Well, this is too bad. Oh well, nothing lasts forever. At least I have my paper model, my pictures and my video of the unit in action. If I had lots of money I would just give some to Amtrak and have them fix it no matter how damaged it was, just for sentimental purposes. Oh well, it's their engine.
railfan619 wrote:I think it can be fixed then again it all depends on what kinda damage is done to the frame. If the frame is to far gone they may just use the remains of the engine for parts. Also it all depends who's gonna write out the check for this repair. If it amtrak then they may but if it's the insurance company they may total it out.
There is no "frame". It's a monocoque, as has been pointed out before - like a unibody automobile.
From the photos I saw, the rippling on the side sheets going back about 1/3 of the way from the nose makes me think there was a good bit of structural damage. And, seeing the #1 truck back behind the fuel tank makes me think that the fuel tank - which is part of the structure - may also have been torn up pretty good. Finally, you can't tell from the pictures if the engine/generator came loose from their mounts, but it it did, it could be a mess inside the carbody as well.
It was good to see the cab hold up pretty well in terms of protecting the crew. That was a pretty severe impact.
I think this one will be pretty far back in the dead line at Beech Grove.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Does anyone have a link to some post-crash pics??? I'd like to see how bad it is....
Marc
My train videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/karldotcom
On MNCR a yard collision did severe damage to engine, mounts and actually ripped them.
With this crash I have heard the engine and generaor actually got ripped out of floor and slid forward into electrical cabinet, with the Generator only 8" from cab wall.
If indeed this much damage was done plus the exterior damage its most likely the unit will be in back lot in Beech Grove for next few years till litigation has been settled then it will be scrapped.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
CShaveRR wrote:Over on Trainorders.com a source that's usually reliable with Amtrak information says that the unit's too badly distorted to be repaired. As has been mentioned, the monocoque design has no separate frame. Maybe, if the engine and other components are all right, they can help restore something else to life.
I'll give them $16000.00 for the power assemblys!!!!!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
.....Ok Jay, that makes sense. The construction seems to force the unit to have small wiindows at the front and that to me, looks like it is a space frame {Monoque type}, and that might mean trouble if it is distorted too much, etc....
I hope Amtrak can find the money to do what ever is decided can be done with it.
Quentin
Depends on who's writing the check.
If the frame isn't damaged that badly, it probably can (and will ) be repaired.
I think Jay had the best answer.
Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!
Modelcar wrote: ....From the photo I saw, one would think it would be repaired. Believe the facility down south of Indy, Beech Grove, is one location that could do it. I wonder what kind of frame such an engine has....If it is damaged beyond repairing, perhaps the engine would then be used to scavenge parts to repair others, etc. and if financing could be arranged, it would be replaced.Those bodies look like they might be constructed as a space frame as opposed to having a large heavy cast or forged frame. And or do they have crush zones...? As someone suggested, perhaps a new section then could be fixed to the unit to replace the damaged part.Just speculating....
....From the photo I saw, one would think it would be repaired. Believe the facility down south of Indy, Beech Grove, is one location that could do it. I wonder what kind of frame such an engine has....If it is damaged beyond repairing, perhaps the engine would then be used to scavenge parts to repair others, etc. and if financing could be arranged, it would be replaced.
Those bodies look like they might be constructed as a space frame as opposed to having a large heavy cast or forged frame. And or do they have crush zones...? As someone suggested, perhaps a new section then could be fixed to the unit to replace the damaged part.
Just speculating....
Q Monoque body. I think there are P42 engines on the wreck repair line with less damage. Amtrak is hard pressed for money for wreck repairs and they are not currently short of power. The engine will probably get down to Beech Grove on the dead line and stay there.
Jay
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
Of course it can be repaired - the question is whether it's worth it. Won't know that until they get it into the shop and torn down.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
With all of the talk about the recent Amtrak crash in Chicago, I have been wondering if the locomotive involved in the crash, P42 #8, is going to be repaired. There is a picture of #8 on rrpicturearchives.net that was taken a day before the crash and many people have commented, saying #8 was totalled and would not return to service. I really do think that it could be fixed, though.
The only reason I really care is that I have come across #8 many times in the past few years. I saw it the first time in 2000 when it was still painted in Phase IV paint. Earlier this year, I just happened to custom-build a paper model of this locomotive in its current Phase V paint scheme and have been displaying it for a long time. Then in November when the special GrandLuxe cars were going through on the Zephyr, the locomotive leading the train on November 4th was...#8, of all the engines. And then #8 was involved in the Pere Marquette collision about a week ago. After looking at the pictures, it doesn't look like the body of the locomotive was damaged that much besides the nose. The underframe, including the front wheels and the air tanks were ripped out from under it, but besides those two problems (the nose and underframe), the engine looks repairable. I have certianly seen worse locomotives that have been repaired.
Consider these two pictures of a wrecked White Pass locomotive, before: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=173765 and after repairs: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=207328&nseq=1
So, do you guys think #8 can be repaired? I think it can.
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