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

[jiml]

The dark blue was the best of the "teaser" colors they posted a few months back.

 

[NSC1109]

Apparently the paint isn’t symmetrical on either side. The navy blue and red arrow is father back on the fireman’s side. Was hoping it was just a render error because it drives my OCD crazy but I guess not.

This isn’t the final livery either, they’re still working on that.

 

[PerRock]

Well now you've ruined those for me...

peter

 

[Agent]

Two more videos from AMTK 300's second day of traveling on the California Zephyr. This one by Quinton Murdock is from Palisade, Colorado.



Ryan Vince posted a drone video of the train descending the grade west of Denver.

 

[frequentflyer]

Apparently the paint isn’t symmetrical on either side. The navy blue and red arrow is father back on the fireman’s side. Was hoping it was just a render error because it drives my OCD crazy but I guess not.

This isn’t the final livery either, they’re still working on that.

Strange, I wander why, poor QC in the paint dept.

 

[NSC1109]

Strange, I wander why, poor QC in the paint dept.

I don’t know if I’d say it’s poor QC since that’s exactly what they looked like in the official renderings. I’d say whoever designed the livery screwed it up. Can’t blame Siemens, they were just doing their job.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Apparently the paint isn’t symmetrical on either side. The navy blue and red arrow is father back on the fireman’s side. Was hoping it was just a render error because it drives my OCD crazy but I guess not.

This isn’t the final livery either, they’re still working on that.

I'm looking at two pictures on FB. Each one showing a different side. My guess is the paint job is different due to some "things" on the engineer's side at the back. The fireman's side just has some ?ladder rungs? at the back which don't take up as much room. Don't shoot me - I'm only making a guess. I have no idea why they didn't paint over the one "thing" that is in the way.

But who's going to notice. You can only see one side of the train as it passes by you.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

big deal?? its only a temporary paint job

 

[Cal]

big deal?? its only a temporary paint job

I thought that this is the special livery for the first few Alc-42s and the rest will have the standard one

 

[Agent]

I took some photos of 300 during #6(12)'s stop at Ottumwa, Iowa.









On this last picture, you can see the model designation of ALC-42 on the left, but on the card on the right directly below the Siemens logo it says, "Siemens Charger SC-44".

 

[Agent]

Amtrak itself has post a video about the 300's journey to the Northeast Corridor.



And to add one track-side video from today, here's Thunderbolt1996 Productions' shot of the train going through Pacific Junction, Iowa.

 

[neroden]

There's a weird echo of the "pointless arrow" in that paint job. I don't suppose anyone is committed enough to revert Amtrak's logo to the more famous version though!

 

[TheMalahat]

big deal?? its only a temporary paint job

Temporary paint scheme it will likely wear for over a decade, though. How Amtrak settled on two paint schemes for one order of locomotives for the same service is beyond me. They get a free pass for the anniversary one (although, unpopular opinion: I think the fleet would look better without all these special one-off paint jobs).

 

[cirdan]

Most noticeable to passengers is the drop in PM (particulate matter), followed by the drop in HC (not-fully-combusted hydrocarbons). In short, the exhaust smoke from the Chargers should be a lot less smelly and irritating.

A decade or two of bad maintenance will bring them back to the usual standard

 

[Cal]

They get a free pass for the anniversary one (although, unpopular opinion: I think the fleet would look better without all these special one-off paint jobs).

I think it would as well, however I do like the HU's and what they represent. It does irritate me that they decided to order the VII's in Phase III.

 

[Agent]

AMTK 300 made it onto the Capitol Limited to continue eastward. Hello Railfan posted a video of it near Meyersdale, Pennsylvania.



WV trains appears to be one of many that caught it at Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia.

 

[neroden]

A decade or two of bad maintenance will bring them back to the usual standard

Doubt it. The EPA checks up on them; there are standards for operation, not merely for manufacturing.

 

[jis]

I'm looking at two pictures on FB. Each one showing a different side. My guess is the paint job is different due to some "things" on the engineer's side at the back. The fireman's side just has some ?ladder rungs? at the back which don't take up as much room. Don't shoot me - I'm only making a guess. I have no idea why they didn't paint over the one "thing" that is in the way.

But who's going to notice. You can only see one side of the train as it passes by you.

We could ask our friend Matt Donnelly on FB who was involved in designing these paint schemes and see what he says.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

We could ask our friend Matt Donnelly on FB who was involved in designing these paint schemes and see what he says.

And I was right

From Matt: "because we didn’t want it to be chopped by a vent. The charger has different locations for vents on each side."

 

[jis]

And I was right

From Matt: "because we didn’t want it to be chopped by a vent. The charger has different locations for vents on each side."

Shucks! I thought it was done deliberately to see how many OCDs could be triggered.

 

[MisterUptempo]

Shucks! I thought it was done deliberately to see how many OCDs could be triggered.

Two birds. One stone.

 

[PaulM]

AMTK 300 made it onto the Capitol Limited to continue eastward.

A pretty sad consist: no SSL, no transition sleeper, no baggage car, no second engine. Sleepers right behind the sole engine.

 

[Bob Dylan]

A pretty sad consist: no SSL, no transition sleeper, no baggage car, no second engine. Sleepers right behind the sole engine.

Texas Eagle is an Orphan also!

 

[me_little_me]

A pretty sad consist: no SSL, no transition sleeper, no baggage car, no second engine. Sleepers right behind the sole engine.

Wait until high season. Never mind!

 

[frequentflyer]