by CSRR573
Two different styles. Fixed Tension vs Constant Tension. Different voltages too
west point wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:17 am What caused the 2 - 3 hour delays Monday between Newark and PHL?3 trains (nearly) simultaneously broke their pantographs at Metuchen or east of there.
April 15th, 2024
3 or 4 trains were headed through the area around 5:15PM.
4 west- #3723 (NJ Transit Arrow III)
3 west - #3947 (ALP46)
2 east - #2170 (Acela)
1 east - #3862 (ALP46; stopped before catenary damage area and was not damaged)
5:16PM #3947 reports loss or dip of catenary power
5:17PM #3723 reports ongoing recovery from a penalty (unaware of pantograph damage? Why did they have a penalty?)
5:18PM #3862 on track 1 at Edison reports having lost power when they hard #3947 complain
5:18PM #3947 reports decisive pantograph lowering, passes #3723 and notices pantograph damage.
5:19PM Conductor #3947 reports pantograph damage
5:19PM #2170 reports broken pantographs (reported by dashboard in cab) on both powercars "while passing that train that was on 1 [sic]" (meant track 4?)
5:23PM #3723 still doesn't realize it has 4 broken pantographs. Dispatcher asks for catenary inspection.
5:24PM #3723 crew finds some cars without power
5:41PM #3862 allowed to run to Metropark under AMT 2.602 (test pantograph lower/raise and proceed under caution, report damage?)
5:45PM #3947 points out how much of a mess the pantographs on #3723 were. #3947 permitted to continue west with change to front pantograph.
5:46PM #3947 ordered to stop, requested by ET (EC?)
5:48PM #3723 requests a rescue.
5:53PM #3862 reports track 3 and track 4 catenary damage (catenary on the ground) at Grove Ave
5:57PM #3862 reports pantograph damage on the stalled #2170
6:06PM #3723 reports passengers jumping off of train (seemingly the only part the news covered)
A few other important things happened later that evening and night. 3 and 4 remained out due to catenary damage. 2 probably had some damage but was still blocked by #2170. #3947 was able to leave using its other pantograph but only after being inspected by ET. At some point a train on track 1 reported catenary motion or something bad and dropped its pantographs to continue coasting. For a while after that, trains had to drop their pantographs and only track 1 was open.
#3169 train at 10:55PM forgot the drop pantograph order and shook the catenary a bit next to some catenary repair workers.
#2170 had its passengers rescued by another train. #3723 eventually got permission to pull into Metuchen even with its damaged pantographs. I don't think #2170 and #3723 were actually towed/moved until after midnight.
