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

[jis]

From listening to the transcon scanner feed I can tell you that yes the freight railroads have PTC issues or at least BNSF does.

Good to know.

Also worth noting that the PTC problem that delayed #6 was on a P42, and not on any of those two rearward facing Chargers, since not being a head locomotive they would not have had anything to do with PTC, unless of course somehow it was impossible to turn the PTC system off on them, which is extremely unlikely

 

[west point]

It did not appear that the EB's ALC were not operating. However, would they need to be at least at idle to prevent freezing?

 

[Dutchrailnut]

both Genesis and ALC44 have heaters for coolant fed of HEP trainline.

 

[neroden]

From listening to the transcon scanner feed I can tell you that yes the freight railroads have PTC issues or at least BNSF does.

Results of using a really stupid PTC design. Frankly I expect within my lifetime the whole thing will have to be replaced with ETCS/ERTMS or the Chinese equivalent, which is now a worldwide standard except for the "we had to be different" US.

 

[Acela150]

300 and 301 are going to try again on today's Number 7.

 

[Agent]

Video by SantaFe669 shows Amtrak #7(06) at Lake Forest, Illinois. They're starting with four engines this time; AMTK 300, 301, 150, and 25. There's also a bag-sleeper combine as the first car.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

Keep in mind with new Locomotives the biggest failure is link between seat and throttle .

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

I kind of wonder why it is that unlike most of the SC-44's, the ALC-42's were not fitted with strobes?

 

[Dutchrailnut]

FRA pretty much rules , strobes or Ditch lights , they do prefer Ditchlights , Amtrak may not want to spend money on both.

 

[Acela150]

Keep in mind with new Locomotives the biggest failure is link between seat and throttle .

If you're saying it's the engineers, I can tell you that the throttle jockeys aren't the issue with the Chargers thus far.

 

[west point]

Since the V=2 baggage dorm is first car could it be for maintenance personnel to bed down. Especially Siemens techs with their magic laptops?

 

[jis]

If you're saying it's the engineers, I can tell you that the throttle jockeys aren't the issue with the Chargers thus far.

Unless one consider PTC as an integral part of the "throttle jockey complex"

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Since the V=2 baggage dorm is first car could it be for maintenance personnel to bed down. Especially Siemens techs with their magic laptops?

Yes, the bag-dorm has Siemens techs riding with them in case there are any issues.

 

[frequentflyer]

How long has the Siemens locomotives have been running in the midwest, California and Florida? How much data has been collected so far? What's new that the Siemen techs have not seen?

http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/9.b. NGEC Annual Mtg 02252022 Ruppert.pdf

Siemens is selling Amtrak longer Maintenance intervals with the ALC42..........................Oh oh.

And going to Page 8 in the Powerpoint will show the battery/locomotive configuration, that is....................interesting............

 

[Dutchrailnut]

they can show anything in presentation but unless that power car is permanently coupled no power above 74 volt can be trainlined between the two units.

 

[jis]

they can show anything in presentation but unless that power car is permanently coupled no power above 74 volt can be trainlined between the two units.

Power car will be permanently (well actually semi-permanently) coupled like everything else in the train sets. So there should be no problem having a power bus bar connecting the two.

 

[NSC1109]

How long has the Siemens locomotives have been running in the midwest, California and Florida? How much data has been collected so far? What's new that the Siemen techs have not seen?

http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/9.b. NGEC Annual Mtg 02252022 Ruppert.pdf

Siemens is selling Amtrak longer Maintenance intervals with the ALC42..........................Oh oh.

And going to Page 8 in the Powerpoint will show the battery/locomotive configuration, that is....................interesting............

what the heck paint livery is that?

 

[jis]

what the heck paint livery is that?

Probably just a random illustrative one. It has been present in the Siemens materials on wheelchair lifts since back in 2021 when the Amfleet replacement order was announced by Siemens and Amtrak.

 

[NSC1109]

Probably just a random illustrative one. It has been present in the Siemens materials on wheelchair lifts since back in 2021 when the Amfleet replacement order was announced by Siemens and Amtrak.

it would be attractive as a one off “going green” thing, but not as the phase VII livery

 

[jis]

it would be attractive as a one off “going green” thing, but not as the phase VII livery

I suspect they just copied it from some European material. These liveries shown on some of these slides should not be taken too seriously. These things can change easily.

 

[Agent]

Amtrak #7(06) seems to have had a fairly good trip. It arrived six minutes early in Seattle today.

walstib373 posted this video of the Empire Builder going to and from the wye in Seattle.

 

[Amtrak25]

Headed east, over 4 hours late after on-time Seattle departure, but due to a stuck freight train. (terrible coincidence)

 

[Agent]

Video posted by amantastic today shows the eastbound Empire Builder headed for Chicago today at Maple Springs, Minnesota with five engines. They were Charger AMTK 300, Charger AMTK 301, P42 AMTK 136, Dash 8 AMTK 506, and P42 AMTK 11. Two builders and three models.

 

[neroden]

Power car will be permanently (well actually semi-permanently) coupled like everything else in the train sets. So there should be no problem having a power bus bar connecting the two.

I'm gonna say that layout looks a lot like what I was predicting some years ago for locomotive-hauled trains with a battery mode. Trains *do* have the advantage that you can always make them longer and more articulated if you need to fit more equipment; tender cars were used in the days of coal.

 

[Agent]

Video from MG Rail Videos shows Amtrak #7(30) has 301 leading and two P42s behind it as it passes Morton Grove. There's also a FRA car on the end of the train making one of its regular trips I'd guess.