Talgo selects site in Milwaukee to build trains!

[StevenBDel]

Does anyone have any pictures of prototypes? Or are they based on an existing design?

http://www.talgoamerica.com/series8-passengerCars.aspx

 

[wisjan]

Anybody figure out what motive power is going to be used to push/pull these trains given that the current operator (Amtrak) is running out of available locomotives? New locomotives being ordered, if so from whom?

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Now for railFans there is another memorable product of Milwaukee.

 

[AlanB]

Anybody figure out what motive power is going to be used to push/pull these trains given that the current operator (Amtrak) is running out of available locomotives? New locomotives being ordered, if so from whom?

Amtrak is bringing 15 P40's back on line as we speak, so that will help. It's also possible that Amtrak will insist that the State pay to restore a few more P40's.

However, since the idea is to use the new train sets to replace some of the existing Amfleet sets on the Hiawatha, I expect that they are figuring to use those locos to haul the new trainsets.

 

[MattW]

Since it looks like these Talgos will have cab cars, I assume the F40 NPCUs will no longer be needed? Any ideas where else they might could use cab cars?

 

[Kramerica]

Anybody figure out what motive power is going to be used to push/pull these trains given that the current operator (Amtrak) is running out of available locomotives? New locomotives being ordered, if so from whom?

The existing locomotives will initially power the new Talgo trainsets. But according to the Wisconsin ARRA application, part of their $810 million will be used to buy eight new diesel locomotives. On another forum, a very knowledgeable poster said that presumably they will be the Talgo XXI next generation locomotives since that's what the MWRRI has been using as an assumption. The new locomotives are supposed to go into service in 2016.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Since it looks like these Talgos will have cab cars, I assume the F40 NPCUs will no longer be needed? Any ideas where else they might could use cab cars?

The F40 NPCUs will probably be retired. They're getting on in years. The last F40s were delivered in 1988, which was 22 years ago. And IIRC the locomotives these are based on are actually from an earlier order.

 

[AlanB]

Since it looks like these Talgos will have cab cars, I assume the F40 NPCUs will no longer be needed? Any ideas where else they might could use cab cars?

The F40 NPCUs will probably be retired. They're getting on in years. The last F40s were delivered in 1988, which was 22 years ago. And IIRC the locomotives these are based on are actually from an earlier order.

The main reason for retiring locomotives is that the prime movers become to expensive to maintain, not to mention that the newer ones are more fuel efficient and greener. Since the prime movers have all been removed from the NPCU's, they're really more like a cab car now. So I suspect that they can serve for several more years now. After all, Amtrak is still using the Metroliner Cab cars how many years later.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The Metroliner Cab Cars were not cab cars originally, as you well know. Their rebuild was complete and thorough in every way. The NPCUs, IIRC, just had their prime mover and associated equipment yanked out, the traction motors yanked, cement poured into the frame, and a door added to the side (obviously, the Cascades units didn't even have that). I believe the trucks are even fairly original.

The Cab Cars are Budd-built, stainless steel, with replaced trucks. I admit that the F40 is a GP40 frame, and the GP40 frames have lived longer than this. I suspect they will be retired as soon as they aren't needed.

Now, I grant there are trains that could use them- the Springfield Shuttles, the Heartland Flyer, and perhaps the Lincoln Service trains. Particularly the Lincoln Service since it would provide for checked baggage on a train already running to stations that have checked baggage service.