P097(23) Anulled

[Amfleet]

Amtrak 97(23), the Silver Meteor has been terminated at Kingstree, SC due to engine failure. The train had over 200 passengers aboard. The temperatures inside the train soon soared to over 100 degrees F. Many passengers have been treated for the ill effects of the heat; several required hospitalization.

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[Miami Joe]

Hectic day at the yard!!!!

Expect #97 to arrive around 8:00am tomorrow.

 

[Amfleet]

The only place close enough I can see for a rescue engine to come from is WAS or JAX. Unless CSX is kind enough to tow #97 for Amtrak <_<

 

[battalion51]

Well unless CSX wants to have a dead train sitting on their main line they'd better move it. I expect that 98'd pick up an extra motive at JAX to haul to wherever CSX plops the consist, OR 89 might pick it up later on tonight.

On a related note, the annullment kicked my butt, as well as the Product Service Line Manager's. We were both going to get off at Winter Park from 98 and come back on 97, oh well. He ended up God only knows where, and I'm stranded once again here in Orlando at my Grandparents, no way in hell your getting me on no damn bus that gets into Ft Lauderdale at 2:00 in the morning. <_< So I'll just catch 91 tomorrow morning and have the pleasure of saying on my first AND last railfan trips of the Summer I got stranded.

 

[Amfleet]

Sorry your plans got screwed up B-51. Anyways enjoy your trip on the Silver Star tomorrow. B)

I love all these Emoticons :huh: :lol: B) <_< :angry: :unsure: :blink: h34r:

 

[battalion51]

Now here's my question, first off how are there going to be sleepers for 92 tomorrow if the cars won't get in until 8:00? Second are they going to use the extra board out of Miami to staff 92, since 97 wasn't there to bring that crew to MIA today. Also, why the hell didn't CSX just tow the damn train to JAX, with passengers still on board mind you, and then pick up a motive from there since Amtrak has a pool there, or send it from JAX and have them meet enroute? :angry:

 

[Amfleet]

Well I would expect P092(25) to depart 1 to 2 hours late if P097(23) gets in at 8 am. Yes the train could have been towed to JAX, but passengers were getting sick from 100+ temps. I also believe, CSX locomotives nor any other freight loco can supply HEP to an Amtrak(passenger) train which means no AC :wacko: . Well what ever is going on, there's a reason behind it. :unsure:

 

[Superliner Diner]

I don't know if it has anything to do with the crippled train down there, but here in the Northeast, the Silver Service trains today (Saturday) were horribly late. #98(23) was about 2-1/2 hours late, and #92(23) was running about 2-3/4 hours late when I last saw a Solari Board today.

 

[Amfleet]

There's no statas on Amtrak's webpage for P092(25). So I'm geussing it has not even left MIA yet.

 

[Amfleet]

P092(25) is running 2:54 minutes late. :huh: So it probably departed Miami around 1:30pm.

 

[battalion51]

P092 left the gate at approx 1:30 today, as it departed Hollywood at 2:00. I saw 92's Conductor and Engineer at Sebring, as the Miami board worked 97's equipment from Sebring to Miami this morning. I told Reggie what'd happened to me, and he laughed, as he was the Conductor I had on 98 at the beginning of the Summer when I got stuck in Orlando the first time.

 

[JongSuk]

Maybe they should start using two units on this train again. I know lately the Silver Star and Palemetto do. I only heard it used one.

 

[Amfleet]

The reason that the Silver Meteor carried one engine was because it did not carry an heavy mail and express. However, I think all trains that operate more than 100 to 200 miles from the nearest locomotive storage facilty should get 2 engines even if it only requires one.

 

[Miami Joe]

It has been discussed in recent talks about adding the second engine. A possibility for not adding is a lack of engines, with all the recent problems around the country. I don't know if they are stiill adding a second engine on the N/B. I thought they were using two S/B, then dropping 1 in JAX. That was started about a year ago to save diesel fuel.

To close the story, loco 134 had a bad AUX computer, which generated a code 44AC fault. 44AC = no Aux Generator output. No output generates a 44DC fault. 44DC= no power to the air compressor. When the air compressor is inoperative, the engine will not load, no load- no HEP.

