Thanks for posting the article about the train problems in Germany. I've often wondered if European commuter rail systems ever had the same problems that MARC is experiencing. But yes, you're right - it doesn't let MARC off the hook.

The average July and August high temperatures in Germany are in the mid 70s. In DC it's about 90 degrees. That's why the German rail system is not prepared to handle record high temperatures, which were over 100 degrees when their problems occurred.

MARC, on the other hand, experiences high temperatures in 90s and 100s every summer, year after year. So the problems with heat are inevitable and predictable here, unlike in Germany. Why then, does the MARC act like it's never happened before, year-after-year? Germany's excuse is that it rarely, if ever, happens there. MARC, however, doesn't have that same excuse.

Michael,

While it is true that breakdowns are not unique to MARC/Amtrak, here is the main difference between ours and the German system you cite in this blog: Both Amtrak and MARC are well aware that the electrical-powered HHP-8 locomotives are incapable of providing both traction and ancillary power. Isn't that the definition of insanity? Performing the same action repeatedly and expecting a different result? If that's accurate, the MTA, MARC, and Amtrak are guilty.

The Penn train I was on last night that was disabled outside Union Station and had to be towed back to the station (MARC 436) was powered by one HHP-8. I thought we weren't going to send only one HHP-8 out on the Penn line becasue they are substandard? My mistake.

Frank:

People can get acclimated to a hot climate over time, but rail systems are made up of many metal or plastic components that reach to high temperatures the same way whether they encounter them one or 100 times a year. If someone's developed a heat-proof railroad at a cost Americans are willing to pay, that would be news to me.

Kevin:
Wouldn't it be nice if MARC could just take its HHP-8s down to the locomotive store and turn them in on a better model? It's not. The feds help pay for the cost of commuter locomotives, but they insist that railroads get a certain number of years out of them. MARC's HHP-8s aren't even close to retirement. Even if MARC could scuttle them tomorrow, the time line for getting replacements is counted in years.
There's also little room for leaving underperforming locomotives out of the mix. The MARC fleet is limited, and it needs every locomotive it can put in service.

One can question the wisdom of buying the HHP-8s, but it's doubtful the MARC and Amtrak officials who decided on that purchase had a clear vision of the future. What the MARC officials of that era knew was that Amtrak was running the same engines and would presumably acquire the expertise to maintain them. If it bought an engine less familiar to Amtrak, who would have done the maintenance?

And even if we decided the jerks who bought those engines should be fired, how many do you suppose are still with the Maryland Transit Administration?

MARC, for better or worse, has to play the hand it's been dealt. Railroading isn't draw poker.

Is is actually the locomotives or the NEC's ancient power supply? A locomotive can only draw what the system is capable of producing and in the summer, with both traction power and hotel power combined, is it simply too much? I would assume that the locomotives are equipped with breakers than, similar to a home, kick out when they are overloaded. To solve the problem in a home you unplug some of the appliances on a circuit. To solve the problem on the railroad it would seem that you could unhook/unplug a coach or two (which, however, creates a capacity issue). I understand that Amtrak has a long range plan to upgrade the power supply system but, unfortunately, in this year's budget Amtrak has again been funded at less than requested and the cuts will come mostly in capital projects. However, common sense does need to prevail and just like the winter related problems in Chicago, heat related issues are nothing new. You would think, therefore, that Amtrak (and MARC) would have well developed SOP's to deal with them. As a temporary measure, what about diesel powered generator sets for high demand periods (separate traction demand from hotel demand)? This is nothing new and there are a lot of ways to accomplish it.

Michael,

Yes, even if there were heat-proof railroad systems MARC wouldn't be able to afford it. That was actually the point of my first comment. MARC's preparedness for heat related conditions hasn't seemed to improve from year to year even though it's a regular and predictable occurrence.

That said, I have seen improvement and positive signs this past week. MARC's new methods for preventing and mitigating break-downs seem to be having a positive effect. So, it goes to show you that something can be done, and things don't have to stay the same.

They are doing it again:

The MARC Brunswick line #894 is 90 minutes late and listed as a minor delay.

In what world is a "minor" delay over an hour in length?