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Neat shot. Why was there a unit on the rear?
Cool shot. I am wondering the same thing as JP….why was 6410 on the rear like that?
VIA Rail DPU?
Via locomotives do not have sanders in them, as a result during the fall months some trains have a second locomotive added to their consist for added traction…wet leaves are slippers you know!
As for how the unit is facing…that is a mystery, probably just easier than having to wye it when the consist was built. This is a yearly thing, most just don’t notice it because the unit is usually facing the opposite direction.
Something wrong if you need a 2nd unit for a 3 car train due to slippery leaves!
The unit is facing that direction due to a recent rash of bearing failures believe it or not traced to running backwards! For years Via ran them in either direction without a problem and then they just stopped doing it. Recently Via had been adding power to trains for added traction during the fall due to very slippery rail conditions. All of a sudden suspension bearing issues started cropping up on the #2 and #4 traction motors which they have seemed to trace back to the wick type lubricator for the friction bearing that these traction motors use (compared to roller bearing type the GE’s use) until a permanent solution is devised this is the way they will be run if placed elsewhere in the train. Obviously short back up moves are still permitted back running them hundreds of miles backwards at this point is being avoided.
For additional information on traction motor suspension bearings, refer to the TSB Report on the September 1997 VIA No. 2 derailment near Biggar, SK: http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/1997/r97h0009/r97h0009.pdf