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

[Paniolo Man]

14 had an accident this morning. Poor 300 looks pretty rough. Amtrak is going to get a good trial of extensive repair work on an ALC-42.

 

[jimmrl]

Here is 312 last month in New Orleans. It had a meeting with a garbage truck a few months before and was in town for "lawyers to look at".

 

[GDRRiley]

14 had an accident this morning. Poor 300 looks pretty rough. Amtrak is going to get a good trial of extensive repair work on an ALC-42.

another angle. (From VCFD)

 

[jis]

There was a small fire that makes it look worse than it actually is perhaps.

I suppose Ventura County will now get to cough up some large sum of money via insurance or taxpayer to compensate Amtrak for this one?

 

[GDRRiley]

I suppose Ventura County will now get to cough up some large sum of money via insurance or taxpayer to compensate Amtrak for this one?

I'd expect insurance but I'm sure the lawyers are going to fight it out

 

[Agent]

Amtrak #6(30) made its departure today with brand new Chargers AMTK 335 and 336 along for the ride. Sky Rider caught this California Zephyr as it headed eastward past Hercules, California.



It was later caught by KJW at Suisan City.

 

[Agent]

I caught AMTK 336 and 335 on #6(30) running over three hours late east of Ottumwa, Iowa today. One thing I noticed that I hadn't in the videos above is that there was an extra sleeping car on the end of the train.

 

[Ziv]

14 had an accident this morning. Poor 300 looks pretty rough. Amtrak is going to get a good trial of extensive repair work on an ALC-42.

300 does look pretty bad. How was the engineer? I believe that there have been a lot of steps taken to protect the crew but that windshield looks like the locomotive had its work cut out for it to protect him.
I always wondered if there was a way to make the area under the engineers "work station" and in front of his seat into a kind of safety cage that he could duck into the second or two before the locomotive strikes something on the tracks. Seat belts may be a better bet but given the state of that windshield I am not sure an engineer would not be better off ducking rather than being secured. I guess it is a question of what is the greater threat, G-force rapid deceleration vs. flying debris/crushed cab.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Seat belts are of no use, even hitting a truck does not really decelerate a train. The entire cab is a safety cage and despite windows shattered does not even mean glass entered cab as several layers of plastic are embedded, the corner post did their job despite being damaged.

 

[jis]

Seat belts are of no use, even hitting a truck does not really decelerate a train. The entire cab is a safety cage and despite windows shattered does not even mean glass entered cab as several layers of plastic are embedded, the corner post did their job despite being damaged.

Apparently the Charger and Sprinter Cabs are very robust safety cages. They are essentially very similar in construction. It is worth recalling that the Engineer survived in both the Cascade Talgo derailment and the Regional derailment at Frankford Jct. in addition to this one and other incidents, with relatively easily recoverable injuries.

 

[Ziv]

Apparently the Charger and Sprinter Cabs are very robust safety cages. They are essentially very similar in construction. It is worth recalling that the Engineer survived in both the Cascade Talgo derailment and the Regional derailment at Frankford Jct. in addition to this one and other incidents, with relatively easily recoverable injuries.

I remember reading the transcript of the engineers radio report that his train was "on the ground". It sounded like his heart was broken. But as you say, he survived with minimal injuries.

 

[Trogdor]

I remember reading the transcript of the engineers radio report that his train was "on the ground". It sounded like his heart was broken. But as you say, he survived with minimal injuries.

“On the ground” is simply railroad speak for derailed. Technically, the Coast Starlight last week was “on the ground” even if all the cars were basically upright and in line.

 

[TransitTyrant]

Apparently the Charger and Sprinter Cabs are very robust safety cages. They are essentially very similar in construction. It is worth recalling that the Engineer survived in both the Cascade Talgo derailment and the Regional derailment at Frankford Jct. in addition to this one and other incidents, with relatively easily recoverable injuries.

Also smashing into that backhoe at 100 mph.

 

[Paniolo Man]

I was under the impression that the California Zephyr would be among the first routes to see new power, was I mistaken, or have plans changed?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The Capitol Limited is now using Chargers. It’s currently running them in revenue testing for ?ATC? so the trains include P42s

 

[railiner]

300 does look pretty bad. How was the engineer? I believe that there have been a lot of steps taken to protect the crew but that windshield looks like the locomotive had its work cut out for it to protect him.
I always wondered if there was a way to make the area under the engineers "work station" and in front of his seat into a kind of safety cage that he could duck into the second or two before the locomotive strikes something on the tracks. Seat belts may be a better bet but given the state of that windshield I am not sure an engineer would not be better off ducking rather than being secured. I guess it is a question of what is the greater threat, G-force rapid deceleration vs. flying debris/crushed cab.

The best way, would be the way the old Southern Railway, as well as the Norfolk & Western did..."long hood forward"...
Might be a bit more difficult nowadays without a fireman, though...

 

[west point]

Do it like the Germans did in WW-2. Run a low heavy car in front of the loco that would knock most vehiccles off the crossing.. Now humongous over weight vehicles not much help.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Seat belts are of no use, even hitting a truck does not really decelerate a train. The entire cab is a safety cage and despite windows shattered does not even mean glass entered cab as several layers of plastic are embedded, the corner post did their job despite being damaged.

We covered all that and now we are just repeating.

 

[jis]

We covered all that and now we are just repeating.

I have noticed that many do not seem to understand what a safety cage is, and that the entire cab in the new locomotives is a safety cage. That is why they talk of having a safety cage under the console and what not. They also don't appear to understand how the cars with CEM are architected with the passenger compartment as a safety cage (at least longitudinally) and stuff outside it allowed to deform to dissipate energy.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

And to add to what JIS just said, this is why you should never ride in vestibule ends of a coach, it is the crumple zone of the car.

 

[Ziv]

I have noticed that many do not seem to understand what a safety cage is, and that the entire cab in the new locomotives is a safety cage. That is why they talk of having a safety cage under the console and what not. They also don't appear to understand how the cars with CEM are architected with the passenger compartment as a safety cage (at least longitudinally) and stuff outside it allowed to deform to dissipate energy.

Yep, that would be me! LOL!

My thoughts on safety cages are pretty amateurish, but when I look at locomotives with bashed in windshields I think one thing. When I saw photos of the Cascades loco on its side I think another. And that one was that I would not want to be a "little pea rattling around in a big old safety cage". LOL! It seemed like ducking under something would keep the engineer from flying all over the locomotive as it rotated and bounced around. Seatbelts would help a lot but flying debris might be an issue too.
Obviously just a tyro's look at what would make it safer but those were my two cents on the matter.

 

[railiner]

To avoid the fate of Casey Jones, some engineers seeing an impending "cornfield meet" will "join the birds" (jump), especially if there appears a gasoline tanker stuck at the crossing...

 

[Dutchrailnut]

cornfield meet with a gas tanker??? sure Bro.

 

[UserNameRequired]

That's one way of making E15

 

[Agent]

New ALC-42s 333 and 337 are now heading east on Amtrak #6(10). Sky Rider filmed this California Zephyr eastbound at Hercules, California.