MARC Train in Race Street Yard PHL

Why is there a MARC train in Philly right now? 3 kawasakis, 1 multilevel and an HHP-8

training purposes possibly?

You mean four MARC III's (one a cab car) and a HHP-8?

While the training theory is plausible for Amtrak Police, it's also possible that the HHP-8 broke at Perryville and could only safely go north, so that yard was the only place where it could get repairs.

Couldn't it go to Wilmington if it needed repairs?

Test train. No, the 4911 did not break down at Perryville.

Maybe the company would like to test it out on the "speedway"?
Maybe the company wants to certify the coaches for 125mph?
Maybe thats where the particular side of the mechanical dept. that handles these types of events are based?
Who can know?

BlendedBreak wrote:Maybe the company would like to test it out on the "speedway"?
Maybe the company wants to certify the coaches for 125mph?
Maybe thats where the particular side of the mechanical dept. that handles these types of events are based?
Who can know?

What's to test? The coaches are the MARC III's, which have been around for over 15 years. They came out with the MARC III's while I was in college, back in 2000. I doubt they would run them on the Penn line if they weren't rated for 125mph service -- they run 'em on the CSX lines (Brunswick/Camden) for a while first and got 'em certified about a year later.

It can't be range testing because Amtrak borrows from NJ Transit, SEPTA, and MARC for coaches in the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season.

The only thing I can think of now is to make sure the HHP-8's can still haul a half-decent load.

The Marc IIIs are already good for 125.
Train is 4911, 1 Marc III, 1 Marc IV, 2 Marc IIIs, and a Marc III cab car.

photographed Saturday morning

STrRedWolf wrote:

BlendedBreak wrote:Maybe the company would like to test it out on the "speedway"?
Maybe the company wants to certify the coaches for 125mph?
Maybe thats where the particular side of the mechanical dept. that handles these types of events are based?
Who can know?

What's to test? The coaches are the MARC III's, which have been around for over 15 years. They came out with the MARC III's while I was in college, back in 2000. I doubt they would run them on the Penn line if they weren't rated for 125mph service -- they run 'em on the CSX lines (Brunswick/Camden) for a while first and got 'em certified about a year later.

It can't be range testing because Amtrak borrows from NJ Transit, SEPTA, and MARC for coaches in the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season.

The only thing I can think of now is to make sure the HHP-8's can still haul a half-decent load.

Well thank goodness they don't pay you to do the thinking.

CNJGeep wrote:The Marc IIIs are already good for 125.
Train is 4911, 1 Marc III, 1 Marc IV, 2 Marc IIIs, and a Marc III cab car.

Ok, now which of those coaches is only certified for 90mph?
Which of those coaches would need to be tested in order for it to operate at 125mph?
Let me give a hint. Its not the III SERIES.

Did these cars fit through Wilmington station, or did they take a longer way around? Before June 1, 1999, ConRail's dome car had to use the Shellpot branch because it was too tall for the station.

The train is being pre-positioned for Thanksgiving.

Or perhaps MARC is trying to give away the HHP-8 and threw in the passenger cars to sweeten the deal.

(Isn't there a MARC department on railroad.net?)

The other Marc thread indicates the train was testing between Ham and County.

BlendedBreak wrote:Well thank goodness they don't pay you to do the thinking.

Yeah, they let me go before they even consulted me on that.

Which of those coaches would need to be tested in order for it to operate at 125mph?
Let me give a hint. Its not the III SERIES.

You may be right, it may be a brand spanking new MARC IV. Anyone get the car number on that MARC IV coach? I'm wondering if it's a regular coach or if it's a new cab car.

Is this in any way related to SEPTA considering ordering bi-level coaches? They're replacing 7 AEM-7s and 1 ALP-44 with 13 ACS-64s that have been ordered (and more options) and just had an Amtrak ACS-64 running around the system for testing and crew familiarity a few weeks ago. They are planning a bi-level order, thought I don't know who is in the lead for it.