Burning rubber odor about 2 hours into NE Regional trips

Trains Magazine Passenger
1

I have to ask this, I’ve been on about 6 trips on the NEC recently and about 1.5 to 2 hours into the trip on the NE Regionals the vestibules and the darn Cafe Car are filled with the odor of burning rubber.

What is this odor and why does it start 1.5 to 2 hours into the trip?

I don’t remember this on Metroliner (version 2) several years back, and certainly don’t remember it earlier this year on NE Regional. Oh let’s say Train 199 for sake of specifics. Not happening on Acela at all.

2

Is it occuring in the same city every time?

I always could tell when I entered NC on I-95 - the paper plants around Roanoke Rapids created such an aroma.

When Akron was the rubber tire capital you could tell you were in Akron by the smell.

3

Huh, wow, that would be North Philadelphia in both directions.

Very interesting observation!