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September 13, 1990. From June 11 to July 9, 1990, he observed between New Rochelle and Harold, New York, from July 10 until August 8, between New Haven and Penn Station, New York; and from August 13 to September 13, between New Haven and Boston. On September 17, 1990, he entered Amtrak's engineer training school, which he completed on November 9, 1990. He took 16 tests in the school on which his grades ranged from 75 to 100 percent, except in train handling/operations, on which he scored 55 percent. At the end of the formal classroom training in the school, he was sent to the locomotive simulator facility at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois, where he received passenger train operation training. His simulator operating scores at the end of this training were 100 percent for rules compliance, 78.56 percent for train handling technique, and 30 percent for train handling efficiency.
After a 4-week vacation, the apprentice engineer returned to the training program. On December 10 and 11, he completed two round trips as part of the on-the-job training (OJT) phase of train operations. About noon on Monday, December 10, he reported to New Haven for his first OJT trip on Amtrak train 168, which arrived in Boston about 2:25 p.m., he returned to New Haven on Amtrak train 193, arriving about 9 p.m. About 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, he reported to New Haven for his second OJT on Amtrak train 66, which arrived in Boston about 8:30 a.m.; he returned to New Haven on Amtrak train 153, arriving about 1:30 p.m. He went home and rested, remaining off duty for 14 hours 15 minutes before reporting back for duty. About 4:15 a.m. on Wednesday, the apprentice engineer reported for his third OJT on Amtrak train 66. This trip was the third one on which the apprentice engineer operated the locomotive into Back Bay station and the first time he operated into Back Bay station from New Haven to Boston with this engineer. The engineer and apprentice had been acquainted for over 15 years.
Train Information
MBTA Train 906—The MBTA commuter train 906 comprised one control car (1614), six passenger cars (1525, 302, 326, 347, 333, and 315), and one locomotive (1073).
MBTA train 906 was configured for push/pull service, which allows trains to make round trips without repositioning the locomotive unit. A locomotive is at one end and a control car is at the other end of the consist. The locomotive provides the power, which the locomotive engineer controls either directly from the locomotive or remotely from the control car. When the locomotive engineer operates from the control car, the train is in the push mode, when he operates from the locomotive, the train is in the pull mode. At the time of the accident, MBTA train 906 was in the push mode.
Amtrak Train 66.—Amtrak train 66 comprised a two-unit diesel-electric locomotive (272 and 366), a material handling car (1551), a baggage car (1217), three passenger cars (21248, 21190, 21070), a dining car (20238), two passenger cars (4702 and 2994), a baggage car (1188), and a material handling car (1552).
Manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation, each locomotive unit was a four-axle, 3,000-horsepower, model F40PH with an 1,800-gallon diesel fuel tank. At the time of the accident, each one carried about 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel. According to the design data calculations, 40PH locomotive units carrying 1,500 gallons of fuel have a turnover speed of about 59 mph in a 9° 30' curve. They were equipped with blended
