Equipment Cycles

[dmclement]

I am looking to obtain current locomotive equipment cycles for the loco-hauled Amtrak and commuter railroads of the US and Canada for a trip I'm planning this year. Can anyone help with these?

 

[battalion51]

I'm going to answer this question based on what I believe you are asking. If you are asking whether there is a science as to what train recieves what locomotive on what day, there isn't. The locomotives are chosen at random from the pool that the yard has available. For example, when train 97 recieves its diesels at WAS they take whatever unit they are given it will not necessarily be unit 97. The one place where you can ocasionally get some science is on the Silver Star. Before the holidays the Star carried two horses into JAX. At JAX they dropped one as well as their RoadRailers. That unit then turns over to the NB that night.

 

[dmclement]

Let me try to explain what I am asking a bit more precisely. Amtrak has a certain number of trains to run on each day and has to ensure it has the locomotives and the coaching stock in place to run these services. Therefore one has to assume that some form of planning is undertaken to make sure this is the case. In most European railways a certain depot has to allocate a certain amount of locomotives to the same amount of "diagrams" or "cycles". The locomotive then sets off on its daily which has been planned and barring any failures, late running and other operating incidents it can be assumed that this locomotive will stick to "diagram" until the end of the day where it will more than likely move on to another diagram. In Germany and Austria, these diagrams can involve 30-odd day plans where the loco wont will start on diagram 1 and finish up on diagram 31, 31 days later in theory.

There must be something similar planned by Amtrak, although obviously not that intensely due to the large distances Amtrak trains travel. But at the moment I'm mainly interested in the workings into and out of Chicago.

Any more questions feel free to ask

Thanks

Damian

 

[Miami Joe]

Hi Damian!

I'm going to try and answer your question.

Locomotives are assigned to various groups around the country based on what type of unit is used. These assignments change continously based on failures and maintenance schedules.

On the Silver Service, we use P-42's and the the locos for each train changes daily. The first loco's to arrive in the morning will be worked up and go out on the second train the next day.

Every night, Operation calls our facility and we have to give them the car and loco numbers for each consist that is going out that day. If a car or loco fails before it leaves, we notify OPS of the changes.

 

[tubaallen]

Joe,

While that may be true down by you, I unfortunately have to report a different feeling up here in Chicago. It seems that they don't really stay that organized, as I believe we have left Chicago with problems before.

 

[Amfleet]

When I was in Chicago over the summer, Union Station was a mad house. I got a feeling that some workers didn't even know what Amtrak was! :blink:

 

[tubaallen]

LOL!!! I am not sure that they did! h34r: