Real long Arrow consist

Last night, 3889 seemed to be unusually long as I walked from the east end concourse to the second car for New Brunswick (Track 10). The onboard announcements were asking people in the last 4 and 5 cars to move forward for short platform stations (Metuchen). I think 3889 must have had more than 12 cars last night which would be pretty unusual for Arrows, right?

Acceleration was pretty sluggish and starting/stopping was not Arrow-smooth.

Anybody know if there were extras tacked on (maybe a couple for the Dinky swapout) to eliminate an X move?

I could be wrong, but I once heard that Amtrak forbids any MU set longer than 12 cars due to the amount of pantographs. The more pantographs, the more wear and tear there is on the wires.

If you had 12 cars, which you more than likely did, the last 5 cars has to walk up for Metuchen going west (7 car platform - well 7 and a half), NB is 8 cars, four cars have to walk, Edison is also 8 cars, usually a hind end stop, first 4 walk back, PJ and Hamilton are 12 car stops, noone has to walk.

There once was a STATE law that would not allow either the PENNSY or the DL&W/EL to operate more than 13 cars in an MU train. DL had only one train that long...I think it was the 5:30pm out of Hoboken, later the TOM TABER EXPRESS. Rode the train once; was in the last car. As he pulled away from the Newark stop he got up to about 35-40, slowed to cross over from track three to track one (outside to center) at Roseville Avenue. By the time the 13th car was going through the crossove he had it up to about 50 and the ride was like a whip ride an an amusement park! Would love to do that again!

What are the functional and heritage differenced between NJT's MU's and SEPTA's MU's? Have either companies MU's ever ventured onto the territory of the other's?

GandyDancer, as you can tell from the replies that 12 car Arrows are a common sight on the NEC. Many of the weekend trains are also 12 cars but they don't always have all the cars open.

If the train was jerky and sluggish, there may have been a couple of dead cars in there slowing it down.

As for NJT and SEPTA MU's. NJT has nothing that is as old as SEPTA's newest MU, the Silverliner IV. The current NJT's are called Arrow III. The SL IV's are of the same Heritage as NJT's retired (I know, pile of junk and deserved to be scrapped) Arrow II. The main difference between those besides interiors is that the SL IV's have dynamic brakes.
NJT's MU being built much later than the demise of the old Railroads and the creation of SEPTA's regional rail system didn't operate in SEPTA service. SEPTA's older MU's the SL II and III did venture into NJ and up to NYP when operated by Penn Central (pre-SEPTA RRD)

Have either companies MU's ever ventured onto the territory of the other's?

Back in PC days, there were some Budd Silverliner runs into NYP.

WestTrentonFan wrote:What are the functional and heritage differenced between NJT's MU's and SEPTA's MU's? Have either companies MU's ever ventured onto the territory of the other's?

NJT arrows are used by Amtrak during Thanksgiving and venture out further on the NEC.

I've seen SEPTA Silverliners on the corridor headed to NYP more than once. Probably Amtrakers during the holiday season. Also MARC stuff.

What are the functional and heritage differenced between NJT's MU's and SEPTA's MU's? Have either companies MU's ever ventured onto the territory of the other's?

SIV's were built c. 1974 and the AIII's c.1978. Both were built for their respective transit agencies, not railroads. As built the SIV and AIII were pretty similar, but in the mid-90's the AIII's were rebuilt with AC traction.

As was mentioned you'll see AIII's on the NEC down to Philly every thanksgiving. I am sure that an SIV has gone to Penn, but I wouldn't know the circumstances. Heh, but if an SIV can make it to Atlantic City (transit festival) it is not a stretch to think that one has made it to Penn during their 30 years of operation.

I rode a 6-car set of SEPTA Silverliner IV's on an Amtrak holiday extra on Thanksgiving Eve 1990 from Washington, DC to Philly. The train continued en route to NYP.

Then, last Thanksgiving Eve, I had the luck of deadheading home from work on an Amtrak holiday extra that had an 8-car set of Arrow III's from Newark Penn to Philly. That train continued to Washington, DC.

The comparisons between the ride quality of the two trains was apples and oranges. The Silverliners pretty much shook themselves to pieces just TRYING to make it to 90mph. The Arrows, on the other hand were up to 80 with barely a rattle.

Nowadays, SEPTA loans out a few of their Bomber sets to Amtrak for the holidays. Maybe NJT ought to do the same this year with a set of C5's and an ALP-46.....

Joe

I doubt NJT will loan out pushpulls, as they are the equipment that is "in demand" and used by all the lines into and out of NYP. MU"s are only used on the NEC now (and to Matawan on the Coast line, but thats very rare) so an MU set can be replaced with a pushpull set, while a pushpull set can't be replaced with an MU set (except on NEC trains)

Now that the MU"s go 90, (same as C5's) there would be no time difference between the two types of equipment, and MU's would accelorate faster. I love MU's, but I can't see sitting in one from NYP to Wash - ugh.....and I can only imagine the Engiener running one from NYP to Wash - oh man, I bet he's not a happy camper come the end of that trip!!!!

MU's are used plenty on the M&E too, though...

ryanov wrote:MU's are used plenty on the M&E too, though...

Yup!! Typically 3-4 car consists.

Are these special AMTRAK holiday trains included in the timetables? or must one go to Penn Station or call them to find out?