Replying to PV on pushed trains?

While not specifically PV. Whenever Amtrak's Office Cars appear on the Wolverine they run a just pull service (and Wye somewhere).

FYI, I belive that's because Amtrak's business cars aren't equipped for push-pull yet. They're kind of the last priority for push-pull conversion, after literally every revenue car.

The Overland Trail is commonly entrained behind the loco for the northbound (pull) to SLO and remains there for the push back south to L.A.

Are passengers allowed in the car when it is in front of the Locomotive while heading back south? With all the rules and policies the FRA is happy to enforce, and especially after the Chatsworth incident showing just how much damage can occur between a heavy freight and passenger train, I would be surprised to hear of it.

Although, it would be pretty fun to get a very unique "cab ride" of sorts!

The PV is BEHIND the loco (it may be between the loco and the rest of the consist or, at the very rear of the train.. Between LA and San Diego, southbound Surfliners are in pull mode - the loco leads.
So, yes, passengers are in the car but, you will not be getting a "cab ride".

Right. If the PV is HEP cabled then it can be between the loco and the rest of the train in the pull mode. Otherwise it has to be at the end of the train.

In the Push mode, unless the PV is both HEP cabled and train-lined it cannot be placed between the loco and the cab car. So it has to be placed behind the loco.

I thought Amtrak now required all private cars to have at least HEP pass-through cables, even if the cars themselves didn't use HEP. MU lines aren't required, though.

From a "day trip" I did in February...PV dome car "Silver Spendor" being coupled to the locomotive for the return to Los Angeles from San Diego. The Pacific Surfliner operates in push mode when northbound. We were pulled behind the loco while the main consist was ahead of the loco and controlled from the cab car. The cars I've been on are wired for both HEP and MU.

http://www.flickr.co...57629499903951/

John

Los Angeles

While not specifically PV. Whenever Amtrak's Office Cars appear on the Wolverine they run a just pull service (and Wye somewhere).

peter

The Overland Trail is commonly entrained behind the loco for the northbound (pull) to SLO and remains there for the push back south to L.A.

Are passengers allowed in the car when it is in front of the Locomotive while heading back south? With all the rules and policies the FRA is happy to enforce, and especially after the Chatsworth incident showing just how much damage can occur between a heavy freight and passenger train, I would be surprised to hear of it.

Although, it would be pretty fun to get a very unique "cab ride" of sorts!

The PV is BEHIND the loco (it may be between the loco and the rest of the consist or, at the very rear of the train.. Between LA and San Diego, southbound Surfliners are in pull mode - the loco leads.
So, yes, passengers are in the car but, you will not be getting a "cab ride".

Right. If the PV is HEP cabled then it can be between the loco and the rest of the train in the pull mode. Otherwise it has to be at the end of the train.

In the Push mode, unless the PV is both HEP cabled and train-lined it cannot be placed between the loco and the cab car. So it has to be placed behind the loco.

The Overland Trail is commonly entrained behind the loco for the northbound (pull) to SLO and remains there for the push back south to L.A.

Are passengers allowed in the car when it is in front of the Locomotive while heading back south? With all the rules and policies the FRA is happy to enforce, and especially after the Chatsworth incident showing just how much damage can occur between a heavy freight and passenger train, I would be surprised to hear of it.

Although, it would be pretty fun to get a very unique "cab ride" of sorts!

The PV is BEHIND the loco (it may be between the loco and the rest of the consist or, at the very rear of the train.. Between LA and San Diego, southbound Surfliners are in pull mode - the loco leads.
So, yes, passengers are in the car but, you will not be getting a "cab ride".

The Overland Trail is commonly entrained behind the loco for the northbound (pull) to SLO and remains there for the push back south to L.A.

Are passengers allowed in the car when it is in front of the Locomotive while heading back south? With all the rules and policies the FRA is happy to enforce, and especially after the Chatsworth incident showing just how much damage can occur between a heavy freight and passenger train, I would be surprised to hear of it.

Although, it would be pretty fun to get a very unique "cab ride" of sorts!

That makes sense. If the PV is not train-lined it has to be placed behind the locomotive in push mode.

I have been on several PV's (through LARail dot com) on the Pacific Surfliner between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The cars have been capable of operating anywhere in the consist

The Overland Trail is commonly entrained behind the loco for the northbound (pull) to SLO and remains there for the push back south to L.A.

To San Diego from LA, PVs have been at the trailing end of the southbound train while in pull mode; decoupled and "parked" in San Diego and coupled back on to a later train for the return to L.A. On the return trip, the PV is coupled behind the pushing locomotive with the Surfliner consist ahead of the loco and controlled from the leading cab-car.

PVs that move from Hudson/Hoboken to Morristown NJ for interchange with M&E usually run as a separate train with their own engine and all, usually either an M&E unit or an NS unit. NJT never places a PV on any of its push pulls.

With Amtrak it may be a different story, but since most routes that have push pull also have at least one regular train most likely the issue is mostly moot. Places where it would become an issue would be like on the Downeaster route. My guess is Amtrak does not carry PVs on those trains. Alternative arrangements are made. Then there is the Los Angeles - San Diego Corridor too, and the Vermonter beyond New Haven.