New LD Locomotive Order Placed

[PVD]

Palmetto, while not an overnight, is not a state financed or joint venture like Carolinian or Penn.  NER are not LD. 

 

[cpotisch]

Palmetto, while not an overnight, is not a state financed or joint venture like Carolinian or Penn.  NER are not LD. 

I thought the Pennsy wasn’t state funded? And why isn’t the NER long distance? I mean, I know it’s not, but what is the actual standard here?

 

[jis]

I thought the Pennsy wasn’t state funded?

Pennsy is funded by PennDOT. It almost got canceled at one point when negotiations between Amtrak and PennDOT ran into some rough waters.

 

[PVD]

In a simplified form, from a business unit perspective, NEC and it extensions are "short haul"  the other 2 units are the state sponsored/partnered, and the long distance. 

 

[jis]

Palmetto is accounted for as part of the LDBU by Amtrak. I think that is what is relevant if we are talking about where the costs and revenues land up.

 

[PVD]

Agreed. And the history of that train, in its various forms including the Silver Palm era, has at times included a sleeper. We may have touched on this subject of accounting/business units previously in discussions of carrying NEC traffic on certain trains and combining an NER local cars onto a non NER

 

[west point]

You bring up an interesting question.  The Carolinian is state supported by NC however on previous Amtrak reports ( no longer available ) it was listed in the LD trains. 

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Since they'll be built in 2021 (which is the 50th anniversary of Amtrak), I wonder if any of them will be painted as Heritage Units?

 

[user 14106]

In a simplified form, from a business unit perspective, NEC and it extensions are "short haul"  the other 2 units are the state sponsored/partnered, and the long distance. 

I believe the NEC extensions are in the state supported category (Virginia branches, New Haven - Springfield, Vermonter, Carolinian, etc)

I think NEC BU is just BOS - WAS.

 

[PVD]

Primarily, but NER operating as primarily NEC, also cross category.

 

[Pipp]

I really like the Genesis units, but they are getting old and can't last forever. The new Charger locomotives don't look that bad.  The only thing main thing I don't like about them is: I wish the front wind shields would extend all the way to the edge of front(of locomotive).  With the current locomotives having failures like they do, the new units can't come soon enough!

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

I really like the Genesis units, but they are getting old and can't last forever. The new Charger locomotives don't look that bad.  The only thing main thing I don't like about them is: I wish the front wind shields would extend all the way to the edge of front(of locomotive).  With the current locomotives having failures like they do, the new units can't come soon enough!

I think at least a few of the Genesis units will be preserved.

 

[Seaboard92]

There are seven heritage units right now. Enjoy them because the buffs at the top of Amtrak are gone. I strongly doubt any of the new engines will have them. So enjoy them while you can.

And the paint doesn't matter to me. The order is for too few engines right now to reequip the network. But when it comes to a locomotive I don't care what it looks like as long as it gets me from point A to Point B.

 

[neroden]

But when it comes to a locomotive I don't care what it looks like as long as it gets me from point A to Point B.

Me too.  Give me nice rolling stock (I'll be in it for hours); I don't care what pulls it as long as it works.

 

[jrud]

Information on the changes to the Charger for Amtrak at http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Pages/2019-Annual-Meeting-.aspx

 

[Acela150]

There are seven heritage units right now. Enjoy them because the buffs at the top of Amtrak are gone. I strongly doubt any of the new engines will have them. So enjoy them while you can.

And the paint doesn't matter to me. The order is for too few engines right now to reequip the network. But when it comes to a locomotive I don't care what it looks like as long as it gets me from point A to Point B.

This pretty much sums it up. 

 

[PerRock]

Some images I extracted from the pdfs for those who don't want to download them.

Vestibule Steps:

Interior Vestibule
Interior Door
Outside #1
Outside #2

Coach Interior
Shells being built #1
Shells being built #2
Shells being built #3
Shells being built #4
Shells being built #5
Coach AC System

peter

 

[cocojacoby]

HATE those fixed backward facing seats!

 

[Caesar La Rock]

While its too soon to predict the future, the Genesis will be gone from Amtrak, but a second hand market maybe there for them is something to consider. Just like there are many F40s still on the tracks today, some of which are former Amtrak units retired many years ago. This new order for long distance locomotives just proves the long distance trains are being updated, now let's hope we can get some Superliner replacements and additional single level equipment to go with the new engines in the near future. 

 

[GBNorman]

Some images I extracted from the pdfs for those who don't want to download them.

Vestibule Steps:
Interior Door

Funny how the vestibule steps so closely resemble those of Euro-City equipment:

 

[cpotisch]

Funny how the vestibule steps so closely resemble those of Euro-City equipment:

View attachment 12909

What about it makes you say that they resemble those cars so closely? As far as I can tell from the rendering, these are just going to be some pretty standard low platform steps, and the only real distinguishing feature I can identify in this EuroCity photo is the trapezoidal shape, which I’m not seeing that on these new coaches either. :wacko:

 

[cocojacoby]

Well North American trains usually have a set of steps that drop down for low platforms and a steel trap door that flips down for high-level boarding.  I agree that this looks very European to me also.

 

[jis]

It is the bottom two retracting steps that is different, and bears a vague resemblance to something that is standard practice for at least one retracting step in many European trains.

http://americantrainz.com/personal/New-US-Trains/Steps Out Iso.jpg

I guess in the process they lose the retracting bridge-plate for high level platforms as found on Brightline sets.

 

[cpotisch]

Well North American trains usually have a set of steps that drop down for low platforms and a steel trap door that flips down for high-level boarding.  I agree that this looks very European to me also.

That’s what this is, though...

 

[jis]

That’s what this is, though...

View attachment 12911

These just appear to stick out further onto the platform than is current practice in the US.

I am still curious about what happens at high level, level boarding platform. It certainly looks like they are going NJT style full length sliding or possibly plug doors with the trap entirely inside the door. Does the trap hold a sliding bridge plate for use at high level platform? Just idle wondering 'cause that'd be really cool!