Double Drafts on the SS(Combined trainsets into one train?)

You won't see longer trains on the T because right now we don't have the equipment. And plus longer trains equal more conductors on board, we need more conductors on the current trains as it is.

Veristek wrote:

AEM7AC920 wrote:Did anyone see the question writen a while back to the MBTA GM??? I can't remember what the question was exactly but if I remember correctly I think he said that the T limits the consist to a maximum of 9 cars because of the ability of the locomotive... I've never seen a 9 car consist but according to the GM they are possible...

Slightly off topic, but I heard that a couple transit agencies do run 10+ car consists with one loco I think. I've seen Youtube videos of NJT 10+ bi-levels in a single consist, and I've heard of GO Transit running 10 - 12 bi-levels in a revenue consist. I'm not sure if these extra-long consists are due to stronger diesels or electric locos or something?

A couple of videos shows 1 loco pushing 9 to 11 NJT bi-levels in revenue service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak8_A9ZX6Fw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxXjC5R1a3k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oPA_3NPSlo

Here's a couple vid's of GO trains with 1 diesel loco powering at least 10 bi-levels minimum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uk3wjT1J-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7OZh-tl-lc

If other agencies can run 10 - 11 car consists for revenue service, then the MBTA can, particularly on the Worchester and Providence lines.

Both of those agencies recently have, or are in the process of getting new locomotives to handle their larger trains.
Now the T is getting new locomotives, but there are other issues that have been stated by different users - from platform length, to not needing quite that much capacity, to a current shortage of conductors.
Would it be cool to see 10-car trainsets to Providence? Yes. Is it likely to happen soon? No

Thanks for the info. I thought the Worchester and Providence lines could use longer trains. I've always seen 7 car trains on either route, and sometimes even 7 cars get crowded on these routes. Plus with gas prices continuing to rise and not going back to $2 or $3 per gallon anytime soon, its likely even more people will start using the T in the coming months. That means these Providence and Worchester trains will get even more crowded. Thats where my thought about longer MBTA trains came from.

sery2831 wrote:You won't see longer trains on the T because right now we don't have the equipment. And plus longer trains equal more conductors on board, we need more conductors on the current trains as it is.

Also, since trainsets does not stay on a particular line, it would not be a good idea to have to put together and break apart the trainsets every day. The only way this would work is to keep the longer trainsets on just the providence line and worcester line, but that is also not a good idea because they would have to devote those trainsets to those particular lines.

Longer trainsets are possible, they might be on the providence line, but not the worcester line. I know that there are some stops on the worcester line that don't have platforms long enough for the longer trainsets although passengers can walk to the other coaches to get off. (but it wouldn't work during rush hour)

Although the MBTA is strapped for equipment, I think longer trainsets ARE possible once the rotem cars arrive as long as they don't retire any of the exisiting coaches.

Someone mentioned that it would be better to run two 5-car consists instead of one 10-car consist. The problem with that is that we have a shortage of locomotives, so we can't run rapid short consists until we have 2x or even 3x the number of locomotives that we currently have.

So lengthening consists may be the only solution to increasing crowding and demand on the heaviest travelled commuter rail lines with our shortage of diesel power.

on the Franklin line, 703 is a double draft and passengers are allowed on it, it departs South Station at 4am. My engineer friend used to take that train out of Southhampton and out to Franklin

Veristek wrote:Someone mentioned that it would be better to run two 5-car consists instead of one 10-car consist. The problem with that is that we have a shortage of locomotives, so we can't run rapid short consists until we have 2x or even 3x the number of locomotives that we currently have.

So lengthening consists may be the only solution to increasing crowding and demand on the heaviest travelled commuter rail lines with our shortage of diesel power.

However, having shorter trains with more frequent service is not economical. They will use up more fuel, they will need more conductors and engineers. Also, the NEC is already loaded as it is with MBTA, Amtrak, and freight traffic. It cannot handle any more added trips.

Veristek wrote:Thanks for the info. I thought the Worchester and Providence lines could use longer trains. I've always seen 7 car trains on either route, and sometimes even 7 cars get crowded on these routes.

There are currently two 8 car sets running around on the south side. One is used for the 5p Worcester, not sure what train in the AM though. The other is for the PVD line, but I am not sure what train. I had been told at one time it was the 5pm, again not sure what time in the AM.

theinsider wrote:

Veristek wrote:Thanks for the info. I thought the Worchester and Providence lines could use longer trains. I've always seen 7 car trains on either route, and sometimes even 7 cars get crowded on these routes.

There are currently two 8 car sets running around on the south side. One is used for the 5p Worcester, not sure what train in the AM though. The other is for the PVD line, but I am not sure what train. I had been told at one time it was the 5pm, again not sure what time in the AM.

If no changes have been made, the two 8 car sets are: 1026-1709 (train #815) and 1025-1703 (train #P515) and there are 7 7 car sets out there

Can anyone put a list together of what trains run as scheduled double drafts? I noticed an inbound double draft in Norwood today(i think it was #710).

Thanks in advance

I don't have a complete list, but P501 is a revenue service double draft. It leaves South Station at 4AM and only stops at Back Bay, Framingham, Grafton, and Worcester.

The reason why this train is a double draft is because of the way the trains are scheduled. P500 leaves worcester at 4:45 with a set from the layover yard which holds 4 sets. Once that leaves, it leaves three sets in the yard.

P501 arrives at Worcester at 5:19AM which is 21 minutes before the next inbound. There are 5 inbounds that leave Worcester (P502 5:40AM, P504 6:05AM, P506 6:30AM, P508 6:55AM, and P512 7:35AM) before the next outbound (P503) arrives at Worcester at 8:14AM. 3 sets in the yard + the double draft = 5 sets.

P503 then becomes P516 going inbound, and the rest of the day up until rush hour runs with one train out, one train in.

The only revenue trains that run double-draft that I can re-call are P501 which was mentioned and 798 from Franklin Forge Park. If you saw 710 as a double draft it must have been because one set was disabled.

Your right csx. I saw 798, not 710. My bad.