[PRCo] Re: The "Light Rail ex-1600 1700s"

[Boris Cefer]

That is possible when you operate one type of vehicle or several relatively
similar designs. But when the fleet contains from the original PCCs through
various PCC rebuilds (equipped according what was momentarily available and
modern) to the most recent vehicles, you can't want all mechanics to have a
deep knowledge of each type. It usually requires a cpecialized group of
experts who solve the electronic issues. These have laptops and other smart
stuff. But even some of the electronic, I should have said semiconductor
controls, are not so far advanced to cowork with laptops. That needs certain
effort when a failure occurs. But you have such experience from the earlier
days of electronics.
But we are the third world you mentioned. We have management which does not
want to know the correct way how to do things. They want to get much money
without real responsibily before they eventually disappear.

Boris

----- Original Message -----
From: "TEP" <tompark at telus.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 9:42 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: The "Light Rail ex-1600 1700s"


> Not so Boris. When I plug my laptop into a car I get an extensive
> diagnosis and most faults are shown immediately. Of course some items
> such as running gear and current collectors still require visual
> inspection with the help of line-side gauges and sound measurement --
> that tell you if a truck is making abnormal noises or the pantograph is
> out-of-alignment.
>
> I have no sympathy (except for impoverished third world operators) for
> parts shortage. The computerized maintenance and parts records for the
> last decade will show exactly what parts -- whether plug-and-play
> line-replaceable units or otherwise -- are likely needed over the next
> few months. This allows us, on the better systems, to work with 8-10%
> spare cars versus the 12-15% that was normal at the start of my career
> (well 20% for Muni and a few other US light rail properties!). This is
> the difference of several $2-4 million cars sitting idle -- a lot more
> expensive that having an adequate parts stock.
>
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> Tom Parkinson Vancouver BC
> 604 733-5430  fax 733-5437
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