Rare! Amtrak Light Diesel Power Move on the NEC!

[GintaPPE1000]

"Train approaching-please remain behind yellow line." There's irony that they put on this message for a light power move...

[TNT314159]

Well technically... a train is defined as one or more engines with or without cars with authorization to move on the main track

[GintaPPE1000]

@TNT314159 Only an idiot couldn't see this train coming... LOL

[TNT314159]

Only an idiot couldn't see any train coming, there's only so many places the train can be lol

[brycsoccer]

Welll, there are an awful lotta idiots in the world

[MrWill1985]

This happens numerous times. I remember watching a video of a set of NJT Arrow IIIs race an Amtrak AEM7 with no cars and the Arrow IIIs were moving faster then the AEM7 with no cars.

[TNT314159]

Because light engines are restricted to 50mph on the corridor

[acelakid94]

I saw # 102 going through Hyde Park about a month ago. I wonder if it was the same time you saw this one.

[TNT314159]

This was shot over Thanksgiving break, so if the one you saw was northbound then I would say they were the same.

[Espee9180]

Wow. That really constitutes as a light engine move. Never seen just one engine being deadheaded before.

[TNT314159]

Yep. Last time I remember P42s being deadheaded on the NEC there was a pair going from BOS to NHV and they were at the front end of a regional.

Awhile back I also caught two P42s pulling a deadhead HHP-8 electric along with a regional after the electric broke down and the only available power near by was diesel.

[FGLK1751]

LOL! That's great! good job!

[gp40mc]

Cool the back of a P42.

[zink444]

HEY U SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME U WERE GOING TO BE THERE!!!!! I COULD HAVE CAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM me when you come on AIM PLEASE!!!!! I havent talked to you in a while!

[TNT314159]

I didn't think I would make it there until the last minute.

[zink444]

oh ok!

just tell me when your coming back to the NEC kk

[TNT314159]

When it snows I will be at the NEC for some snow shots.

[acelaboy123]

awsome catch/ 5*****

[zink444]

get on skype!!!! im friggen bored

[xtremepadrefan]

sweet catch :)

[busrailfan]

Nice catch!!

[Tcostello105]

Oh man!! I was going to go to Canton Junction on that Friday after Thanksgiving but it was too rainy. What time did you see this go by?

[TNT314159]

I got off the 32 bus at Readville at 1:25 and 102 came through at 1:30. I was just in time. It was raining quite a bit when I first got there so I stayed under the shelter on the IB platform, but the rain stopped later in the day. I was there until 4:45 and saw over 20 trains during my time there.

And as Josh said, rain + fast pantographs = fun. We saw a lot of cool arking during the rain.

[Tcostello105]

Oh ok, i was planning to go in the early morning so i would not have seen that train. By the way i noticed it stopped raining by 10am so i should of went to CJ but i guess i was lazy.

[murjax]

Lucky catch. I think this is the first time I've seen them deadhead single. Most of these runs always have 2.

[2012alexg]

i miss the old ones that look like the commuter rail engines. do they still run?

[TNT314159]

You mean Amtrak's old F40PH-2C engines? The answer is yes and no...

No because they got rid of most of the old ones and the ones they still have are not in revenue service.

[TNT314159]

Yes because they converted a bunch of them into what Amtrak calls NPCUs (Non-Power Control Units). Basically they are hollowed out locomotive that serve as cab cars and baggage cars (some railfans call them cabbage cars). They were also renumbered so that all the old 200 series F40s are now 90200 series cabbage cars. The Downeaster regularly uses these cabbage cars. My videos from the Lowell line have the Downeaster and the Cabbage cars.

[2012alexg]

thank you for clearing that up for me