New M.U.'s Are Here!

Tadman wrote:It's kind of wierd how the gallery died, but Metra kept it alive, with VRE joining.

Not to mention MARC. Both MARC and VRE are adding to their fleets using refurbished ex-Metra (ex-CNW) gallery cars, and VRE just sent an order to Sumitomo for an order of 11 gallery cab cars (based on the 8500's). They have an option for close to 30 trailers if they chose to use it. Nope, the gallery car is far from dead.

Silverliner II wrote:Off-tpoic question from an East Coast engineer. Am I to assume that the cab cars on the diesel lines there have an independent brake as well as an automatic?

Not off-topic at all.

I believe the 8400 and 8500 series cars are equipped with both independent and automatic brakes. See a picture here of the desktop in car 8589. Clearly the big red handle is the train brake, and I'd guess the smaller black handle to the right is the independent.

I'm not sure how the independent brake is used in service; perhaps Bones could fill us in on that one. I'd guess it's used mostly for holding the train when stopped at stations, as it's common to hear the engineers release the train brakes as soon as the train comes to a stop.

MikeF wrote:

Silverliner II wrote:Off-tpoic question from an East Coast engineer. Am I to assume that the cab cars on the diesel lines there have an independent brake as well as an automatic?

Not off-topic at all.

I believe the 8400 and 8500 series cars are equipped with both independent and automatic brakes. See a picture here of the desktop in car 8589. Clearly the big red handle is the train brake, and I'd guess the smaller black handle to the right is the independent.

I'm not sure how the independent brake is used in service; perhaps Bones could fill us in on that one. I'd guess it's used mostly for holding the train when stopped at stations, as it's common to hear the engineers release the train brakes as soon as the train comes to a stop.

Hmmm...makes sense to me...using it to hold a train after a stop. Thanks.

MikeF wrote: as it's common to hear the engineers release the train brakes as soon as the train comes to a stop.

When I get off the train at night, the brakes aren't released until after the conductor closes the doors and signals the engineer to depart.

"When I get off the train at night, the brakes aren't released until after the conductor closes the doors and signals the engineer to depart."

A lot of that depends on who the engineer is and what district it is. There are a lot of lines where the second the train stops the engineer has the train brakes released and the parking brake (or the independent if in the locomotive) holding the train. Use of the parking brake in the cab cars is frowned upon for fear that the engineer will forget that it is applied resulting in flat wheels. But like I heard one time, if looking down and seeing 90PSI on the brake cylinder gague, feeling the whole car vibrate as well as the drag of it applied isn't a big enough reminder that it is applied then he/she deserves flat wheels!

Uhh.. brakes are cool I guess.....What about the new MU's? Any word on their whereabouts?

IF they were 25kv AC, I'd say those jelous Pensylvanians on the SEPTA and Amtrak forums stole 'em for use on the catenary equipped but diesel operated Harrisburg-Philly run...

Metra would kill for some more electrified routes such as BN or RI, and yet you've got the east coast kids with an electric route and no electric trains to run on it.

Just keeping this thread fresh. I took the electric past KYD yesterday, no sign of the new MU's. When are the others to arrive and from where? Milwalkee? (I assume)

Ok any word on wheter or not the new cars gonna be in revenue service? I thought that some were to have started already?

Ok four units were spotted on the mainline at flying through Homewood yesterday. Cars 1203, 1204, 1205, and 1206 were running in the set. Looks like they were doing more testing and break in runs.

Tad - 25kv ain't gonna do much for you on Septa or the NEC below new haven You'd want 11lkv 25hz and 12.5 kv 60hz. Only the NJ coast line is 25kv...

As for the Harrisburg line not getting motors? Look who's running the service and who was in charge of that organization until about 3 years ago. And I know from people who've talked to him - Voucherboy doesn't like electric at all. Puts the sudden meltdown of the AEM-7s and the HHP-8's continual 'issues', not to mention the NEC's power system in general, into a different perspective. Then again, heck, I hear the P-40s are falling apart now...

Anyone know if anyone's released a spec sheet on these new units?

Tadman wrote:IF they were 25kv AC, I'd say those jelous Pensylvanians on the SEPTA and Amtrak forums stole 'em for use on the catenary equipped but diesel operated Harrisburg-Philly run...

Drat.....we're busted! Quick, get the tarps and cover those M.U.'s!!!

*crash!! ZAP!!!*

Ooops, someone just tried to run one into the tunnel.....

just remember to drop the pans before tarping them. melted tarp is probably a bitch for the car cleaners to scrape off roof tops. as well as melted people...

Tadman wrote:just remember to drop the pans before tarping them. melted tarp is probably a bitch for the car cleaners to scrape off roof tops. as well as melted people...

Hehehhee..good to remember! *hiding the new Highliners in the woods behind Frazer shops*