How 'bout a Pantograph on the new Diners?

[jis]

Why on earth would you even think of third rail power. There is absolutely nowhere where you could use that for anything. Remember the only places where potential engine changes can take place in single level LD network are:

Washington DC

Albany

Philadelphia

Harrisburg

New Haven (someday again, maybe)

None of those have any third rail.

It might just be more cost effective to simply make sure that the engine swap happens in 10-15 mins flat, which can be done if everyone plans and acts quickly.

Also, there is absolutely no reason to shut the Diner down and kick everyone out. Indeed I have sat in the Diner multiple times at Washington DC while the engine switch took place. All they cannot do is cook. There is precious little need for electricity beyond lighting for people to be able to continue eating food that has already been served, and there is no need for power to serve the Salad and drinks either. Of course given that Amtrak has a tendency to shut things down provided any random excuse comes by, that is a separate matter that should fixable without spending a huge amount of money on a potential solution desperately looking for a problem that cannot be solved with good management.

 

[Hal]

Why on earth would you even think of third rail power. There is absolutely nowhere where you could use that for anything. Remember the only places where potential engine changes can take place in single level LD network are:

Washington DC

Albany

Philadelphia

Harrisburg

New Haven (someday again, maybe)

None of those have any third rail.

It might just be more cost effective to simply make sure that the engine swap happens in 10-15 mins flat, which can be done if everyone plans and acts quickly.

Also, there is absolutely no reason to shut the Diner down and kick everyone out. Indeed I have sat in the Diner multiple times at Washington DC while the engine switch took place. All they cannot do is cook. There is precious little need for electricity beyond lighting for people to be able to continue eating food that has already been served, and there is no need for pwoer to serve the Salad and drinks either. Of course given that Amtrak has a tendency to shut things down provided any random excuse comes by, that is a separate matter that should fixable without spending a huge amount of money on a potential solution desperately looking for a problem that cannot be solved with good management.

The don't shut it down in the sense of kicking everyone or anyone out. It is shut down in the sense that they ask people not already seated in the diner to wait until the power comes back on before making their way to the diner.

 

[Ryan]

Why on earth would you even think of third rail power.

I only brought it up to point out that it doesn't exist in Albany (even though the locomotive coming off has a shoe for it) and to be completely comprehensive since we're talked about the other two methods of getting external power into a car (pantograph and shore power).

 

[west point]

Instead of all the expense of pans, transformers, etc. Add 480 plug(s) on each side of the diner. It can be plugged in immediately to ground power and when the loco's HEP is turned off then a holding relay would release and transfer 480 to diner. Once new loco's 480 goes on line the relay would activate and then standby plug could be removed. Simple and not expensive just needing a transfer relay.

This could work anywhere locos might be changed now or in the future. Examples would be JAX in future, New ATL station if train is split especially northbound Crescent + those stations already listed. As well Any location where train consist is placed before loco attached this could work well. Might even add to present superliner diners.

Another point. PRR for a short time had electric diners that had a PAN - transformer for kitchen power. Unfortunately not much is known but they probably only worked on name trains NYP - WASH with slight possibility to New Haven. Some one once said they were converted MP-54s but doubt that.

Slightly off topic PRR started with 11.0 Kv and later converted to 11.5 Kv after WW-2, Amtrak now operates at nominal 12.0 Kv. Since power is V squared divided by resistance there is about 17% more power carrying capacity from same size wire or wires run cooler causing less power loss.. this voltage increase was accomplished by simply increasing the high tension supply to 138 Kv.

 

[cirdan]

You are overlooking the LSL. Not all LD trains that use single level equipment go through WAS. 4 out of 5 do when the Cardinal is included, but that is not 100%, If the Three Rivers/Broadway Limited is ever restored, then there would be a single level LD train that has an engine swap at PHL. If the CONO is converted to single level equipment, a catenary hookup in its diner would be totally useless.

Ok, I was obviosly a bit fast in making that statement.

Are there any other examples of equipment having a built-in feature that is only of use in one single location on the Amtrak system?