ACS-64 Heads Up

[jis]

yes. I don't think the PR department plays much of a role in the service introduction timing. It will happen when it will happen in course of things and PR will send out appropriate PR material and possibly an event around it.

 

[Acela150]

Just a quick update if any of you guys are.wondering.where these motors are

600- in Wilmington shops

601- still in Sacramento

602- at Wilmington shops hooked up to some amfleet cars and the.953

604- sitting In ivy city yard in Washington

605- in Boston

606-enroute via train 6, someone sent a picture.of.it.

It's not listed here but 603 had been sent to Alstom's Hornell plant for indoor climate testing. Is it still there?

It was transferred to NYP from ALB on the 20th of September. Saw it be put onto 68 myself.

 

[bgiaquin]

Per a report at Trainorders, the first ACS-64 will enter revenue service on Friday, November 15.

Thanks Bill!! Hoping I can catch her! Any word on which unit?

No clue on that. It will be neat to see them in service.

I am going to guess # 602.

 

[Nathanael]

yes. I don;t think the PR department plays much of a role in the service introduction timing. It will happen when it will happen in course of things and PR will send out appropriate PR material and possibly an event around it.

In PR terms, I think the time to announce it is during a "slow week" when ridership is *lower* than average, just in case it does cause some extra riders. If Amtrak gets the ACS-64 deployed for Thanksgiving service, it would probably be wise not to mention it until the next week.

 

[Agent]

I caught ACS-64 AMTK 606 on train #6 being led by P42DC AMTK 6 this morning. The California Zephyr was running one hour and nineteen minutes late when it passes through Agency, Iowa.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

yes. I don't think the PR department plays much of a role in

the service introduction timing. It will happen when it will happen

in course of things and PR will send out appropriate PR material

and possibly an event around it.

In PR terms, I think the time to announce it is during a "slow week"

when ridership is *lower* than average, just in case it does cause some

extra riders. If Amtrak gets the ACS-64 deployed for Thanksgiving service,

it would probably be wise not to mention it until the next week.

The audience for a full strength P.R. effort is not the riders,

it's the bosses: Congress. And their hangers-on. The media

members and "opinion leaders" of the chattering class who

exchange opinions at the Georgetown/Upper East Side

cocktail party circuits.

Remind the bosses that good things are happening at Amtrak.

If any voters or riders also hear the message, no harm in that,

but the objective is to influence those who have the power.

If Amtrak hasn't realized that its PR Dept is part of the Office of

Congressional Relations, that could explain some of its problems.

Just saying'.

 

[battalion51]

I caught ACS-64 AMTK 606 on train #6 being led by P42DC AMTK 6 this morning. The California Zephyr was running one hour and nineteen minutes late when it passes through Agency, Iowa.

About the only way that could've been better is if the lineup was AMTK 66 leading the AMTK 606 and the AMTK 6.

 

[jis]

606 is reported to be arriving in Washington DC today by 30.

 

[engr08]

These motors need some mod work done to them. From what I was told its not that serious, the windshield and relocating of some of the pipeline.

 

[jis]

These motors need some mod work done to them. From what I was told its not that serious, the windshield and relocating of some of the pipeline.

Will be done in Wilmington?

 

[engr08]

These motors need some mod work done to them. From what I was told its not that serious, the windshield and relocating of some of the pipeline.

Will be done in Wilmington?

Yes

 

[Acela150]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

 

[jis]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

At least one usually knowledgeable source has mentioned to me that the first commercial use of the ACS-64 may not be on the NEC spine. When I heard it first I was dumbstruck with disbelief, but who knows?

 

[afigg]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

At least one usually knowledgeable source has mentioned to me that the first commercial use of the ACS-64 may not be on the NEC spine. When I heard it first I was dumbstruck with disbelief, but who knows?

If revenue service does indeed start in a few days, we will find out soon. Although I would have expected that the first revenue run to be WAS to NYP, so they could have a short media event in DC with Boardman and others present.

 

[engr08]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

Im guessing it was the 602 but did the motor.have a big Amtrak logo on it or some design on it?

 

[Acela150]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

At least one usually knowledgeable source has mentioned to me that the first commercial use of the ACS-64 may not be on the NEC spine. When I heard it first I was dumbstruck with disbelief, but who knows?

Jis, I can tell you this was for sure a test train. It had 2 cafes on it. Freeing up one motor from Keystone Service or from running the Pennsylvanian would make sense on a few accounts. One being that they are short runs and can earn the trust of the mechanical department and more.

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

Im guessing it was the 602 but did the motor.have a big Amtrak logo on it or some design on it?

Big Logo...

 

[engr08]

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

At least one usually knowledgeable source has mentioned to me that the first commercial use of the ACS-64 may not be on the NEC spine. When I heard it first I was dumbstruck with disbelief, but who knows?

Jis, I can tell you this was for sure a test train. It had 2 cafes on it. Freeing up one motor from Keystone Service or from running the Pennsylvanian would make sense on a few accounts. One being that they are short runs and can earn the trust of the mechanical department and more.

An unknown ACS was testing on the Keystone Corridor around 2pm it was hustling to Philly. 4 car train.

Im guessing it was the 602 but did the motor.have a big Amtrak logo on it or some design on it?

Big Logo...

Must have been the 600 then because all of the other motors are else where

 

[ACS-64]

ACS-64 headed up to Boston with four coaches through New London, CT at 4PM 11/15.

 

[engr08]

ACS-64 headed up to Boston with four coaches through New London, CT at 4PM 11/15.

It was the 600 in the lead.

 

[Acela150]

Any idea on when 600 will come back south??

TIA,

Steve

 

[engr08]

not sure

 

[Fan Railer]

According to a reputed employee on RR.net, one more certification run is planned the week after the thanksgiving rush, and then fingers will be crossed for FRA clearance. Estimating by that schedule, we should expect to see the first unit hauling a revenue train sometime Mid December, just in time for Christmas and the New Year.

 

[ACS-64]

Southwest Chief 4(21) is scheduled to be picking up 601 today at La Juanita. 601 was at the TTCI facility/Pueblo from June 8, 2013 till November 21, 2013. The super consist will include 161, 601, 181, 9, 86 LAJ-CHI.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

So it looks like 181 leads 4(21) to LAJ and then 161 and 601 hook on and they lead with 161 to CHI? Is that right?

Forgive me if this has been asked before but where will it go from there?

 

[Acela150]

It'll be 161 and 181 hooking on in LAJ. Then 161,601, and 181 will be taken off in CHI and put on the Cap to DC. Then 601 will head to the Wilmington Shops.