PATCO: Brake part defect stopping trains
CAMDEN – PATCO Hi-Speedline officials have discovered a suspected defective part on older transit cars that has been causing a number of trains to stop.
PATCO General Manager John Rink reported the suspected manufacturer’s defect this week to the operations and maintenance committee of its parent agency, the Delaware River Port Authority.
He said an internal investigation began after PATCO staff noticed a high number of maintenance work orders — 797 — between May and July and the number of times — 43 — a train operator had to remove passengers because of a sudden stoppage.
“We thought we had a gasket problem in the air brake system that connects the cars, but when replacing the gaskets did not solve the problem, we found the problem was with the brake pad,” Rink explained.
He said air can leak from it at the coupler between cars, causing trains to halt.
“It seems like a defective pad,” PATCO President and DRPA CEO John Hanson told the committee.
Because the pads are ordered directly from a manufacturer, Rink said the supplier has been notified and temporary engineering solutions are being explored.
Additionally, Rink said summer heat also has caused problems with the older cars. Traction motors are continuing to burn out as they did last year, though to a lesser degree, also causing trains to halt. And some train car doors are not closing after passengers enter.
He said the number of failed traction motors from January to July was down to 142 compared to 177 in the first six months of last year.
PATCO staff is able to replace the aging motors, which were greatly affected in 2014 by winter snow and ice that caused them to fail.
A major overhaul of its aging fleet is underway, but PATCO can send only about 10 cars at a time for reconditioning because nearly all are needed to operate on the Lindenwold to Philadelphia line or as emergency replacements.
The first new cars began operating in the spring.
Reach Carol Comegno at (856-486-2473 or ccomegno@gannettnj.com