Amtrak Siemens Charger locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E)

[west point]

It only takes a slowdown of a few critical parts to slow or stop deliveries,

 

[jis]

Seems like deliveries are on hold, would this have something to do with the issues they've been having?

ALC42 deliveries are likely on hold pending resolution of discovered issues. However, deliveries to VIA appear to be continuing.

 

[lordsigma]

Seems like deliveries are on hold, would this have something to do with the issues they've been having?

possibly - the article did note of a physical alteration they've decided to make to address issues they had earlier in the winter - this will need to be made to all the units in the factory. The already delivered units will get this done in the shop.

 

[Agent]

Yesterday, YouTube user Sky Rider caught a ferry move of six brand new ALC-42s fresh out of the Siemens factory. The units are AMTK 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, and 327.



Amtrak #6(16) left Emeryville today with new Chargers AMTK 323 and 324 behind the P42s. Sky Rider caught this California Zephyr as it headed eastward.

 

[jis]

Slides from the NGEC 2023 Annual Meeting:

Midwest Locomotive and Passenger Car 2023 Update (PDF)

Amtrak Update on Acquisitions And Capital Programs (PDF)

 

[PerRock]

Slides from the NGEC 2023 Annual Meeting:

Midwest Locomotive and Passenger Car 2023 Update (PDF)

Amtrak Update on Acquisitions And Capital Programs (PDF)

Thanks for the posting. Are all the presentations from this year's meeting posted somewhere? The site I see that normally has them hasn't been updated for 2023 yet.

Peter

 

[jis]

Thanks for the posting. Are all the presentations from this year's meeting posted somewhere? The site I see that normally has them hasn't been updated for 2023 yet.

Peter

Yes...

https://ngec.org/meetings/

 

[MARC Rider]

Slides from the NGEC 2023 Annual Meeting:

Midwest Locomotive and Passenger Car 2023 Update (PDF)

Amtrak Update on Acquisitions And Capital Programs (PDF)

In that Amtrak update, they talk about the new Acelas, that they did additional testing for a five foot cant deficiency late last year. I would have liked to see what that looked like. ) (Just joking, I think that was probably a typo, and they meant 5 inches.)

 

[Agent]

I was at the Ottumwa, Iowa station today as Amtrak #6(16) arrived with Chargers 324 and 323. The train was about two hours late.

 

[Agent]

YouTube user BERSERK posted a video yesterday of the northbound Silver Meteor with the Charger AMTK 316 on the end of the train. I'm guessing this move is related to crew familiarization.



On the other side of the continent, Amtrak UP Railfanning posted a video today of #11, the southbound Coast Starlight, with Charger 306 behind the two P42s. There's a comment saying this is one is also going to crew familiarization.

 

[Agent]

The ALC-42 had its revenue service debut for the Coast Starlight today with AMTK 306 leading Amtrak #14(8) out of Los Angeles. Marc Caraan caught the train leaving Union Station.



It was later filmed at Oxnard, California by Fan Railer.

 

[Agent]

The California Zephyr is traversing Donner Pass again so more Chargers from the batch of six that left the factory mid-February are on the move. Marcel Hall filmed Amtrak #6(09) yesterday with new ALC-42s 321 and 325 at the Richmond, California station. Also, there was an extra lounge car on the end.

 

[Agent]

#6(09) is not having a quick trip eastward. Video shot today by Michael DeMarco shows the Zephyr passing Winter Park, Colorado over twenty hours late.

 

[TheMalahat]

What's the reason for that Via Rail-scale delay?

 

[Paniolo Man]

What's the reason for that Via Rail-scale delay?

Everything just piled up. It had several delays before and in the Sierras, lost around 6 more hours between Reno and SLC, lost even more through Utah and into Colorado. Sounds like a lot of the delays were weather related and others pile on because of past delays throwing off dispatch and having more freights in the way. Eastern Utah is especially tricky since most of the passing sidings are full of stored cars.

 

[TransitTyrant]

So Amtrak finally released data on the reliability of its locomotives, including the state and long distance Chargers. The results aren’t great. P42 data might look better partially because they operate in warmer climates along with harsher ones but Chargers still got a long way to go.

 

[Agent]

Amtrak #6(09) may have disappeared from all of Amtrak's train tracking tools, but it's still out there and still on the move. I caught it east of Ottumwa, Iowa running just shy of thirty hours late. But in fairness, if it wasn't for the change to Daylight Saving Time, it would only be twenty-eight hours and fifty-eight minutes behind schedule.

 

[Agent]

AMTK 326 and 327 are on the move eastward on Amtrak #6(23). Adam Ghimenti caught this California Zephyr yesterday in West Sacramento, California.



Presently, this train is running over twelve hours late due to a "mechanical issue" that happened while the train was crossing Nevada.

 

[west point]

what in the world is the baggage car doing with open doors ?

 

[Cal]

what in the world is the baggage car doing with open doors ?

I've seen open baggage car doors a lot, usually when approaching/departing a station (in the video you can see a conductor in the baggage car). I don't think it's much of a problem, unless the luggage isn't properly secured.

 

[Agent]

At some point, one of #6(23)'s Genesis engines was replaced with a Union Pacific locomotive. High Plains Model Railroad Club filmed it passing though Bartley, Nebraska on Saturday. As of this writing, the train was nineteen and a half hours late out of Lincoln, Nebraska.

 

[Agent]

I caught #6(23) Sunday morning running nineteen hours and forty-six minutes late out of Ottumwa, Iowa. In addition to the UP freight engine and the new Chargers, I also noticed the train was using a flashing rear-end device instead on the usual marker lights on the end.





Andy S later filmed this Zephyr at La Grange, Illinois.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

301 (my favorite charger livery) has been a regular on the City of New Orleans 58/59 route lately. It's also great to see it leading as well.



I know that before, it was recently a regular on the Empire Builder route as well.