ACS-64 Heads Up

[Fan Railer]

They skipped 33 and 34? 0.o

 

[afigg]

Is that pink paint covering the snowplow on the lead unit? The same Trainorders post shows it didn't look like that leaving California.

Maybe it hit a pink flamingo?

As for #635 coming next, there has been a month plus gap in deliveries, so there is likely a small backlog of new ACS-64s that will be making their way east in the next several weeks.

 

[Agent]

635 did come through Ottumwa, Iowa today with less pink this time (although the paint on the caboose at the beginning has pretty muck faded to pink):

 

[afigg]

Saw this youtube video link posted elsewhere of #627 and #618 pulling the 60 car long Circus train through Secaucus junction: Amtrak 2015 Circus Train w/ Two ACS-64s @ Secaucus Jct. #602, seen on the foreground, was there as a chase/protect engine in case there was a problem pulling the Circus train through the tunnels to Long Island.

So what is the pets on board policy for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus train?

 

[Agent]

Not the best quality, but I found a video of Amtrak #30(24), the Capitol Limited, with a new ACS-64. I can't tell which one.

http://youtu.be/31vA5IZWNTU

Meanwhile, Amtrak #6(24) departed California with AMTK 633: www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3672829.

 

[Agent]

Here's Amtrak #6 with 633 running about an hour and a half later in Agency, Iowa. You might notice we got some snow yesterday.

 

[Agent]

AMTK 636 was on Amtrak #6(25) today. There was also an extra sightseer lounge with a "Big Game Train" poster on a window.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for sharing! IMO the best way to see snow is from the Lounge on a high balling LD Train!

 

[jis]

So we are past the halfway mark!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.

 

[Agent]

Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.

What are the modifications that are needed?

 

[user 1215]

Where are these being manufactured, and why would there be pictures on railpictures.net of the ACS being towed in NEVADA???

 

[Ryan]

They're being manufactured in California and transported to the east coast using the CZ and then Cap or Card.

 

[user 1215]

Ahhh. Ok. For some reason, I thought they were being manufactured on the East Coast. How many more are to be delivered?

 

[Ryan]

We just passed the halfway point.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Ahhh. Ok. For some reason, I thought they were being manufactured on the East Coast. How many more are to be delivered?

The Viewliner II's are being manufactured on the east coast. You probably already knew that.

 

[KmH]

Yep.

Siemens is assembling the ACS-64's in Florin, California to comply with the "Buy American" part of the 1982 Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

The traction inverters and other electrical pieces are made in Alpharetta and Norcross, GA. The traction motors and gear units are built in Norwood, OH.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.

What are the modifications that are needed?

Some of the lower units do not have the same software as the higher units. They are light years behind. Additionally, some of the newer features that were added during the year of operation must be installed in some of the lower units. The next change is already afoot. The shakedown train this week will test the compatibility of two units on opposite ends of the train. While this was a common operating procedure for diesels, it didn't work with the AEM-7s or HHP-8s. As such, that mod will be installed on the lower units.

They are a work in progress.

One feature that none of them have is the fix for that gaping hole they were warned about. Hopefully, they will have installed some sort of shroud or shield by next winter.

 

[City of Miami]

ACS-64 #636 arrived on train 50 last night.

 

[PerRock]

Any news on the roof cowling? I've seen pictures of the parts that are reportedly going on the roof, but haven't seen an ACS-64 with them on it.

peter

 

[neroden]

Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.

What are the modifications that are needed?

Some of the lower units do not have the same software as the higher units. They are light years behind. Additionally, some of the newer features that were added during the year of operation must be installed in some of the lower units. The next change is already afoot. The shakedown train this week will test the compatibility of two units on opposite ends of the train. While this was a common operating procedure for diesels, it didn't work with the AEM-7s or HHP-8s. As such, that mod will be installed on the lower units.

They are a work in progress.

One feature that none of them have is the fix for that gaping hole they were warned about. Hopefully, they will have installed some sort of shroud or shield by next winter.

Thanks very much for the information. I hope that the retrofits go fairly quickly and that all the ACS-64s are "fully modernized" by the end of the year. If it's mostly software, that should be easy; if there's a lot of hardware, I guess it could take a while.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'm sure this is a long shot but did anyone happen to capture video of the 629/630 sandwich train?

 

[Ryan]

Have you looked at the Northeast Corridor Railfans group on Facebook? Decent chance someone there did.

 

[Agent]

Found two videos from Wednesday. First on the Hell Gate Line:



And this one is from South Attleboro, Massachusetts:

http://youtu.be/D6kl85t5Qj8

 

[Thirdrail7]

Thank you Agent. This works since I'm not on Facebook.