AMTRAK'S ALC-42'S and ALC-42E'S paint scheme questio +question about where the new ALC-42'S operate

Man I had a yard assingment yesterday and my back is still killing me. We moved to some acreage down south and lots of work to maintain.

GBN if you're up for some leaf burning, come on down and I'll make you some good southern cooking. Does your MILW pass still work on the Amtrak system? Maybe when the Gulf Coast corridor starts up in 2035?

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:29 am

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:54 pm Fortunately by the time this happens I will be retired or holding a some form of a yard assignment.

As in doing your yard work at home?????

Give the wife a chance she is compiling a list for once the snow melts.

Tadman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 10:10 am Man I had a yard assingment yesterday and my back is still killing me. We moved to some acreage down south and lots of work to maintain.

GBN if you're up for some leaf burning, come on down and I'll make you some good southern cooking. Does your MILW pass still work on the Amtrak system? Maybe when the Gulf Coast corridor starts up in 2035?

As someone once said, hard work will set you free.
A strong mind makes a weak back, A weak back makes a strong mind.
Then man made machines you could ride on and do the work for you. Mulch those leaves and start a compost pile some of the best fertilizer you will ever get.

Just build them like the Airo sets. ALC, then a business class with PAN, transformer, rectifier, inverters, batteries, powered trucks, and power cabling to loco. In stations with CAT the PAN is up, diesel shut off, CAT providing HEP thru inverters and charging batteries. Leaving station on CAT, start diesel and when CAT ends diesel goes to max power with batteries helping to obtain 8 axel acceleration.

Once reaching max track speed then use whatever portion of diesel power needed to maintain max track speed and charge batteries with left over power. If batteries not fully charged when slowing regeneration also helps charge the batteries. At station stops either diesel of CAT finish charging batteries.

Not sure if west side connection CAT is energized but use it to maintain max track speeds to end of CAT at about 48th street. If CAT is extended up west side all the better. Using third rail pick ups will limit HP that can be supplied for running as maximum of 4 shoes not enough for a full ~8000JP available with CAT. That also limits the Amtrak trains to MNRR, NYP, and LIRR if problems of pickup shoes not getting knocked off as sometimes happens changing from underrunning to over running 3rd rail.

This Airo type operation is much more flexible being able to use present CAT limits BOS, NYP WASH, & Harrisburg,
already proposed future CAT - Wooster, Springfieeld. SEPTA & NJ Transit routes

Messrs. Dunville and Junkie, my idea of "yard work" is reaching for the checkbook, writing out a "mid-four figure" check, and getting ready for the screams from my "envirofreak" neighbor ("can't you just tell those people to not use fertilizer and Roundup on your grounds? It runs over into mine and my bees don't like it either").

Oh, and "Squealer" of course knew I had my Amtrak pass, which was good for twelve trips a year in Coach over the MILW lines. Half rate elsewhere - again Coach, and ever so officiously lifted it on my final day during January '82 (one day - and rather productive as I recall - to get my five weeks' vacation earned during '81).

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 7:23 am Messrs. Dunville and Junkie, my idea of "yard work" is reaching for the checkbook, writing out a "mid-four figure" check, and getting ready for the screams from my "envirofreak" neighbor ("can't you just tell those people to not use fertilizer and Roundup on your grounds? It runs over into mine and my bees don't like it either").

Oh, and "Squealer" of course knew I had my Amtrak pass, which was good for twelve trips a year in Coach over the MILW lines. Half rate elsewhere - again Coach, and ever so officiously lifted it on my final day during January '82 (one day - and rather productive as I recall - to get my five weeks' vacation earned during '81).

I loved those people when I did lawn care before I came to the railroad. One town there were a few of them and they would follow you around and tell you how to do your job. I do recall doing a tree and shrub service on a windy day which held to treating nothing above the hip, the NYDEC shows up scared the heck out of me. He had been following me around for a couple of stops and watched as I sprayed and explained to the crazy lady that I was doing nothing wrong. In fact I was using the wind to my advantage. She kept holding a cloth over her face coughing saying I was going to kill her. Best part she lived on the opposite side of town.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 7:23 am Messrs. Dunville and Junkie, my idea of "yard work" is reaching for the checkbook, writing out a "mid-four figure" check,

I've seen your yard, does it really cost that much to keep it clean? My sister lives a few stops up the Burlington and some stuff is astronomical there.

