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AMTRAK trains west of chicago, why only superliners?

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Posted by cv_acr on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 10:46 AM

Dragoman

And retention toilets couldn't have been a part of refurbishment/rebuild of the Budd (and other similar) heritage cars? 

All of VIA's rebuilt cars definately have them.

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Posted by HarveyK400 on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 11:09 AM

cv_acr

VIA also uses rebuilt Budd coaches extensively on their primary "Corridor" (Windsor-Toronto-Montreal) routes, not just on the Canadian.

I have to ask what happened to the newer LRCs?  Last thing I heard some time ago was that the active tilting was being disabled.

Given the length of at least some Tornto-Montreal trains, wouldn't double-deck cars be considered?  I can't imagine there would be a clearance issue.

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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 1:54 PM

Via does not have the station track capacity problem that Amtrak has at Chicago Union Station.   VIA is thoroughly aware of the advantages of double-deck cars because of their use by GO transit that shares Toronto Union Statoin with VIA and operates over some of the same tracks.   VIA picked up the ex-Cunnel equipment for just about scrap prices.   Even though rebuilding costs more than expecfed, expecially after problems required fixing, they still felt they got a bargain.

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Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 2:10 PM

blue streak 1

4. VIA on the other hand decided to use 575V and 300 Amps (?). This gave VIA capability to run their 24 car trains today.

3 phase 480VAC is an easy choice since that is a commercial standard.  I have seen 19 Amfleet behind a pair of P30CHs, once upon a time.  The P30CHs each had 2 smallish engine gens sets for HEP and could "MU" with others in the consist.

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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Posted by cv_acr on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 2:28 PM

HarveyK400
I have to ask what happened to the newer LRCs?  Last thing I heard some time ago was that the active tilting was being disabled.

LRC cars are definately still extensively used between Windsor-Toronto-Montreal as well. The newer "Renaissance" equipment aquired from Britain is mostly used east of Toronto.

Some of the LRC cars are undergoing refurbishment, at least 2 have been completed so far, and are painted in a slightly modified scheme with the bottom portion repainted a green colour similar to VIA's rebuilt F40PH-2D locomotives instead of the original blue.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 3:32 PM

oltmannd

 blue streak 1:

4. VIA on the other hand decided to use 575V and 300 Amps (?). This gave VIA capability to run their 24 car trains today.

 

3 phase 480VAC is an easy choice since that is a commercial standard.  I have seen 19 Amfleet behind a pair of P30CHs, once upon a time.  The P30CHs each had 2 smallish engine gens sets for HEP and could "MU" with others in the consist.

You bring up the 2 questions that are supposely being addressed by Amtrak.  But first the 480V system was a natural choice for station power. By connecting regular 240V transformers together using delta connections  480V - 3 phase AC is available. That reduces commercial costs not needing special transformers.

1. The inability of present locomotives to parallel their HEP was only addressed by the P-30s. It is a simple thing to do as airplanes have been doing it since the early 1960s.  [ however it might take an additional control cable? 

2. Paralleling would not be needed if new locos have HEP inverters built with enough capacity.

3. The other problem is HEP cabling and connectors. When Amtrak decided to use the commuter rail HEP standards there was no anticipation of long passenger consists. 

4. Amtrak has addressed this problem on at least the AutoTrain consists by rewiring the cars with larger cables for a higher amperage. I have been told that as Superliner cars come in for major overhaul their cabling is beefed up. When and if this has started I do not know. If this is also being done on Single level equipment I do not know.

5. IMHO the short term solution is to either place a rebuilt F-40  [ cabbage  ] with HEP generator or at least 1 P-42 at end of passenger consist to operate pull - pull?

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Posted by HarveyK400 on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 3:48 PM

oltmannd

 

 blue streak 1:

 

4. VIA on the other hand decided to use 575V and 300 Amps (?). This gave VIA capability to run their 24 car trains today.

 

 

3 phase 480VAC is an easy choice since that is a commercial standard.  I have seen 19 Amfleet behind a pair of P30CHs, once upon a time.  The P30CHs each had 2 smallish engine gens sets for HEP and could "MU" with others in the consist.

@Blue Streak: wouldn't this be 3,000 amps, or did I get the conversion wrong?  And wouldn't a separate and isolated mid-train auxiliary power car be needed both to handle the amperage and voltage drop?

I heard the P30CH twin 375-hp alternator sets were nothing but trouble keeping them in phase.

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Posted by HarveyK400 on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 4:06 PM

Thanks for the update, Chris.

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Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 4:23 PM

HarveyK400

 

I heard the P30CH twin 375-hp alternator sets were nothing but trouble keeping them in phase.

That's what I heard, too.

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

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