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

[A Voice]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

Are you suggesting the SC-44 fared better than an EMD or General Electric unit - such as the trailing P-42 - would have? How do you know this?

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

Are you suggesting the SC-44 fared better than an EMD or General Electric unit - such as the trailing P-42 - would have? How do you know this?

Fared better... what exactly do you mean?

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

My thoughts and prayers go to those affected by the accident, as well as the friends and families of those that were killed.

What indications do you see that indicate to you that it is totaled?

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I didn't indicate that it was irreparable. I just said it SEEMS irreparable.

 

[djexel]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

My thoughts and prayers go to those affected by the accident, as well as the friends and families of those that were killed.

What indications do you see that indicate to you that it is totaled?

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When looking at this why would you think it’s salvageable? Just curious.



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[CCC1007]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

My thoughts and prayers go to those affected by the accident, as well as the friends and families of those that were killed.

What indications do you see that indicate to you that it is totaled?

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

When looking at this why would you think it’s salvageable? Just curious.

IMG_5104.jpg

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I would say it held up admirably well for a locomotive that visited a highway almost 20 feet lower than the track it was planned to be on. The mechanics will have to do a thorough inspection and replace what they can, and if not then pull all components that can be used again and scrap the rest.

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[AmtrakBlue]

WSDOT #1402 was wrecked this morning when it derailed while hauling Amtrak Cascades #501 on an inaugural run on the new Cascades route. Sadly, 9 passengers were killed and 77 passengers and car motorists sustained injuries. It seems like it's irreparable, but at least the design of it saved the engineer's life, thanks to Siemens!

My thoughts and prayers go to those affected by the accident, as well as the friends and families of those that were killed.

Where are you hearing 9 were killed. Initial reports said 6 but thats been downgraded to 3.

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[Ryan]

If only there were a thread where we could discuss the derailment....

 

[jebr]

If only there were a thread where we could discuss the derailment....

Agreed. All discussion of the derailment needs to go that-a-way.

Let's keep this thread about the Charger locomotives more generally.

 

[Fan Railer]

MARC testing their Siemens Chargers:

 

[Ryan]

There's a thread for that.....

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/72141-marc-charger-testing-week-of-15-jan/

 

[CraigDK]

A power-point presentation from last weeks NCEG meeting on the Chargers.

I found it interesting that the remaining 186 options are available up to 2021.

 

[jis]

What I found interesting, in addition to the mix of semi permanent coupled pairs and regular coupling cars in the Midwest configurations, is the multiple mention of PRIIA compliant cars. Considering that the PRIIA specs had to be changed to comply with what these cars happened to be, that was an interesting twist.

 

[PRR 60]

What I found interesting, in addition to the mix of semi permanent coupled pairs and regular coupling cars in the Midwest configurations, is the multiple mention of PRIIA compliant cars. Considering that the PRIIA specs had to be changed to comply with what these cars happened to be, that was an interesting twist.

I thought that was hilarious.

 

[George K]

Perhaps slightly off-topic.

I live in the western suburbs of Chicago, along the BNSF "raceway." I've seen a lot of the Siemens locomotives blow through my town in the last months, and they look nice.

A couple of observations:

1) They seem quieter than the P42s that used to run the route.

2) The horn sounds distinctly different from what I've heard in the past. I've been told the horn is the same K5LA as on other locomotives, but it just sounds different to me. Am I wrong?

 

[frequentflyer]

I read somewhere that California is sending the Charger to operate from LA-SD. So does that mean the Pacific Coast liners is getting rebranded to a single California rail entity?

 

[Acela150]

Perhaps slightly off-topic.

I live in the western suburbs of Chicago, along the BNSF "raceway." I've seen a lot of the Siemens locomotives blow through my town in the last months, and they look nice.

A couple of observations:

1) They seem quieter than the P42s that used to run the route.

2) The horn sounds distinctly different from what I've heard in the past. I've been told the horn is the same K5LA as on other locomotives, but it just sounds different to me. Am I wrong?

They are quieter now. Diesels have come a long ways in that way.

It is indeed a K5LA. It is a different generation though. Which explains the sound difference.

 

[Agent]

YouTube user Sky Rider caught the newly-released CDTX 2107 and 2108 getting moved to Oakland today.

 

[Thirdrail7]

There are still quite a few that are making their way from Pueblo. You should be able to catch some of them soon.

 

[sitzplatz17]

Not 100% Amtrak related but I didn’t see a thread for the MARC chargers. Spotted one of them hanging out at WAS a couple minutes ago.(apologies for the bad photo quality)

Any idea when these will be in revenue service? Perhaps they already are?

 

[Ryan]

They have been for a few weeks. There was a thread in the commuter rail section.

 

[DSS&A]

California's Altamont Corridor Express is buying four Chargers along with an option to purchase four additional locomotives in the future.

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/supplier_spotlight/news/Rail-supplier-news-from-Siemens-TRAC-WSP-ENSCO-and-Trackmobile-April-27--54531

 

[Blackwolf]

Looks like the Charger is the new standard for North American passenger locomotives.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

With no real effort made by American builders are you surprised ??

EMD has been lacking customer support on its F 125 , in about same poor way they supported the LIRR DE/DM series.

 

[Ryan]

I didn’t realize that the people building the Chargers in California weren’t American.

 

[jis]

Vastly larger number of EMD locomotives are now manufactured outside the US and indeed outside North America, either under license or in joint ventures involving EMD.

For example the diesel passenger workhorse of Indian Railways (WDP-4 and derivatives) is manufactured in India under license, together with a series of derivative designs. 100s of them are built each year. In addition EMD also has a joint venture factory for manufacturing a different class of freight locomotives.