It's not just because of the bailoff feature. When the speed control hits you on a DE or DM locomotive, there is no temporary supression like a freight locomotive. The LIRR installed permanent supression on them which makes a full application of the train brakes even if you are 1 MPH over the code. It is a big inconvenience in more than one way. First, if you were running a DE30 on a rock train with 10 loaded ballast cars, you'd be knocked onto the floor when the speed control hit you and the slack rolls in. There is just no way to control how hard the brakes come on because its a full application. Second, for another example, if an engineer hits an overspeed condition in non-ASC territory, the train brakes come on full and that train would go from 65 MPH to 50 MPH in 5 seconds. To get back up to speed again will take even longer and set the schedule back. With temporary supression this wouldn't happen.
On the freight locomotives that the LI and NYAR uses, when the speed control hits you, it is acknowledged by a tap on the pedal and a train brake application. You can slowly apply more brake (and bail off the engine brake to keep the train stretched) until you are at the prescribed code and that's when you can kick the train brake off. Can't do that on a DE30 though. It doesn't even give you a choice. You acknowledge the speed drop (or flip), put the brake handle in HOLD until the permanent suppresion light dissapears then release the brakes.
I can say without even asking anyone that the DE30s won't be used on leaf crusher trains for the explained reasons. I have heard they would be used on sandite or alcohol trains, but that is understandable seeing it would only be one car and another engine. They are only doing this because of their shortage of MP15s due to track work system wide.
Joe
