#14 pulled by switchers?

[Guest]

I'm rubbing my eyes to make sure, but I just saw #14 leave LAX being pulled by two yard switchers. What's up with that?

 

[the_traveler]

Are you sure it was starting it's run, or was headed to (or back to) the yard?

 

[jmbgeg]

I'm rubbing my eyes to make sure, but I just saw #14 leave LAX being pulled by two yard switchers. What's up with that?

My ignorance. What is a yard switcher?

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Loking for a picture of a yard picture, but did #14 go right or left as it left LAUS. If right it was going to the yard.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

11 came into Los Angeles last night with a Dash 8 / F59 Cascades lash-up. #509 was on point, so that may account for the lead unit but I am curious about the trailing unit? Surely a Cascades engine wouldn't be mistaken for a switcher, so hopefully someone can weigh in today once they see it.

 

[Guest]

Yep. It was headed out for the run. I sat right next to it while they boarded and departed. I kept waiting for them to swap power, but it headed out with two switchers lashed up.Odd. When I realized they were actually going out with switchers it was too late to get a pic or get numbers. I hope someone can catch it later today and see what they are.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

Confirmation reported on TO that 14 is running with AMTK 510 and 509.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Confirmation reported on TO that 14 is running with AMTK 510 and 509.

despite being used as switcher/emergency power lately, they(P32-8blw's) have always been road units.

for more See: http://members.trainorders.com/geoff_s/amtrak/notes/index.html#P328

 

[AlanB]

Confirmation reported on TO that 14 is running with AMTK 510 and 509.

And just to be clear, 509 & 510 are P32-8's, sometimes called Pepsi Cans. But while they may look like switchers, they are indeed road unit and not switchers. They're just older units that don't have the newer, sleeker design of today's units.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

Confirmation reported on TO that 14 is running with AMTK 510 and 509.

And just to be clear, 509 & 510 are P32-8's, sometimes called Pepsi Cans. But while they may look like switchers, they are indeed road unit and not switchers. They're just older units that don't have the newer, sleeker design of today's units.

Well understood. I know them first and foremost as road units, but have seen them used as switchers during the past few years in both the Oakland and Los Angeles yards. Their appearance on the Starlight has definitely increased too over the past few years since I've been paying attention.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

The OP's topic would be clearer if he changed out the word "switchers" for something like "Dash-8s" / "Pepsi Cans" / or "P32-8s." While these units are backfilling the role of switcher sometimes, they are not switchers and really don't even look much like one such as this picture of AMTK 534.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

Here is a pretty shot of this train as it prepares to ascend the Cuesta Grade in Central California yesterday.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Here is a pretty shot of this train as it prepares to ascend the Cuesta Grade in Central California yesterday.

Nice shot, Thanks! Makes me want to be riding along looking back down the Horseshoe Curve past the Prison as the Sun sets over the Pacific and the train rolls into evening into the Mountains! :wub:

 

[zephyr17]

P32-8s are road engines, not yard switchers. Former "Pepsi Cans"! Those were about the best engines Amtrak ever got, and were regular power on the Starlight in the early/mid 90s. Those are great engines, and better, IMHO, than the P40/42s that followed them.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

P32-8s are road engines, not yard switchers. Former "Pepsi Cans"! Those were about the best engines Amtrak ever got, and were regular power on the Starlight in the early/mid 90s. Those are great engines, and better, IMHO, than the P40/42s that followed them.

Yeah, if you read the posts above, we tried to clear this up since the topic was misleading.

 

[DET63]

The OP's topic would be clearer if he changed out the word "switchers" for something like "Dash-8s" / "Pepsi Cans" / or "P32-8s." While these units are backfilling the role of switcher sometimes, they are not switchers and really don't even look much like one such as this picture of AMTK 534.

The engine depicted in the link is what most people commonly think of when you say "switcher" or "switch engine." Switch engines usually are used only in yards, and typically have only a long hood (no short hood or nose). Often they pull hood forward, but, as with many other engines, especially those used for freight trains, can pull (or push) in either direction.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

The OP's topic would be clearer if he changed out the word "switchers" for something like "Dash-8s" / "Pepsi Cans" / or "P32-8s." While these units are backfilling the role of switcher sometimes, they are not switchers and really don't even look much like one such as this picture of AMTK 534.

The engine depicted in the link is what most people commonly think of when you say "switcher" or "switch engine." Switch engines usually are used only in yards, and typically have only a long hood (no short hood or nose). Often they pull hood forward, but, as with many other engines, especially those used for freight trains, can pull (or push) in either direction.

Correct - I posted the link so the OP could draw the distinction between the switcher it exemplifies and the Dash-8s that he saw pulling the Starlight out of LA yesterday. I am guessing that because they do use these P32-8s for switching duties around the 8th Street yard and Union Station, perhaps that's where his confusion originated. I had #507 on a Starlight run and enjoyed the distinctly different diesel gurgle it made as compared to its Genesis brethren. Seemed to be much louder.

 

[The Journalist]

It's rather confusing that there's both a locomotive and an airplane called the Dash 8....though it's fairly obvious which is meant in this context.

*mental image of train being pulled by airplanes*

 

[Michael061282]

It's rather confusing that there's both a locomotive and an airplane called the Dash 8....though it's fairly obvious which is meant in this context.

*mental image of train being pulled by airplanes*

well yesterday we saw a "flying toaster"... so why not

 

[sttsxm]

pepsi cans and toasters....you guys crack me up!!!

 

[GG-1]

It's rather confusing that there's both a locomotive and an airplane called the Dash 8....though it's fairly obvious which is meant in this context.

*mental image of train being pulled by airplanes*

well yesterday we saw a "flying toaster"... so why not

So how about this My link

Aloha

 

[had8ley]

These creatures were a version of the freight Dash 8 which really didn't do too much to improve GE's dependability. The Sunset got two for a while when they first came out. The mountains were a challenge and many a Sunset had to be towed by an SP/UP freight engine. Amtrak has them right where they need to be~ close to a mechanical shop that can get them running again. NOL has used one for quite some time now in addition to the old SW-1200 that was probably there when Amtrak took over.

 

[MattW]

There was also the M-496 Black Beetle that the New York Central played with...

Back when I could keep a daily eye on the Crescent (last fall), one of the trainsets typically ran with a DASH-8 as the second locomotive. It seemed it'd always be on #19 every four days.

 

[Oldsmoboi]

I read the thread title and was thinking this......

 

[leemell]

I read the thread title and was thinking this......

I saw it this morning out of LA with a Genesis in front and 509 second.