Hello all, I've recently started playing NEC and I am confused about the pantographs. What is the difference between using the front pantograph over the rear or using both pantographs simultaneously?
This is just down to operating practice. Functionally, there is no real difference between what pantograph you use, it is possible to drive using any combination of the two, but when it comes to what setup to use, it's usually down to what is most safe for the train. For a normal Amtrak train, the rear pantograph is the most used. Special situations would require the front pantograph, and you'll probably never use both at once.
Most trains with 2 pans use the rear one, because if it gets damaged in a dewirement or hitting and object, the lead pan isn't damaged by the debris so the train should be able to continue after it's been untangled from the fallen wires. If they used the front one and this happened, the debris could damage the rear 'spare' one
