.doc
where-as NJT and LIRR dual-power locomotives were required to have diesel performance reasonably close to electric performance and visa-versa, Metro North and Amtrak settled for much lower speed under electric performance, since electric was only to be used south of 125th Street on Metro North, and south of 72nd street on the former West Side Freight Line for Amtrak. Then there is the question of electric power, 600 or 750 volts DC and/or 12,000 and 25,000 volts AC. Metro North and LIRR only need DC. NJT AC. Amtrak both? Or does the tunnel under Hudson Yards between Penn Station and the former WSFL have clearances for catenary, not yet insalled?
Catenary on the Hudson Yards tunnel seems unlikely since third rail is already in place in Penn Station and the North River tunnels.
daveklepperwhere-as NJT and LIRR dual-power locomotives were required to have diesel performance reasonably close to electric performance and visa-versa, Metro North and Amtrak settled for much lower speed under electric performance, since electric was only to be used south of 125th Street on Metro North, and south of 72nd street on the former West Side Freight Line for Amtrak.
If you take the NJT Bombardier ALP-45DP it runs 125 mph under catenary and 100 mph as diesel-electric.
Amtrak looks for dual-power locomotives capable of 125 mph as diesel-electric and 80 mph on 3rd rail. The reason is that 80 mph is about the maximum speed considered safe on 3rd rail.
daveklepperThen there is the question of electric power, 600 or 750 volts DC and/or 12,000 and 25,000 volts AC. Metro North and LIRR only need DC. NJT AC. Amtrak both? Or does the tunnel under Hudson Yards between Penn Station and the former WSFL have clearances for catenary, not yet insalled?
Metro North only asks for 3rd rail dual power. The existing P32AC-DM run on 750 VDC.
I think the straight electrics for Amtrak will be multi-system locomotives like the Siemens ACS-64. They are capable of 12 kV 25 Hz AC; 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC; 25 kV 60 Hz AC; all under catenary.Regards, Volker
Currently the Metro North and Amtrak specification differ but I'm sure they'll agree on the same speeds to be able to buy the same locomotive.Regards, Volker
MetroNorth has no need of a 125 mph loco, which would be a more complicated machine.
The Metro North runs at 90 mph IIRC.
I don't know the Metro North specification therefore I just gave the Amtrak requirements.
On the other hand there is the statement of both that their specifications differ but not that much that it is becomming a show stopper. So they'll try to bring them together.
The NGEC group concluded in their Dual Power (3rd rail) specification that 110 mph instead of 125 mph in diesel-electric mode and 80 mph in 3rd rail mode are sufficient. This decision was guided by the MNR's, LIRR's current speeds and expected track dynamics: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/Dual_Mode_DC_3rd_Rail-Appendix_A_4-110_MPH_-_for_TSCapproval.docx
Why Amtrak moved to 125 mph, who knows?Regards, Volker
Maybe Amtrak eventually expects 125 MPH service north of MNRR to Albany where possible ?
VOLKER LANDWEHR The Metro North runs at 90 mph IIRC. I don't know the Metro North specification therefore I just gave the Amtrak requirements. On the other hand there is the statement of both that their specifications differ but not that much that it is becomming a show stopper. So they'll try to bring them together. The NGEC group concluded in their Dual Power (3rd rail) specification that 110 mph instead of 125 mph in diesel-electric mode and 80 mph in 3rd rail mode are sufficient. This decision was guided by the MNR's, LIRR's current speeds and expected track dynamics: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/Dual_Mode_DC_3rd_Rail-Appendix_A_4-110_MPH_-_for_TSCapproval.docx Why Amtrak moved to 125 mph, who knows?Regards, Volker
The information about Amtrak's speed requirements came from the minutes of meeting of the Group305 Executive Board and Technical Subcommittee which differed.
The are corrected now. Amtrak requires 110 mph in diesl mode, not 125 mph.
There is still a discrepance but has nothing to do with Amtrak's requirements.Regards, Volker
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