 

[Amfleet]

When I rode the Silver Meteor in April second locomotive was indeed added in JAX along with 5 Mail and Express cars on the rear.

 

[battalion51]

It is very rare for 97/98 to get RoadRailers or MHC. Those trains need to carry two motives, not only for backup power, but the acceleration sucks right now. It can take us up to five minutes to get back up to speed after a stop. So ALL trains need two motives all the way!

 

[Amfleet]

What I'm always amazed about is how the Auto Train can move with only 2 P-40's at the head end. Your talking 16 Superliners and 18 Auto Carries with autos in them. A consist like that really needs more than 8000 hp or I'm missing something.

 

[Miami Joe]

It's only my opinion, but since Auto Train has no stops between its stops, acceleration is not a primary concern. Acceleration is critical, when you have multiple stops.

Other than the occasional slowdown or stop for freight traffic, Auto Train should be a continous "roll" from Fla. to Virginia.

 

[Viewliner]

.Dont forget the service stop in Florence, SC

 

[Amfleet]

I also realized the AT is limited to 60 mph. B)

 

[Superliner Diner]

It is very rare for 97/98 to get RoadRailers or MHC. Those trains need to carry two motives, not only for backup power, but the acceleration sucks right now. It can take us up to five minutes to get back up to speed after a stop. So ALL trains need two motives all the way!

True -- most of the mail & express on the Florida trains goes southbound on #89 and northbound on #92; and the bulk of it runs between Philadelphia and Jacksonville, although there are also some cars on/off in Washington DC. I don't think these trains get any more power than the rest of the trains running the route (excluding the Auto Train of course).

 

[battalion51]

It's only my opinion, but since Auto Train has no stops between its stops, acceleration is not a primary concern. Acceleration is critical, when you have multiple stops. Other than the occasional slowdown or stop for freight traffic, Auto Train should be a continous "roll" from Fla. to Virginia.

You make a good point in theory Joe. But the truth of the matter is that there are many multiple stops for AT. Opposing freights (as well as the SB Meteor) are objects the AT has to get around. My favorite Conductor says on the rare occassion that he works AT he says he always dreads it. When they go in the hole, they go "in the hole." Even with 8000 HP the pickup is terrible. He says an F-40 or DASH 8 should be put on the train as a trail (for a month or two period) to see if it would help one of Amtrak's biggest draws.
As for Silver Service 89/90 carries two motives all the way to WAS or PHI (wherever they drop the diesels) from Miami. 92/91 carry one motive from MIA to JAX, and then two to the point where they drop their diesels. 98/97 almost always has one motive all the way, although there is the rare occassion that we get two (once). The part that puzzles me is this, 89/90 carries five passenger cars, plus a baggage and an MHC, but they get two motives. Whereas 91/92/97/98 get one motive and haul ten passenger cars plus a baggage and a MHC. Where's the common sense?

 

[Amfleet]

Well the Silver Meteor can still move with 4000 hp, just has bad accelleration. Granted, the Silver Meteor should carry 2 locos, one for back up, even though it may not be needed. Another reason another loco is not added is because it chages locos in Whashington to an electric, and doesn't need the second loco for acceleration and 100+ speed on the NEC. The Silver Star and Palmetto change in Philly so the 2 locos help acceleration and speed on the NEC.

 

[battalion51]

My engineer friend Matt and I have had a pondering for a while. Is it possible to run a motive in the front as well as a motive in the rear? Because in tehory this could give the acceleration benefits as well for backing at Miami and JAX.

 

[Miami Joe]

Sure, you could run 2 engines. If you look between the cars, you will see the 480 cables and a blue headed cable. The blue headed cable is a communication cable. It allows the PA to transmit from car to car. It also transmits a signal to the loco if a hot journal bearing detector goes off in an AMF II.

You have to add another cable, with black heads, between each car and the locos. This will transmit info from engine to engine, allowing the computers to "talk". While the "lead" is going forward, the rear engine is set up by the lead's computers to run in reverse. The lead 's computers will also make micro-second adjustments on the rear's computers, so that there is no "slack" between the cars during acceleration and braking.