Unusual Amtrak Operation

[C855B]

For the past week the Illinois "Illini" and "Saluki" trains (#s 390-393) have been operating with one, two or three baggage cars in the trainset:



This makes no sense, as there is NO baggage service on these trains. The trains are seven cars long which is nearly always the case, so these baggage cars are in lieu of passenger capacity. Why have cars in the train that don't do anything? Anybody have a clue as to what is going on? I'm completely baffled.

[Chris333]

Perfectly logical.  Traveling alien autopsy. 

[Hyperion]

For the past week the Illinois "Illini" and "Saluki" trains (#s 390-393) have been operating with one, two or three baggage cars in the trainset:

This makes no sense, as there is NO baggage service on these trains. The trains are seven cars long which is nearly always the case, so these baggage cars are in lieu of passenger capacity. Why have cars in the train that don't do anything? Anybody have a clue as to what is going on? I'm completely baffled.

They do this to meet minimum required axle counts to trigger various detectors, in particular grade crossing detectors, which may not work with only a few axles, as well as required axle counts for minimum required for safe braking action.  Depending on the service and speed, railroads institute minimum axle counts to ensure that the brain is capable of producing sufficient braking force to maximize it's deceleration and maintain good control in an emergency situation.  On the very low end of the length, a train with fewer cars can actually take a longer distance to stop than a longer one and be a bit more likely to have a catastrophic incident.

[C855B]

Thanks, Mark. Probably braking capacity more than anything else since these trains start/stop in 79 mph territory. (That is, when the DS isn't putting junkers in their way.) So they're filling-out trains with otherwise unused equipment while they cycle paying cars through refurb during low season, I guess.

I figure maybe only a week or two more of this operation since the two big universities on the line are coming up on year-end. Then the trains even with seven regular cars will be packed. They're talking about dropping one of the train pairs due to state budget cuts and there will be hell to pay in peak student commute seasons.

[peteski]

So a locomotive running light would not trigger crossing gates?  I had no idea this was the case.

[nkalanaga]

I think even one axle, making good contact, would trigger the initial detector, but a too-short train might cause problems with the long detection circuits on higher speed tracks.  An auto jumper cable will trip signal circuits, and both maintainers and inspectors sometimes do that, for various reasons.

I also suspect that the main reason is braking capacity.

[MRLX1020]

Mike:

CN has a 32 axle rule to do with shunting of grade crossing circuits. 

58/59 are Ok, but 390/391/392/393 usually ran with engine and 5 cars (4 coach, 1 cafe).

Before your camera was installed, I'd noted the consist leaving Chicago or laid over in Carbondale with 2 cabbagge cars, up to 4 cafe cars, and baggage cars in the past.  When the Ocean View 10031 operated, it helped the axle count!

With the new Viewliner baggage cars coming into service, this is an appropriate use of Heritage Baggage cars to make the axle count.

MRLX1020

[C855B]

OK... this make sense now because I never saw any of the Illinois service trains with less than eight of something. But under this how do they move the two- and three-unit cab hops I catch occasionally? Are locos exempt from this rule?

The baggage car stuff is new, at least in the regularity of its appearance, so the fleet juggling is logical. They'd make the axle count previously with six cars and a trailing P42 or cabbage, or scrounge seven "real" cars. Heh... explains the two café cars we had before... and I thought they were just trolling for more business class seating. Silly me.

[cv_acr]

Mike:

CN has a 32 axle rule to do with shunting of grade crossing circuits. 

Are these axle rules a state thing?

VIA Rail train 85 only ever runs with 2 coaches. That's a grand total of 12 axles for the entire train.

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=1755

This train got cut back a couple years ago and only runs as far as London now, and not over CN again to Sarnia anymore, but still runs on CN rails from Toronto to Georgetown and from there to London over a shortline/regional leased from CN.

[sirenwerks]

Perfectly logical.  Traveling alien autopsy. 

Actually, that was a remodeled RDC and I have not been able to convince Kato to release it, even though the Japanese were involved.