AEM-7 915

Why is Amtrak's AEM-7 915 restricted from operating between New Haven and Boston?

Is it really? That's bizarre!

How permanent is this restriction, Mr. MBTA?

I'm not disputing for one moment that you learned this from a relaible source, but let us be mindful that locomotives can be restricted from a particular line or use for any of a number of reasons.

For example, a locomotive could have a defective front end MU cable, but was otherwise servicable. It would find itself being restricted to lead unit only. Likewise an otherwise servicable locomotive could have a defect with cab signalling equipment or controls. That locomotive could be restricted to trailing unit only.

Dual service units such as Amtrak's 700's or the New Haven's FL-9's could have a defect with their auxilliary third rail equipment and restricted until that defect was addressed.

So in the case of #915 who knows, but for that matter for how long will the restriction be in place?

It might not be ACSES (I may have gotten that abbreviation wrong) equipped for use on the north end of the NEC into Boston. Isn't that the only part equiped with ACSES?

I believe 915 has a wrong transformer in it, and can not run on 25Kv.

octr202 wrote:Isn't that the only part equiped with ACSES?

No, I think the southern parts of the NEC where the Acela does 135 mph (such as New Brunwick -Trenton, NJ) have ACSES.

How can it have the wrong transformer in it? All AEM-7s were built to run on 25kv. It might have a bad 25kv tap (in which case it shouldn't be in service, period), or the changeover equipment might be bad (tap switch, lightning arrester, etc), but I've never heard of any AEM-7s NOT having 25kv taps on their transformers.

in my book that i have right here, all it says is that 915 is restricted from operating between New Haven and boston, but i think Mr. DutchRailnut may be correct. I am not sure though, but that sounds like the most reasonable answer

Yes, Mr. DutchRailnut is most likely right, and if that's the case, then 0915 will have to be remodified to handle 25kv to get past New Haven. Case in point, the E60s never ever made it to Boston, they were so antiquated, that they couldn't even be modified to run with 25kv package. Heck, they couldn't even get past Harold Interlocking, right at the edge of Sunnyside yard in Queens across the East River from Penn Station.

I checked my AEM-7 book. The AEM-7 has two transformer primaries - on 11/12kv, they are connected in parrallel, on 25kv, they are connected in series. Thus, if the transformer works on 11k, it must, by design, be able to function on 25k. It's possible the tap changer might be broken, but it's not a transformer fault (which wouldn't be allowed in service anyway, since a faulty winding is dangerous to have in a transformer).

The E-60's could run on 25kv from day one, but the changeover equipment was disconnected (the tap changers and vacuum breakers remained though - the tap changer is internal to the transformer, the vacuum breaker is required for operation). They could run on 60hz from day one, too.

ISTR the last MN ETT I saw had speed restrictions for the E-60s in a number of places. That and the fact that they were relegated to haulling the heavier trains probbably limited them to DC -NY. I've seen pictures of them in New Haven, though.

unless someone orders a cheaper transformer without the taps and only wound for one primary, just beecause the book says, does not mean no substitude parts are used. if you believe the aEM7's are even close to what the book says your belong in land of make belief. :D

Nasadowsk wrote:They could run on 60hz from day one, too.

That's correct. As a kid growing up in Hazlet, NJ, I used to see NJ Transit's E60's running under the new Matawan - Long Branch 12.5 kV, 60 Hz catenary all the time!

MBTA F40PH-2C 1050 wrote:in my book that i have right here, all it says is that 915 is restricted from operating between New Haven and boston...

This may be old information, the 915 was restricted NHV-BOS some time ago, as were some others, but it has had a rebuild since then, so this may no longer apply.

915 does not show as having been rebuilt , its still DC and in NorthEast Direct scheme.
and I believe I saw the restriction in a GO or daily bulletin not to long ago.

DutchRailnut wrote:915 does not show as having been rebuilt , its still DC and in NorthEast Direct scheme.
and I believe I saw the restriction in a GO or daily bulletin not to long ago.

I was going by the AEM-7 Status page
http://www.geocities.com/subchen/aem7status.html
which shows in the update history...
"7/12/03: AEM-7 915 rebuilt and its livery changed to Acela/Wave."