Long day for the Vermonter bug

[battalion51]

I talked to my buddy in Brattleboro tonight, and it sounds like the Vermonter had a rough day yesterday. When they got to Montpilear on 57 the 70 convienently died. They had to go to Essex and wye the train, putting the 175 in the lead. Emergency power was brought up from New Haven to Palmer, but it encountered a little problem. Both of the engines (102 and 109 I think) got put on the ground. The passengers were taken off the train where they boarded a little yellow school bus for the trip to Springfield where they connected to a Shuttle. Well by the time it was all said and done with 57 arrived in Springfield at 6:00 where the crew went on the law.

 

[engine999]

Not related to the accident, but why dose the train have to switch directions in palmer? Dose the connecting line not make a wye or something like that?

 

[efin98]

Not related to the accident, but why dose the train have to switch directions in palmer?  Dose the connecting line not make a wye or something like that?

The former Central Vermont/current New England Central Railroad line between Palmer and White River Junction has to be used in lieu of the former Boston and Maine rail line between White River Junction and Springfield. Access requires the train to run backwards between Palmer and St. Albans utilizing the Boston and Albany main line between Springfield and Palmer. It's either run on rails that are unsafe for any trains or run in reverse, I'd take the reverse move over running over unsafe rails anyway.

Correct me if I am wrong guys, but between 1971(A-Day) and 1987(the death of the train and the B&M Line) wasn't that the only line in which Amtrak utilized Boston and Maine trackage- until 2001 when the Downeaster started?

 

[Superliner Diner]

When the northbound VERMONTER gets to New Haven, the electric engine is removed from the front. A diesel is put on the rear of the train at that time. When the train reaches Palmer, the engineer moves from the cab (or another lead engine which then becomes a trailer) to the engine on what was the rear, and the train then proceeds onto the New England Central.

The last time I took 56 northbound, we had a special treat --- while we were on the siding at Palmer for the engineer to change ends, the westbound LAKE SHORE LIMITED Boston section came through on the mainline.

 

[battalion51]

Not unusual. Usually 56 waits on 449 at Springfield, but if 449 gets late they meet out at Palmer. But there is only one leg of a wye at Palmer to the NECR, so you do have to change operating directions. They tried using cab cars on the coach end of the train a few years back and discovered poor geometry in the cab car due to the stick rail, so they went back to just using two engines. The idea of Cabbage also doesn't work because Cabbage is too light.

 

[efin98]

But there is only one leg of a wye at Palmer to the NECR, so you do have to change operating directions. They tried using cab cars on the coach end of the train a few years back and discovered poor geometry in the cab car due to the stick rail, so they went back to just using two engines. The idea of Cabbage also doesn't work because Cabbage is too light.

Unles I am mistaken that's a cab car behind the AEM7 leading the Vermonter. Could it be possible it's only a seasonal use of the cabs rather than a full time use of the P40s and P42s?

 

[Viewliner]

While it's possible it could be used seasonally, I pretty much trust Sean at his word. I do see the yellow and white stripes of a cab car, however, the cab car could've been just used as a coach in this case and a P42 Placed in front of it..

 

[Viewliner]

Here's a picture of the Vermonter from a few days ago, and it is using two P-42s and no cab even as a coach.

 

[efin98]

My eyes must have been deceiving me or a photo was mislabelled as a Vermonter instead of a shuttle. Proves me wrong...

Correct me if I am wrong but for the two engines, is it possible to control from front engine while running the rear engine in push mode? If they can then I don't blame Amtrak for abandonning the use of cabs on the train and using engines on both sides.

 

[battalion51]

That is indeed a Cab Car. It's possible it got added with the electric at New Haven to go in for PM, Overhaul, etc. As for the engine thing it is possible to control both engines (and they do) from the lead cab. Same way they run two engines back to back, or a shuttle with a Cab Car, an MU Signal is run from one engine to another. In the case of the Vermonter all of their coaches have an MU built in. When the engine change occurs at New Haven a diesel is attached at both ends and the MU Cable is plugged into the coach. The middle coaches already have their MU cable in (those are put in at Ivy City). Once everything is MU'd they perform power checks, brake tests, and computer checks before departure. The train does use both engines for the duration of the trip, which makes for great acceleration over the road.