ACS-64 Heads Up

[NE933]

Now, when are those roof shrouds being installed? That would make for a nice, smooth unbroken roofline but alse a protection to shield or deflect airborn material?

 

[Acela150]

No roof shrouds are being installed.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[jacorbett70]

Today's 184 with the ACS-64 600 started WAS 48 minutes late per train status. I don't know why, maybe Amtrak has a Washington problem. ... It lost more time between BAL and WIL but that appears to be simply because it was stuck behind some train traffic. Maybe there was a traffic issue down by WAS. 184 is back in the saddle flying through Philly... http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/12439824334/

 

[Ryan]

I realized that after posting my tale of woe that I didn't come back and share my success on a COLD(!) Saturday morning:



ACS-64 Take 2 by Ryan Stavely, on Flickr

 

[MrFSS]

I realized that after posting my tale of woe that I didn't come back and share my success on a COLD(!) Saturday morning:



ACS-64 Take 2 by Ryan Stavely, on Flickr

Nice catch!

 

[Acela150]

I believe no Amtrak engine (or cab car) leading a train with inoperative ACSES is allowed to depart a terminal. So there is no choice but to have the ACSES PDUs if one has to run at all on the NEC. This has been the case in NEC North for quite a while. It became mandatory in NEC South sometime in 2012 or 2013 AFAIR.

That's 100% correct.. That's why the Keystone set ended up in Cynwyd. The cab signals in the Cab Car were inoperable.

But civil limits are displayed in cab. That is the whole point of ACSES. Also civil limits, specially on curves do depend on train class. So those limits posted cannot possibly be for say both Acelas and Regionals.

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That's my fault. I forgot that ACSES displayed civil limits.. But limits on AE, NER's, and any LD train or one with a baggage car follow different speeds.

Acela Trainsets with the Tilt Activated are listed as train type "A"

Regionals and Acela sets with the Tilt Disabled are train type "B"

LD trains I believe are listed under "C & D"

Freight is type "E"

That's just from memory of reading the Employee Timetable. When I'm home in 10 days I'll try to remember to look at C and D train types to clear this up more.. They're different but not by much.

I should also add that with the new electrics new cab signals are being installed. When I rode 171 last month Toaster 904 had the new type of Cab Signal. Which surprised me a bit as it's a new Cab Signal in a unit that will shortly be retired... But I would guess that they're installed for engineers to get used to as that's what they will be looking at in the new units.

Old Cab Signal:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3689748

New Cab Signal:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3689784

Do the freight trains running on the NEC have cab signals as well?

peter

Freight trains must be equipped with them to run the NEC. Cab signals are big on the Pittsburgh Line for NS. Most NS engines have them although some do not.

But civil limits are displayed in cab. That is the whole point of ACSES. Also civil limits, specially on curves do depend on train class. So those limits posted cannot possibly be for say both Acelas and Regionals.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

That's my fault. I forgot that ACSES displayed civil limits.. But limits on AE, NER's, and any LD train or one with a baggage car follow different speeds.

Acela Trainsets with the Tilt Activated are listed as train type "A"

Regionals and Acela sets with the Tilt Disabled are train type "B"

LD trains I believe are listed under "C & D"

Freight is type "E"

That's just from memory of reading the Employee Timetable. When I'm home in 10 days I'll try to remember to look at C and D train types to clear this up more.. They're different but not by much.

I should also add that with the new electrics new cab signals are being installed. When I rode 171 last month Toaster 904 had the new type of Cab Signal. Which surprised me a bit as it's a new Cab Signal in a unit that will shortly be retired... But I would guess that they're installed for engineers to get used to as that's what they will be looking at in the new units.

Old Cab Signal:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3689748

New Cab Signal:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3689784

A is Acela with tilt. B is Acela without tilt, Regionals. C is all other trains (like commuter trains), D is trains with Baggage cars

Which Acelas don't have tilt? Why would it be disabled?

All the Acela sets tilt. It becomes disabled on Metro-North property. And must be confirmed by radio to MNRR dispatch. Other cases are snow build up, a fault in the system, etc.

 

[Fan Railer]

Laying on the horn:

 

[Fan Railer]

From RR.net:

BuddSilverliner269 wrote:

On Friday, February 14th, there will be a NYP-WAS 18-car train pulled by the 601 to satisfy contract requirements.
On Tuesday February 18th there will be a WAS-BOS shakedown run and on Wednesday, February 19th it will return to WAS. If testing goes well, it will be conditionally accepted.

