BREAKING NEWS - FIRE ON AMTRAK TRAIN OUTSIDE CLEVELAND!

[ALC Rail Writer]

Just saw it on the six o'clock news-- looks like NS hooked up a GP to finish the journey to ALB. It is number 49.

16 was the second unit.

They interviewed a person from PDX who complained that he is now 28 hours behind after getting stuck on a dead EB.

 

[abcnews]

We actually tried quite hard to get on that train. Our Empire Builder was so late - that we missed the Tuesday Eastbound Cap Limited to Washington, DC. So we thought we would at least take the Lake Shore (9:30 PM departure) to NYP, and hop down to Washington from there. But there were no sleepers available, so they put us up in a hotel in Chicago. Now waiting to board the Cap Limited.

I think that we knew all of the PDX sleeper passengers from our two day trip across America on the Builder, it was a neat bunch of folks.

Any word on how late the Lake Shore will be into NYP?

 

[had8ley]

Well this is a first. A news reporter calling an "engine car."

IMHO, that's more than descriptive enough to differentiate it from a "dining car" or a "passenger car". If either, it could have been worse in terms of injuries.

OK...I'll bite even if you want to hide your identity. I didn't know this was an English correspondence course but, oh well...I, also, am glad no one was injured but a stack fire or a ruptured oil line that sprays onto hot machinery and burns up a locomotive is very common. BTW, the next time you go to the train car station are you going to park your automobile car in the car automobile parking storage lot ??? All I was saying was I had never heard an engine referred to a "car". Years ago we had a train dive into the Intercoastal Canal at MP 95 on the T&P. The head end brakeman and engineer were drowned so what does the poetic license reporter write? "Chief brakeman and Engineer Killed." DUH !!!

If you want a piece or real RR'ing ask me about the seven unit Sunset we brought down the Huey P. Long in the early days of Amtrak. All E-8's and 9's; four on fire and not a working fire extinguisher in the entire consist.Now that'll get your attention QUICK !!!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

If you want a piece or real RR'ing ask me about the seven unit Sunset we brought down the Huey P. Long in the early days of Amtrak. All E-8's and 9's; four on fire and not a working fire extinguisher in the entire consist.Now that'll get your attention QUICK !!!

Uh, Jay... Under what conditions would a Sunset Limited require 7 E8s and E9s? That would be between 15750 and 16800 hp total, or 3.75 to 4 P42s, none of them handling HEP.

 

[cpamtfan]

3.75 to 4 P42s, none of them handling HEP.

I don't think there are any locomotives missing quarters..

 

[Green Maned Lion]

3.75 to 4 P42s, none of them handling HEP.

I don't think there are any locomotives missing quarters..

Equivlancy does not require actual existence.

 

[wmk]

In the early days many locos were normal,I guess as insurance since the equipment wasnt in the best shape as it came from the railroads. In 1971 the Texas Chief usually ran with 5 engines all still in Sante Fe paint,even though former Sante Fe was the best equipment Amtrak bought. Or the operating railrads just put all the equipment assigned to that train on the road.Long trains were the norm. The Sunset ran with former U.p. engines at least until they were repainted. Maintance was a problem in the early years,especially the steam lines.Now the Tx. Eagle runs with one and if it goes down they are stuck until a loaner can come. Dont the p42 have frequent traction motor failures?

 

[eagle628]

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=350854&nseq=0 <-- picture of the engine involved at Chicago yards in January. Damage looks a lot more severe in daylight.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Yup, 112 pulled its last train.