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Shiny new commuter-rail locomotive up on the lift
By adamg on Sat, 01/29/2011 - 1:00pm
This is one of our new-via-Utah locomotives, getting inspected or something at the Boston Engine Terminal in Somerville.
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Comments
I'm not-
-ashamed to say...that's kinda awesome.
Yes, I like trains.
Thing is, there are so many other countries so far
ahead of us in public transportation...when I
lived in Japan, waaaaayyy back in 2001, this
kind of train coolness was commonplace, and
oft-used. Cool...
well, I'm *not* embarrasssed.
That's pretty awesome, and I don't mind saying so. Can't wait to see these units in service.
/where's my anorak?
Subwoofer
Play this video on a computer with a subwoofer. Very nice.
I also can't wait to see Amtrak's replacements for their AEM-7 fleet.
Should be rolling those out soon.
New Loco
Shiny!
Utah having surplus
Utah having surplus locomotives was convenient. Has anyone checked whether that was entirely accidental.
That's a pretty loco theory
Diesel conspiracies?
Taking 'er out for a test spin
On the Haverhill Line, in Andover yesterday:
Bet you didn't know they extended the Fitchburg Line
Here's some video of the locomotive in Sydney, NE:
Rethinking the Commuter Rail
We're spending millions of dollars on new equipment, which doesn't happen very often. So we should rethink the current commuter rail model, which requires lots of employees per train, uses a lot of fuel, and goes slowly.
While these locomotives will make things slightly better, it would make the most sense to buy equipment like the German RegioSprinter, which is designed to provide fast, low-cost service, even on lines with low ridership.
Besides these 2 ex-Utah
Besides these 2 ex-Utah locomotives, the MBTA already has 20 more new locos on order to come in at the end of 2012/early 2013. They also have 75 new bi-level cars on order that will be coming in during the same time.
The RegioSprinter is designed to board from low-level platforms, and wouldn't do too well at stations with high-level platforms like North Station and South Station. MBTA equipment must be capable of boarding from both high-level and low-level platforms, and must meet FRA crash-worthiness standards, which the RegioSprinter would not.
These are details which can
These are details which can be overcome.
CalTrain has successfully lobbied for waivers to the (ineffective and wasteful) federal crash requirements. The T should do everything they can to get a similar waiver, or even try to get Congress to repeal the rules for passenger railroads with cab signals, where train-train collisions are very unlikely.
And if the RegioSprinter couldn't work with high platforms, there are other similar European self-propelled trains which would provide the same advantages.
High Platforms?
What are those? Oh, you mean the handful of stations where the platform is actually at the level of the train? Instead of most stations where you have to maneuver down a narrow and steep set of stairs?
this?
Doesn't look like it'll meet the local needs at all. It's a bus on tracks.
The biggest problem with the MBTA rail is that CSX was running freight on the same lines. Seems like they found a solution to the Worcester line, but the rest are still suffering from that problem.
Still, as anyone will tell you it's a much, much better option then a road commute. As long as they keep it on time and running, the two biggest complaints.
The new engines and cars, should help with one of those problems.
What local needs won't it
What local needs won't it meet? The need to run trains so big that it only makes sense to run them once every 3 hours?
I'd love to see this in action
Like, between North Station and all the zone 1 stops like West Medford, Wedgemere, and Winchester or South Station and the Dorchester stops.
The Lowell line sometimes strands passengers because the train is too full to pick up the 100-200 people waiting at West Medford.
Loco in Ayer
Matt Hrono took this photo of No. 10 (the other one is 11) in Ayer on Saturday.
Posted under this Creative Commons license.
Ayer
That's my picture! Haha awesome. I was out in Ayer on Saturday watching some freight and heard over the scanner, "MBTA test extra 010 clear at Willows." Needless to say I RAN back to the platform and caught it. I got a video of it returning back inbound as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWe_yxT6G7I