The 601 is expected to be placed into revenue service on Thursday, February 20th.

 

[jis]

A is Acela with tilt. B is Acela without tilt, Regionals. C is all other trains (like commuter trains), D is trains with Baggage cars

Which Acelas don't have tilt? Why would it be disabled?

Acelas with the tilt system turned off don't have tilt. The tilt system may be turned off if there is a defect in the tilt system. The ACSES system in Acelas detect this fact and automatically adjust the train class to B when it senses the tilt system to be off. This results in the B class civil speed limits being enforced rather than the A class ones.

 

[Anderson]

Fan Railer, on 11 Feb 2014 - 12:26 PM, said:

From RR.net:

Quote
BuddSilverliner269 wrote:

On Friday, February 14th, there will be a NYP-WAS 18-car train pulled by the 601 to satisfy contract requirements.On Tuesday February 18th there will be a WAS-BOS shakedown run and on Wednesday, February 19th it will return to WAS. If testing goes well, it will be conditionally accepted.

The 601 is expected to be placed into revenue service on Thursday, February 20th.

Ooohhh...an 18-car train on the NEC? Man, I wish I could see that!

(You have no idea how awesome that sight sounds to me...just the idea of an 1100-plus seat Regional...wow...)

 

[Nathanael]

If inflation starts running 4-5%,

Won't. Not with unemployment at this level. Can't get inflation without wage inflation. Can't get wage inflation when you can hire cheaper, unemployed workers.

 

[bgiaquin]

There is one important question that has not yet been asked: How long do they expect these new locos to last? Any Guesses? I would make my guess at 35-40 years.

 

[afigg]

I hope someone gets a good video of the 18 car test train passing by at > 110 mph. There will not be many opportunities to see that long a train pulled by an ACS-64. If there is a good long broadside shot, we should count the number of cafe cars in the consist.

 

[afigg]

There is one important question that has not yet been asked: How long do they expect these new locos to last? Any Guesses? I would make my guess at 35-40 years.

The Fleet Strategy plan has a baseline commercial operating lifespan of 25 yeaes for electric locomotives. Of course, circumstances may result in a 30 year or longer lifespan in use.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Fan Railer, on 11 Feb 2014 - 12:26 PM, said:

From RR.net:

Quote

BuddSilverliner269 wrote:On Friday, February 14th, there will be a NYP-WAS 18-car train pulled by the 601 to satisfy contract requirements.

On Tuesday February 18th there will be a WAS-BOS shakedown run and on Wednesday, February 19th it will return to WAS. If testing goes well, it will be conditionally accepted.

The 601 is expected to be placed into revenue service on Thursday, February 20th.

Ooohhh...an 18-car train on the NEC? Man, I wish I could see that!
(You have no idea how awesome that sight sounds to me...just the idea of an 1100-plus seat Regional...wow...)

The Autumn Express was 16 cars. I got a video of the Sunday run.

 

[Anderson]

Nathanael, on 11 Feb 2014 - 4:51 PM, said:

Anderson, on 09 Feb 2014 - 1:17 PM, said:If inflation starts running 4-5%,

Won't. Not with unemployment at this level. Can't get inflation without wage inflation. Can't get wage inflation when you can hire cheaper, unemployed workers.

Oh yes you can...just ask the Brits in the 70s. It's called cost-push inflation. All you need to trigger that is something to push up the costs of one or more major categories of commodities and/or a major, sustained slide in the dollar while commodity prices remain static in another major currency.

 

[Anderson]

There is one important question that has not yet been asked: How long do they expect these new locos to last? Any Guesses? I would make my guess at 35-40 years.

The Fleet Strategy plan has a baseline commercial operating lifespan of 25 yeaes for electric locomotives. Of course, circumstances may result in a 30 year or longer lifespan in use.

If the FSP assumes 25 years, I think 30-35 years is probably a safe guess.

 

[Fan Railer]

Good reminder: the 18 car train is a test train, and will double as an equipment move to take the 14 car chamber of commerce train (scheduled to run round trip this wednesday, 2/12/14) + 4 more cars back down to ivy city, WAS. They will be testing acceleration, braking, and HEP, to verify that contract requirements were met.

 

[Ryan]

Nathanael, on 11 Feb 2014 - 4:51 PM, said:

Anderson, on 09 Feb 2014 - 1:17 PM, said:

If inflation starts running 4-5%,

Won't. Not with unemployment at this level. Can't get inflation without wage inflation. Can't get wage inflation when you can hire cheaper, unemployed workers.

Oh yes you can...just ask the Brits in the 70s. It's called cost-push inflation. All you need to trigger that is something to push up the costs of one or more major categories of commodities and/or a major, sustained slide in the dollar while commodity prices remain static in another major currency.

Now that we have a non-rail related forum, I'd be interested in reading a thread where this is explored in a little more detail. I don't know enough about the topic to contribute, but I'd bet I'd learn from the discussion.

 

[NE933]

I hope someone gets a good video of the 18 car test train passing by at > 110 mph. There will not be many opportunities to see that long a train pulled by an ACS-64.

Well, our hope is that somesoon soon, we'll see a return of 18 car trains on a daily basis, especially during busy seasons. A single E60 would power swelled Crescents, Silver Stars, and Silver Meteors of 18 cars regularly. And I've heard of, and seen, occasionally an extra one or two.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Nathanael, on 11 Feb 2014 - 4:51 PM, said:

Anderson, on 09 Feb 2014 - 1:17 PM, said:If inflation starts running 4-5%,

Won't. Not with unemployment at this level. Can't get inflation without wage inflation. Can't get wage inflation when you can hire cheaper, unemployed workers.

Oh yes you can...just ask the Brits in the 70s. It's called cost-push inflation. All you need to trigger that is something to push up the costs of one or more major categories of commodities and/or a major, sustained slide in the dollar while commodity prices remain static in another major currency.

Now that we have a non-rail related forum, I'd be interested in reading a thread where this is explored in a little more detail. I don't know enough about the topic to contribute, but I'd bet I'd learn from the discussion.

Don't count on it. It's too free thinking, and not allowed by the censors, ER, I mean moderators.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Don't count on it. It's too free thinking, and not allowed by the censors, ER, I mean moderators.

Surely you've heard the latest, GML: there's an offer to let us pay for the privilege of being censored by the Pollyannas - oh yes, moderators. I feel so honored.

 

[Nathanael]

Nathanael, on 11 Feb 2014 - 4:51 PM, said:

Anderson, on 09 Feb 2014 - 1:17 PM, said:If inflation starts running 4-5%,

Won't. Not with unemployment at this level. Can't get inflation without wage inflation. Can't get wage inflation when you can hire cheaper, unemployed workers.

Oh yes you can...just ask the Brits in the 70s. It's called cost-push inflation. All you need to trigger that is something to push up the costs of one or more major categories of commodities and/or a major, sustained slide in the dollar while commodity prices remain static in another major currency.

Theoretically possible, but with *proper* cost-push inflation it'll feed into wages, and the mechanism (automatic inflation-linked wage increases) is largely missing in the US right now, so it won't happen in the near future. High unemployment will keep wages down because people demanding raises can be replaced.

You can also get cost-push stagflation, as can happen with oil price spikes, but that behaves differently -- prices go up, but wages don't. Which means it sucks more for the average person, but from the POV of Amtrak means labor costs don't go up (though diesel costs would). That might happen.

You can also get deflationary interest rate spikes due to distrust of repayment ability, but we kind of already have that. Although it could get worse. Anyway, enough macro...

 

[AlanB]

Now that we have a non-rail related forum, I'd be interested in reading a thread where this is explored in a little more detail. I don't know enough about the topic to contribute, but I'd bet I'd learn from the discussion.

Don't count on it. It's too free thinking, and not allowed by the censors, ER, I mean moderators.

There is a big difference between a civil discussion on economic theories and a heavily charged political post that calls everyone "idiots"; uses banned words; and is generally condescending to everyone. The former is welcomed in the special forum for that type of discussion; the latter is not.

 

[AlanB]

Don't count on it. It's too free thinking, and not allowed by the censors, ER, I mean moderators.

Surely you've heard the latest, GML: there's an offer to let us pay for the privilege of being censored by the Pollyannas - oh yes, moderators. I feel so honored.

Well there is an easy fix for that my friend. Don't contribute! And convince everyone else not to contribute too.

Then there won't be a forum to even post in and therefore you won't need to worry about being censored.

This isn't an easy job trying to balance the likes & dis-likes of several hundred people and trying to keep all sides happy. In fact, it is near impossible IMHO! But nonetheless I try very hard to do that and to guide the staff to do the same. And we generally give considerable leeway on many things. Things that at most other rail forums would be gone in a second and might even see one getting banned for life.