Amtrak Hiawatha Service - Muskego Yard Bypass Project in Milwaukee.

[CMStPnP]

Interesting, this is fully funded and moving forwards.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WskiaPG5f6w&t=688s

[CMStPnP]

So on this project I did submit some comments.   Specifically concerning Chicago to Miller Park Stadium charters which I am happy to report that Amtrak experimented with a little last year but they ended the trip at the Milwaukee Amtrak Depot and bussed the passengers the rest of the way.    I suggested to this project specifically that they might take into account running the rail charter right to Miller Stadium and that the bypass design should be flexible enough not to preclude that from happening in the future.

[daveklepper]

Good work!   Hope they listen to you!

[Overmod]

CMStPnP

I suggested to this project specifically that they might take into account running the rail charter right to Miller Stadium

Do you have the details of the service to Giants Stadium in North Arlington that we got set up?  Costs and types of improvement (and vs. shuttle bussing) are available and probably make the basis of a good video presentation intercut with contemporary Chicago and Milwaukee equipment and assets...

[CMStPnP]

Overmod

Do you have the details of the service to Giants Stadium in North Arlington that we got set up?  Costs and types of improvement (and vs. shuttle bussing) are available and probably make the basis of a good video presentation intercut with contemporary Chicago and Milwaukee equipment and assets... Add Quote to your Post

Sorry I can't answer right away because my account is under moderated posting and nobody at TRAINS seems to know how to remove it from that status.   It's been broken for about 5-6 months, probably longer as I lost track of when it actually happened.

Anyhow, no I have not seen that doco.   I will say this though the situation in Milwaukee is very ususual in that the CP Freight or city switching terminal is really close to Miller Stadium, so getting a hostler or switching crew to the Amtrak train at Miller Park should be pretty easy and fast (5-10 min drive at most).    The double track mainline through Milwaukee only sees 24-26 freight trains a day plus Amtrak and switching movements, so the tracks are not that busy either.    So it might not be 100% comparable to the GIANTS situation.   

Also, WisDOT already has ordered the next generation cars and the order is partially filled (35-40 cars done) but not shipped yet, the cars are assembled and sitting at the plant in Sacremento (not sure why none of them has shipped yet).    They will be switching over to the Siemens trainsets for Chicago Milwaukee sometime in 2021 (next year).    WisDOT is especially interested to get the cab cars because it views the cabbage units as dead weight and add greatly to fuel consumption (concrete filling).   

So WisDOT feels the new cab cars will result in a cost savings since they carry passengers and function as a locomotive control car.    I heard the cab control cars look pretty ugly too so do not expect them to be streamlined.    The new passenger cars are stenciled AMTRAK MIDWEST as well.   I think they only have commitment from the HSR consortium for one full new trainset for Chicago to Milwaukee service but that is just rumor.

[charlie hebdo]

If and when baseball returns to games played in front of fans,  a direct special train service from CUS to Miller would be great when the Cubs are playing the Brewers.  You have done some good work. 

[CMStPnP]

charlie hebdo

If and when baseball returns to games played in front of fans,  a direct special train service from CUS to Miller would be great when the Cubs are playing the Brewers.  You have done some good work.  Add Quote to your Post

Yes this pandemic sucks.    I think next Spring though we should have the vaccine in widespread use.    I do not listen to Trump, that is what the Pentagon says and in my book the DoD are the foremost experts on germs with all the research they have done in germ warfare.   I don't think they will have enough by fall....unfortunately so I think the Football season is also going to be tanked.

[Overmod]

CMStPnP

I do not listen to Trump, that is what the Pentagon says and in my book the DoD are the foremost experts on germs with all the research they have done in germ warfare.

You mean the DOD that invented Gulf War syndrome? 

[MMLDelete]

CMStPnP, I'm curious as to what you mean by the cabbage cars and"concrete filling."

To me, cabbage is cab-bag, IE a cab car with the rest being a baggage area. The Amtrak Downeaster has a cab-bag which used to be an F40 loco.

But I never heard mention of "concrete filling?" Does this have something to do with ballast?

Please illuminate me on the what and the why.

[Electroliner 1935]

Lithonia Operator

But I never heard mention of "concrete filling?" Does this have something to do with ballast? Please illuminate me on the what and the why. Ad

PRECISELY. The concrete replaces the prime mover, etc. 

[MMLDelete]

Why do you need the weight? Are engines (or former engines) softly sprung, and without the ballast they would bounce up and down and sway a lot?

[charlie hebdo]

Delete

[Overmod]

Lithonia Operator

Why do you need the weight?

I see you have never driven an Excalibur!

Locomotives were built, and trucked, and sprung, to accommodate their as-built weight, and weight distribution.  Likewise, a car like a big Lincoln or Cadillac is sprung to give a smooth, controlled ride with long suspension travel with a prospective heavy load of metal, leather, various kinds of NVH 'amelioration' and a buncha passengers ... plus a boat anchor 460 or 502 ... on board.

Take out the heavy engines and other components and two things will happen: the average ride height will bob up, and the spring rate will produce an effectively 'harder' ride over less of the engineered travel.

In the case of cabbages the former is the important issue, as even if you drop the draft-gear height to compensate you have an increased possibility of derailment with the bouncing.  Yeah, you could take the trucks apart and put in different primary springs, or fiddle with the secondary bolster arrangement, but that costs more money than cement overshoes and is less sure in outcome than they are.

I might add that in a world where cabbages coexist with powered locomotives using the same 'Blomberg' trucks ... or even many of the same parts ... bespoke tinkering with assembled trucks is not preferred to allowing stock-fits-all approaches, and I think the motors represent a comparatively small effect on ride-height issues.

[Overmod]

Lithonia Operator

Why do you need the weight?

I see you have never driven an Excalibur!

Locomotives were built, and trucked, and sprung, to accommodate their as-built weight, and weight distribution.  Likewise, a car like a big Lincoln or LTD is sprung to give a smooth, controlled ride with long suspension travel with a prospective heavy load of metal, leather, various kinds of NVH 'amelioration' and a buncha passengers ... plus a boat anchor 460 ... on board.

Take out the heavy engines and other components and two things will happen: the average ride height will bob up, and the spring rate will produce an effectively 'harder' ride over less of the engineered travel.

In the case of cabbages the former is the important issue, as even if you drop the draft-gear height to compensate you have an increased possibility of derailment with the bouncing.  Yeah, you could take the trucks apart and put in different primary springs, or fiddle with the secondary bolster arrangement, but that costs more money than cement overshoes and is less sure in outcome than they are.

I might add that in a world where cabbages coexist with powered locomotives using the same 'Blomberg' trucks ... or even many of the same parts ... bespoke tinkering with assembled trucks is not preferred to allowing stock-fits-all approaches, and I think the motors represent a comparatively small effect on ride-height issues.