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

[rickycourtney]

Personally, I really like this livery. It's a nice blend of the "pointless arrow" and the Acela blue.

These things are always subjective, and no livery will make everyone happy.

According to the press release, five locomotives will be painted in this livery, one will be painted in a special 50th Anniversary livery, and the remaining 69 locomotives will be in a new, yet to be released Phase VII scheme.

My guess is that Amtrak is still designing the Phase VII scheme "by committee" and Siemens couldn't wait any longer to get the first six locomotives into the paint shop.

 

[jiml]

Personally, I really like this livery. It's a nice blend of the "pointless arrow" and the Acela blue.

These things are always subjective, and no livery will make everyone happy.

According to the press release, five locomotives will be painted in this livery, one will be painted in a special 50th Anniversary livery, and the remaining 69 locomotives will be in a new, yet to be released Phase VII scheme.

My guess is that Amtrak is still designing the Phase VII scheme "by committee" and Siemens couldn't wait any longer to get the first six locomotives into the paint shop.

It certainly makes the statement that many have called for in the other thread focused on mismatched paint schemes.

 

[Crowbar_k]

View attachment 18355

I don't know about the livery. What do you think?

https://railcolornews.com/2020/08/0...he-final-design-of-its-long-distance-charger/

 

[Crowbar_k]

Looks like they are paying homage to the original Amtrak logo.

 

[NSC1109]

View attachment 18355

I don't know about the livery. What do you think?

https://railcolornews.com/2020/08/0...he-final-design-of-its-long-distance-charger/

Ain’t great. Ain’t horrible. Not my top 10 but it’s also not phase II so....

 

[PaTrainFan]

I am not technically inclined when it comes to motive power, but I always wondered about what appears to be an open panel on each side of the engine. Would the weather not breach the key parts of the body?

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Well, the first ALC-42 has been completed, but still has yet to be painted!

 

[rickycourtney]

A photo of the partially completed ALC-42 was included in Amtrak's presentation to the NGEC Annual Meeting.

 

[frequentflyer]

No doubt these will have teething problems, they are having them now in the midwest. But so did the Genesis, and have been on the road for 25 years or more.

 

[railiner]

No doubt these will have teething problems, they are having them now in the midwest. But so did the Genesis, and have been on the road for 25 years or more.

Seems like almost all of Amtrak's 'new' locomotives had 'teething' problems from the SDP-40F to P-30CH to E-60, etc....
The ones that seemed to have the least were the F-40PH and AEM-7's....

 

[jiml]

If these have only minor variations from those running successfully in other parts of the country, I'm not sure much of the "teething" hasn't already happened. At least it shouldn't be as extreme as breaking in a completely new model - the problem in the past. Training is likely the biggest hurdle.

 

[MARC Rider]

Seems like almost all of Amtrak's 'new' locomotives had 'teething' problems from the SDP-40F to P-30CH to E-60, etc....
The ones that seemed to have the least were the F-40PH and AEM-7's....

The rollout of the ACS-64 was pretty smooth, at least from the perspective of a frequent passenger. On the other hand, the HHP-8's, oy.

 

[Cal]

I am not a huge fan of that livery, I don't know. Maybe it'll grow on me

I'm just going to miss the P42s..

 

[Acela150]

I am not a huge fan of that livery, I don't know. Maybe it'll grow on me

It's not the final livery.

I'm not sure much of the "teething" hasn't already happened.

I'm actually going to disagree with you here slightly.

There are multiple PTC and ATC systems that will be combined for the first time on these units. In the Midwest, Northwest, and California they don't use them. MARC's are the only Chargers that are close to what Amtrak is getting.

 

[Cal]

It's not the final livery.

Hmm, alrighty

 

[Dutchrailnut]

somehow that rear end is not going to do well with single level cars.

 

[jiml]

somehow that rear end is not going to do well with single level cars.

Why not?

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Why not?

View attachment 20987

look at the picture of Amtrak charger door is about 3 feet higher than single level floor

 

[jis]

look at the picture of Amtrak charger door is about 3 feet higher than single level floor View attachment 20990

While that is quite true, it is also quite moot, since one is not supposed to walk through the engine compartment while the prime mover is operational under normal circumstances. I was told by the Brightline CMO that the door is there only for emergency egress, not for general use to bring breakfast to the Engineer (hey that is what he said, don;t blame me). Of course that is just speaking of a single operators. Others may have other ideas.

 

[Cal]

While that is quite true, it is also quite moot, since one is not supposed to walk through the engine compartment while the prime mover is operational under normal circumstances. I was told by the Brightline CMO that the door is there only for emergency egress, not for general use to bring breakfast to the Engineer (hey that is what he said, don;t blame me). Of course that is just speaking of a single operators. Others may have other ideas.

I was thinking this as well. I mean, have you ever seen the conductor go from the baggage car into the engine? What about the F40s? I don't think you could go between them and the cars either. And where the F59s are leading a single set?

 

[Duane Witte]

If I'm not mistaken the only Amtrak locomotive with a nose door is the P32BWH. So you would not be able to travel between cars and lead loco anyway if multiple units are being used.

 

[jis]

If I'm not mistaken the only Amtrak locomotive with a nose door is the P32BWH. So you would not be able to travel between cars and lead loco anyway if multiple units are being used.

Didn't they retrofit a tiny nose door into several of the P32AC-DMs to allow them to operate as a staffed unit through the Park Avenue tunnels too? Or was that idea canned?

 

[Trogdor]

Didn't they retrofit a tiny nose door into several of the P32AC-DMs to allow them to operate as a staffed unit through the Park Avenue tunnels too? Or was that idea canned?

They did, but it’s more of an escape hatch than a door.

 

[Duane Witte]

Didn't they retrofit a tiny nose door into several of the P32AC-DMs to allow them to operate as a staffed unit through the Park Avenue tunnels too? Or was that idea canned?

Yeah I believe they did install a small escape hatch in the nose of some. I had forgotten about those but that would definitely not be for casual access between locomotives

 

[jiml]

I was thinking this as well. I mean, have you ever seen the conductor go from the baggage car into the engine? What about the F40s? I don't think you could go between them and the cars either.

The engineers on VIA have been known to pick up coffee from the BC galley behind the locomotive. Whether this is strictly permitted or not who knows? VIA uses F40's and P42's.