C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Let us give Metro North credit for trying to do the best possible job under the circumstances and not just walking away from the passengers. Compared to some other stories, this seems an example of good management not bad.
No credit!
Metro-North deceided to replace the 90 year old New Haven Triangular Catenary due to increasing maintenance cost. They deceided to save money by installing Conventional Hanging-Beam Catenary rather than the Constant Tension Catenary that is used from New Haven to Boston. Now the have to put it up again.
Now, lets see what Amtrak will do south of New York
Don U. TCA 73-5735
Think you got your facts wrong the old catenary west of Stamford was triangular wire, east of Stamford it was floating beam, due to NYNH&Hrr going with two different electrical contractors.
MNCR has been replacing the Catenary with costant tension catenary and where the wire damage occured it was 16 year old constant tension wire that came down.
All wire is back up and service was restored as of this morning.
Has NJT got its overheated electrical locomotives modified? Truly a much simpler job.
probably not, but then this thread was not about NJT.
But if they were MN locomotives you can bet the fix would have been found by now!
Not true, any railroad can't just modify a locomotive without severe problems with warranties on locomotive or components, railroad engineering would need to get manufacturer to ok any modifications, you just can't raise a safety limit without doing damage.
and no you can't open doors since the ventilation system is designed to be closed with all high voltage gear protected.
no you can't speed up a fan , as motors are frequency sensitive and fan blades start doing less when they are pushed past design speed.
NJT would need to go back to designers at Kassel Locomotive works and find out what went wrong, its those experts that have to find solution, not the railroad.
Dutchrailnut MNCR has been replacing the Catenary with costant tension catenary and where the wire damage occured it was 16 year old constant tension wire that came down.
If the CAT was 16 Year old constant tension that could be one source of the problem. MN may have reused the old NH variable tension pure copper wire as much as possible and not the newer bi-metalic CAT wire. The older wire wire streaches more than the newer wire. Further both wire types get a certain amount of streach set that requires adjustments to the weights after a certain number of heat / cold cycles. Maybe lack of maintenance? Other items are the length of the failed sections between weights, curvature, track geometry and surfacing. Any of the above or combinations could have caused the snags. Probably not geometry or surface since happened on more than one track.
wrong everything other than catenary portals was replaced.
problem stared when one car had pantograph shoe snag and tip near old greenwich, then with shoe tipped the train went thru CP 229 and snagged tearing down the wire.
Was it old or new wire at Old Greenwhich?
How do they maintain "Constant Tension" with "Hanging-Beam" suspension system?
Below is the new, New Haven to Boston, "Constant Tension" with weights on the poles to pull the slack.
DMU: If you ever get a chance to take pictures of the new CAT on the old NYNH&H setups it might be informative for those who have not seen the setups. Also pictures of the CAT weights and pulleys system as well. Thanks for these pictures!! Then maybe our posters can see the difference between thoses and the new Amtrak NH - BOS.t
Other than in non-replaced sections East of Stamford THERE IS NO FLOATING BEAM Catenary.
The section that got damaged last week was 16 year old constant tension Catenary.
Do I have to explain it again ????
Can you be specific as to which sections have constant tension catenary NOW?
all tracks woodlawn to Stamford.
tracks 3-1-2 from Stamford to Norwalk track 4 currently being replaced.
East of Norwalk I can't answer as my work does not get me there, I make a left onto Danbury Branch.
Thanks, and is there any truth to the story that the Danbury line might be re-electrified?
Yes and No, yes ConnDOT is studying electrification (40th study) however the cost of electrification is close to 200 milion for 23 miles, not included the extra new M-8's they would need (about 30) .
the cost would be ludicrous as electrification would make service subject to more outings due to tree's and would only benefit time by about 3 minutes, it would not get more tru trains.
People would still need to transfer in Norwalk.
Whoah, electrification will *still* need a transfer?
Don't bother. That makes it all pointless in my view as a commuter.
The New Canaan branch with far more passengers still runs shuttles outside rush hour.
What makes anyone think that the Danbury Branch with far less commuters will rate direct service outside the few rush hour trains.
Seems like there are better ways to spend money. Like commuter service to Penn Station once NJT has its own station and the LIRR starts running to GCT as well as Penn. A Queens station with convenient connections to LaGuardia and Kenndy and the LIRR should be part of such an addtional service.
Good point. Taking off my commuter advocate hat, electrification is always good.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.