We are now adjacent to the L&N/CSX gulf coast line in the woods. I have a tractor and I burn my leaves and branches or shove them into the woods. For that I use an old truck. Two things I never thouhgt I would have. I also have yet to see the Hummingbird or anything else come through on the L&N, but the Mobile State Docks are terrific. The variety of class 1 and shortline are very good, plus the Mexico ferry and the test trains for Amtrak's Mobile service that are vying with Brightline for "most crashiest train 2024". We have seen the ALC42 come through town but I have yet to photograph it, as I cannot figure out where they spend the night (or if they even do). Last month someone caught the Phase 0 black motor but I think they run back to NOLA so they don't have to pay for an overnight.

Everyone - Concerning the Airo trainsets and especially their locomotives - my thoughts are:
(From post #1637155 on Monday January 22, 2024 in the Amtrak to Long Island topic)

"I see NO point getting into an argument over Amtrak equipment types that are as of now multiple years
from being built let alone tested and accepted and finally turning a wheel in revenue service"

I am VERY skeptical about the ALC-42E units in particular...These are going to have to undergo months
or even years of extensive testing when they finally are built and available being new technology...
MACTRAXX

I wonder what the new technology is on the ALC-42E?

Bi-mode (diesel and catenary) Siemens Vectron locomotives have been in operation in Europe since 2019, so Siemens knows how to do it. Running power from an overhead collector on one car to another car isn't new tech (the Siemens S700 trolleys do this in the US, and most Siemens EMUs in Europe do this, so the firm knows how to make that work).

I spotted some ALC-42s handling the Silver Meteor and Silver Star down in West Palm Beach this past weekend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xwy6Cqgki4

Mr. Johnson, that is exactly where I was standing when I reported my ALC-42 observation ten days ago.

I also walked down to Okeechobee just as you did, when going to the Ruth's Chris immediately East of the Kravis Center, at which I will be going to a Detroit Symphony performance in a bit more than two weeks (also, like you, plan to do a Brightline joyride to MCO).

Finally, must wonder why that A-I Cafe lettered "Metroliner Service" was being deadheaded to Hialeah?

Today's 42 (10) has the NS 9913, the 302, and the 115. All three are coming off at Harrisburg. The 115 laid an egg last night and 30 dropped off an engine, but facing the wrong way. Hence the Dash 9, 8600HP for 7 cars

Hopefully Amtrak takes some steps to partially electrify corridors to help maximize efficiency and air quality around new airo routes. This takes the logistical nightmare of engine changes away. Maybe partial springfield corridor electrification or North station in Boston. Or the Washington D.C. tunnels?
What are some corridors that could be electrified or partially electrified easily with these trains now in service?

robelybasis wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 6:45 pm Hopefully Amtrak takes some steps to partially electrify corridors to help maximize efficiency and air quality around new airo routes. This takes the logistical nightmare of engine changes away. Maybe partial springfield corridor electrification or North station in Boston. Or the Washington D.C. tunnels?
What are some corridors that could be electrified or partially electrified easily with these trains now in service?

Electrification of the 1st Street Tunnels would be fantastically expensive. Both tunnels would need to have their inverts completely removed and the underlying soil (which is probably chock full of all sorts of interesting structures that would need to be diverted) dug out to a depth sufficient to provide the vertical clearances for the 12kV catenary. Then the tunnel sides and crown would need to be completely rehabiliated, reinforced and likely replaced in many areas in order to prevent collapse and/or degradation from the disturbances related to the soil excavation. All of this would have to be coordinated carefully with the rest of the federal government to avoid any disturbances to the National Mall and the buildings around it, and that would result in a very, very high cost.

What might be a possibility is that install CAT on storage tracks at route ends so the diesels will not need to idle all night.