Amtrak Siemens Charger locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E) (2015 - 1Q 2024)

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The rating of the F59 HEP may be a problem. Remember the new Amtrak requirement for HEP is 1000 Kw. on the ACS-64. Only the P-40s assigned to Auto Train can provide enough HEP ( unknown ) for that train. Any one know F59's ? Also some of the F-40s had a lower rating than P-40, p-42, SDP-40s
 
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west point said:
The rating of the F59 HEP may be a problem. Remember the new Amtrak requirement for HEP is 1000 Kw. on the ACS-64. Only the P-40s assigned to Auto Train can provide enough HEP ( unknown ) for that train. Any one know F59's ? Also some of the F-40s had a lower rating than P-40, p-42, SDP-40s
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They do get used on the LD trains when needed so they must be able to handle it.

http://www.trainweb.org/mattstrains/pics/pics/AMTRAK/AMTK_115_3.jpg

AMTK_115_3.jpg
 
This is from an 2012 PRIIA document about specifications on acquiring "next generation locomotives" I don't know if anything has changed.

The locomotive shall be equipped with an inverter—type Head End Power (HEP) source which shall produce 480VAC, 3-phase, 60 Hz electric power for heating, lighting and other hotel power needs of connected passenger cars. The HEP power source shall be capable of producing 600kW at 480V, 60 Hz with a 100% duty cycle.
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But the document seems to indicate, and I don't really understand what I'm reading (ya I'll link it) but I believe there is limitations in the system on the cars for exceeding these limits.

here is the doc: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Fx8XPB2w_JY89kxJX00-0_XAzE1-Nt0yFdIUP8x18PR8m0MOO3Ccj9iPbPy3

peter
 
I thought the new diesels got bumped to 800kw. Anyway, the difference with the F59 is that it has a separate genset, so the HEP is not subtracted from the traction power.
 
I would have thought Siemens would have been further along than this, but they have installed the Cummins engine into the first Charger locomotive.

Railway Age: Siemens Chargers coming to life. Excerpt:

Siemens reached a production milestone at its Sacramento, Calif., manufacturing plant with installation of the first Cummins QSK95 diesel engine and traction alternator into the carbody of a new higher-speed diesel-electric Charger locomotive.

The 21-ton power unit, the first diesel engine to be installed at the Sacramento plant, was successfully lowered into the locomotive by overhead crane.

Siemens is manufacturing 69 Chargers for the Departments of Transportation in Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri, Washington and Maryland, and for Brightline, the privately owned and operated express passenger rail service to be offered by Florida East Coast Industries subsidiary All Aboard Florida that will connect Miami and Orlando. Siemens is also building Brightline passenger coaches in Sacramento.
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There is a link on the Railway Age page to a video on the Siemens site of the engine being lowered into the locomotive frame. So, yes, there is a video of what the Chargers frame will look like.
 
afigg said:
I would have thought Siemens would have been further along than this, but they have installed the Cummins engine into the first Charger locomotive.

Railway Age: Siemens Chargers coming to life. Excerpt:

Siemens reached a production milestone at its Sacramento, Calif., manufacturing plant with installation of the first Cummins QSK95 diesel engine and traction alternator into the carbody of a new higher-speed diesel-electric Charger locomotive.

The 21-ton power unit, the first diesel engine to be installed at the Sacramento plant, was successfully lowered into the locomotive by overhead crane.

Siemens is manufacturing 69 Chargers for the Departments of Transportation in Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri, Washington and Maryland, and for Brightline, the privately owned and operated express passenger rail service to be offered by Florida East Coast Industries subsidiary All Aboard Florida that will connect Miami and Orlando. Siemens is also building Brightline passenger coaches in Sacramento.
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There is a link on the Railway Age page to a video on the Siemens site of the engine being lowered into the locomotive frame. So, yes, there is a video of what the Chargers frame will look like.
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Well, as you can see in the video, that's on facebook if any of you are looking lol, there is still an ACS unit in the factory (which I presume to be 670, fresh off the production line). So it makes sense that they only just recently dropped the first prime mover into the first Charger.
 
