Why does AMTRAK?

[squeeze]

I notice that when there are multiple engines on one end of the train (not push/pull), that both engines are almost always facing the same direction. When the RR's ran their own passenger trains, if they were both "A" units, they would face opposite directions. This would always have one engine facing (the lead engine) in a forward direction. This eliminated a turntable or a wye to turn the train around (engines). A few years ago I rode the Capitol Limited to Wash. D.C. A couple days later I rode it back home. The engines were on the front end both times, but the passenger cars stayed the same. In other words, I guess, the engines were just taken off one end and another set was used to go the other direction, or they used a wye to turn them around. Personally, I like the eye appeal of engines facing opposte each other, plus the advantage of just find a siding to uncouple and run to the other end to go the opposte direction back home. Is there a reason that they tend to couple both engines facing the same way? Just curious, and when I searched this forum, nothing came up.

Thanks,

Jim

[al-in-chgo]

Hey, they just run the trains and collect the tickets, surely you don't expect Amtak to strive for a pleasant environment on board? 

 

[blue streak 1]

In case of the failure of the lead loco control systems (brake, horn, throttle, cab signals, dead man, HEP control, brake, heat, Air cond,etc) go to the closest siding and swap lead locos. Happens more than you think.

[cordon]

There's another thread below about how many locos are needed for an Amtrak train.  Some people thought that Amtrak uses two locos when one would do.  My opinion was that they do this for reliability, so they can have high confidence of finishing the trip.  There was no consensus about it in that thread, however.

Here, I offer a similar opinion. If the purpose of the second loco is reliability instead of power, then the second one should always face forward.  I think the fact that Amtrak always has the second loco facing forward supports my opinion that the purpose of the second loco is reliability.

My (admittedly poor) memory says that I have never seen two electric locomotives on a single Amtrak train, not counting the Acelas, which have a locomotive on either end.  Maybe the electrics are more reliable.

  

 

[daveklepper]

1.   They are more reliable.

 2.  Amtrak uses electrics only in the NEC and Keystone Corridors.   Engine failure would mean simply transferring passengers to a following train, usually about an hour or two later.  Very different than three times a week or once a day!

[aegrotatio]

 NEC electrics seem to be more often pulled by two AEM-7 locomotives.  I don't know if they are the uprated rebuilt units (don't know how to tell).  My recent trips always had two of them pulling us between NYP and WAS.  They both faced the same direction.  I found it to be a curious configuration, too.

I did see several parked trains with single HHP-8 locomotives but their trains were shorter than ours.

 

 

[oltmannd]

It's not BECAUSE you have a backup operating cab that Amtrak runs two units elephant style, it's just an added bonus. If you are going to have two units, might has well have them both face the same way for that extra bit of insurance.

 AEM7 DC electrics are good for something like 8 or 9 cars.  The AC ones, a few more. The DC ones (as delivered) could handle most any corridor train with a single unit except the clockers and the LD trains.  The E60s handled those.  When the E60s were retired, Amtrak used a pair of AEM7s until the AC  AEM7 conversions and HHP8s came along.