Amtrak new single level equipment

[jis]

The point I was trying to make with that question was more whether anyone has ever successfully upgraded an existing alignment to 186 MPH+ for its whole length.

I can't think of any example of such.

 

[AlanB]

i don't think a short haul MP36 could haul the southwest cheif the full distance.

I'm not sure why it couldn't haul the SWC, its top speed is only 2 MPH less than a P42, it has almost the same power output as a P42. So I'd think that two or three of them could haul the SWC just as easily as two or three P42's.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

You're forgetting MotivePower, EMD's F59s, and a bunch of others I'm sure I've simply forgotten. Actually, wait, the PL42s were also built in the US, albeit with considerable european technology.

Actually, since I was not making an exhaustive list of all locomotives manufacture in the US, I don't see how I could be forgetting anything. However, if you wish to compile such a list, and had not included them, then indeed you should include them.

I wasn't responding to your post, but to the one above yours.

there have been no US long distance passenger locos made in the US sense the GE p-42.all the locos that have been built are for commuter service. i don't think a short haul MP36 could haul the southwest cheif the full distance. also there haven't been any electric locos made in the US sense the E60. all the current ones like the ALP's have been made in Germany.

Of course there haven't. Why would there be? Nobody in the US has wanted a long distance locomotive since Amtrak bought the last P42s. Are you suggesting that we build a batch of long distance passenger locomotives so we can keep in practice? And then dump them into the sea or something?

 

[George Harris]

I thought part of the excuse with the limitations of the Acela couplers might have had something to do with curves, and if I recall correctly the Shinkansen operates on an alignment that was originally constructed for the Shinkansen, which might mean the curves are less tight over there.

And the British and some European rails were not. Thus our best model for HSR comes from across the Atlantic.

The Shinkansen main lines may all be on large radius curves, but they still have yards and station track that the Shinkansen trains have to go through at low speeds. The curve radius for the yards is 200 meters = 656 feet. Generally station track have radii of 300 meters (984 feet) or larger. The point being, the Shinkansen trains, or anybody else's trains, have to be designed and built to go through small radius curves, regardless of how large the minimum main line curve radius is.

 

[sechs]

They do have standard couplers under the nose cone, however they are useless except in an emergency situation. Due to mobility restrictions caused by the cone and frame, I believe that maximum authorized speed is like 25 MPH or so. And you definately can't tie two Acela's together and operate them normally.

Ouch. I imagined that they wouldn't be capable of their normal max, but that seems quite silly.