An update was posted on the Chargers, with some rather nice photographs and new (to my knowledge) renderings of the various paint schemes (which are all terribly bland IMO). Siemens has eleven locomotives in production, two of which are in final assembly. Testing will apparently begin in June, with the first deliveries to the Midwest states in December, followed by California in February 2017 and Washington state in March 2017.
 
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WoodyinNYC said:
keelhauled said:
An update was posted on the Chargers, with some rather nice photographs and new (to my knowledge) renderings of the various paint schemes (which are all terribly bland IMO). Siemens has eleven locomotives in production, two of which are in final assembly. Testing will apparently begin in June, with the first deliveries to the Midwest states in December, followed by California in February 2017 and Washington state in March 2017.
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The promised update on the Chargers is not what's linked. It's gone missing.
However, the link did take us to some great info on the bi-level cars, thanks.
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Fixed.
 
Sorry, I still go to the bi-levels, not the locomotives.
 
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WoodyinNYC said:
keelhauled said:
WoodyinNYC said:
keelhauled said:
An update was posted on the Chargers, with some rather nice photographs and new (to my knowledge) renderings of the various paint schemes (which are all terribly bland IMO). Siemens has eleven locomotives in production, two of which are in final assembly. Testing will apparently begin in June, with the first deliveries to the Midwest states in December, followed by California in February 2017 and Washington state in March 2017.
Click to expand...
The promised update on the Chargers is not what's linked. It's gone missing.
However, the link did take us to some great info on the bi-level cars, thanks.
Click to expand...
Fixed.
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Sorry, I still go to the bi-levels, not the locomotives.
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Where are you clicking? My initial post or a quoted one? I edited my comment with the new link, but that won't translate through the forum's quoting mechanism. In any case, here it is again: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/NGEC%20305_Presentation_Multi%20State_21616-update.pdf
 
keelhauled said:
WoodyinNYC said:
keelhauled said:
WoodyinNYC said:
keelhauled said:
. . . on the Chargers, with some rather nice photographs . . .
Click to expand...
The promised update on the Chargers is not what's linked. It's gone missing.
However, the link did take us to some great info on the bi-level cars, thanks.
Click to expand...
Fixed.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I still go to the bi-levels, not the locomotives.
Click to expand...
Where are you clicking? My initial post or a quoted one? I edited my comment with the new link, but that won't translate through the forum's quoting mechanism. In any case, here it is again: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/NGEC%20305_Presentation_Multi%20State_21616-update.pdf
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OK. Now I got it. Thanks.

Ima gonna try to edit out my posts that now can only spread confusion. LOL.

.
 
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I am able to see the locomotive update just fine.

Interesting to note: Looks like the white rooftop strobes are coming back? I'm actually not complaining, since the white strobes just scream "PASSENGER TRAIN" to me since Amtrak used to be the only trains with them growing up. A handfull of the CDTX F-59PH locomotives used on the Capitol Corridor route have the strobe still.

I am somewhat surprised that the CalTrans units are not being painted in the current livery. But, they will be the only Chargers with a transition piece that lines the back of the locomotive up with the rooflines of the cars behind it.
 
They look nice and seeing a return to strobes makes things interesting. Speaking of strobes, I wonder why Amtrak removed the strobes on the P40s?
 
That is initially what I thought as well. But if one looks closely....you can see the blue curves back down toward the center of the locomotive, right above the door; where as the caltrain continues back aways past the door. This looks like a mid-west unit
 
With these new Chargers coming on-line, Amtrak should have an additional 33 P-42's available in Chicago (who knows what shape they are in), but what about the Amtrak engines in California and Washington state? CalTrans has 20 Chargers on order and WasDOT has 8. Will this free up an additional 28 Amtrak engines for LD service? I know both CalTrans and WasDOT have some of there own engines, will any of these be retired or are they looking at the Chargers as a way to get rid of any P42's they are leasing from Amtrak?
 
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