3 ms·
It’s also called “hotel” power and is provided by the locomotive, but separate from “needed to run” power. A train can run with just air and the physical connec
by bombcar 1y ago
It’s also called “hotel” power and is provided by the locomotive, but separate from “needed to run” power. A train can run with just air and the physical connection, hotel comes with the big “other cable” connected.
Some private cars do NOT use it and instead have their own generator. In theory you could have one with no lights, etc at all.
I’ve been on an Amtrak where it lost hotel power; nothing but emergency lighting until they got to a station where they could swap the locomotive.
But the train kept running, and the conductor had to walk the entire train announcing stops verbally; with no PA system.
- mcculley 1y ago> with no PA system Wow. That is crazy and surprising. I can see losing air conditioning, but the PA should be considered mission critical.
- starkparker 1y agoThe toilets also rely on electricity to flush, which is where the real nightmares begin on any sufficiently sold train of 2+ hours.
- Llamamoe 1y agoWhy can't the locomotive pull it from the wires? It's not like it maintains a constant draw with all the speed changes and such.
- AnimalMuppet 1y agoMost of the US doesn't have wires.