by AMTK84
I just got off the phone with an engineer who ran the METX210 for a round trip and a half recently, his reaction to the engine was 100% negative, because:
1. The engine was extremely loud in-cab; "Louder then any other modern locomotive I've run".
2. The radio volume wouldn't turn up to the required level for him to be able to hear it; he said that he shut down HEP every time he had to call a form B or talk to the dispatcher.
3. The engine took a very long time to load up; he said he lost at least 5 minutes each trip because of this.
4. He said that he didn't like using the button or the peddle to blow the horn; he said things were fine when he was away from people but when approaching stations with crossings near bye he prefurrs to use a horn valve.
He said that he wrote the engine up; but nothing was done and they sent it out again Friday morning and again Friday night. I hope to contact another engineer friend of mine who could give me his view on the matter.
The plan is to send METX210 back to RI if its problems can't be fixed; and take METX139 (At Western Avenue on the wheel machine...Why can't they do that type of work at M19A?) and use it as 210's replacement if needed.
1. The engine was extremely loud in-cab; "Louder then any other modern locomotive I've run".
2. The radio volume wouldn't turn up to the required level for him to be able to hear it; he said that he shut down HEP every time he had to call a form B or talk to the dispatcher.
3. The engine took a very long time to load up; he said he lost at least 5 minutes each trip because of this.
4. He said that he didn't like using the button or the peddle to blow the horn; he said things were fine when he was away from people but when approaching stations with crossings near bye he prefurrs to use a horn valve.
He said that he wrote the engine up; but nothing was done and they sent it out again Friday morning and again Friday night. I hope to contact another engineer friend of mine who could give me his view on the matter.
The plan is to send METX210 back to RI if its problems can't be fixed; and take METX139 (At Western Avenue on the wheel machine...Why can't they do that type of work at M19A?) and use it as 210's replacement if needed.
