WashingtonPark wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 3:45 pm
Basically because it is a terminal point. What happens if the thing goes down in Huntingdon? Wait 4 hours for an engine from Pittsburgh or 4 hours for one from Philadelphia? Harrisburg is a major terminal point for Amtrak. No reason why they can't have a spare P42 to do yard work and head out on the line if there's a problem. It's not like their motive power is in perfect working order. Pittsburgh's only got 2 round trips. Do they even bother to keep a spare P42 there?
Nope, I've never seen a spare engine up in Pittsburgh. Amtrak basically has to emergency-order a NS rental to get up and back.
Besides, it's more like 2 hours to get from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, maybe 1h30m nonstop no-consist engine deadhead, and they had to refuel it from Harrisburg to boot. Won't be too surprised if they had a tech ride up to Pittsburgh to diagnose the engine, then ride back when it had to be fully shopped in Philly, and had another P42 come up from DC.
Which makes me wonder....