ACS-64 Heads Up

[Agent]

Here is AMTK 640 heading east on the California Zephyr through Iowa today. The train was running almost three hours late at this point.

https://youtu.be/-L8--smZ8PU

 

[KmH]

Yep. Apparently it got held up in Fraser yesterday - again.

 

[afigg]

Here is AMTK 640 heading east on the California Zephyr through Iowa today. The train was running almost three hours late at this point.

Interesting how the ACS-64s appear to be delivered in batches. After a few weeks with nothing, then last week, #638 and #639 were shipped east. We'll see if there is gap before #641 shows up.

At what point do they have enough ACS-64s cleared for revenue service before the AEM-7 ACs locomotives start getting retired? With 28 AEM-7 ACs on the active roster, I think the start of retirement of the AC units is not that far off.

 

[George K]

How many have been delivered thus far?

 

[west point]

What is important is not how many have been delivered but how many have been accepted for unlimited service. Any one have that figure ?

 

[west point]

If 28 AEM-7ACs are in service it may be once 42 ACS-64s cleared for unlimited service then the 43rd in full service might allow for AC retirements. That way a full 70 motors would be in service which is the delivery number of -64s.

 

[KmH]

How many have been delivered thus far?

If we go by the sequential numbers being delivered by the CZ, something like 40 of them - 638, 639, 640?

We just passed the halfway point.

 

[Agent]

Here's a report that two one more ACS-64s were, AMTK 641, was taken from the factory to Oakland on Thursday. Might have It left on Amtrak #6 on Friday.

 

[Agent]

Amtrak train #6(17) passed through Iowa yesterday with AMTK 641.

Here it is at Ottumwa (not my video):

https://youtu.be/FDz3mgeMNN4

And here it is passing a cheery tree in Agency:

https://youtu.be/Xqtg4geMxGI

 

[PerRock]

Pictures of #642 appeared on the NEC Facebook group. One interesting thing about 642, is that it's 'undecorated.' No Blue & red stripes, no "Amtrak" or the Travelscape markings. Simply silver and a little black & a Siemens logo. Any ideas why this one is different? My best guess is that another RR is going to give it a test run.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=960942653939621&set=pcb.10152673514141626&type=1&theater

peter

Edit: correction, there is an Amtrak logo. It's small and by the side window. I missed it in the smaller view FB gave me. Question still stands however.

 

[129]

Pictures of #642 appeared on the NEC Facebook group. One interesting thing about 642, is that it's 'undecorated.' No Blue & red stripes, no "Amtrak" or the Travelscape markings. Simply silver and a little black & a Siemens logo. Any ideas why this one is different? My best guess is that another RR is going to give it a test run.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=960942653939621&set=pcb.10152673514141626&type=1&theater

peter

Edit: correction, there is an Amtrak logo. It's small and by the side window. I missed it in the smaller view FB gave me. Question still stands however.

See page 129 of the railroad dot net thread.

 

[PerRock]

:S I'm not familiar with that site. The thread on it I did find didn't say anything about undecorated ACS-64s on (or around) page 129. There was some talk about which car takes the most drag on the HEP and something beyond me about power changes and with 'T something' device.

peter

 

[Ryan]

Bottom of page 132 on that thread. Reportedly going to Beech Grove for a bit. Guess those guys can get an advanced look at what a Charger is going to kind-of sort-of look like. Maybe they'll give it a fancy wrap job or something while they're at it.

 

[Acela150]

Bottom of page 132 on that thread. Reportedly going to Beech Grove for a bit. Guess those guys can get an advanced look at what a Charger is going to kind-of sort-of look like. Maybe they'll give it a fancy wrap job or something while they're at it.

An Electric in BEE??!! They won't know what to do! But, I'd be perfectly ok with it being put in some Phase III.

 

[PerRock]

Something like this?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/PerRock/ES64U-phIII.jpg~original

There is a photoshopped version of an ACS-64 in that scheme (I couldn't find it for this post) I recreated it using a ES64 since we don't have an ACS-64 for Trainz yet.

peter

 

[Guest]

Bottom of page 132 on that thread. Reportedly going to Beech Grove for a bit. Guess those guys can get an advanced look at what a Charger is going to kind-of sort-of look like. Maybe they'll give it a fancy wrap job or something while they're at it.

I am pretty sure it is getting the Veterans paint livery. Diesel 42 has it. This is 642. I don't think that is a coincidence.

 

[Agent]

AMTK 642 with missing paint spotted leaving California on Amtrak #6(25) today. This train will be Denver on Sunday and Chicago on Monday.

 

[Ryan]

Thinking about it more, it's gotta be paint. No other reason to ship it "plain". Since its 642, my money is on Veterans.

 

[Agent]

Here is AMTK 642 on train #6(25) this morning at the depot in Ottumwa, Iowa this morning. The train was just under an hour late, but has lost some more time since then.

 

[Amtrak172]

I say Veterans

 

[cirdan]

Here is AMTK 640 heading east on the California Zephyr through Iowa today. The train was running almost three hours late at this point.

Interesting how the ACS-64s appear to be delivered in batches. After a few weeks with nothing, then last week, #638 and #639 were shipped east. We'll see if there is gap before #641 shows up.

At what point do they have enough ACS-64s cleared for revenue service before the AEM-7 ACs locomotives start getting retired? With 28 AEM-7 ACs on the active roster, I think the start of retirement of the AC units is not that far off.

That's not that surprising really. Locomotives are not built on a conveyor belt like cars but there are a limited number of berths in the assembly shop, limited number of body jigs etc, and they can't start work on the next locomotive until they've moved a finished one out.

 

[Agent]

There's a report here that AMTK 643 is being displayed on a turntable at the California State Railroad Museum.

 

[BrianPR3]

So it's confirmed that on the NEC facebook page, 642 will be the electric veterans scheme.

 

[Acela150]

I say who cares.. If it runs I'm happy.

 

[Agent]

AMTK 643 has left the museum and is now going east on Amtrak #6(09). There's also private varnish The Patrón Tequila Express on the end of the train. This Zephyr was three and half hours late out of Ottumwa, Iowa.