Very quietly, and apparently without comment here up to now, it appears the last Amtrak AEM-7s were retired as of today.
LocoNotes had the numbers of the last three. It's been a long, good run.
The last units are/were 927, 942 and 946. There hasn't yet been official confirmation and there are reports that 927 still had pantographs up in New Haven today, but the end will come within days if it has not already come to pass.
They've certainly been very, very good locomotives and it is sad to see them go. They've well earned a spot in railroading's hall of fame.
Long live the aem 7, they certainly served Amtrak well.
927 was on Northeast Regional 141 this morning.
So they're not quite dead yet, but will be within days. I wonder if Amtrak would let a preserved one out on excursions, assuming one of the museums gets one in good enough condition to keep operating.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70M-2Dude So they're not quite dead yet, but will be within days. I wonder if Amtrak would let a preserved one out on excursions, assuming one of the museums gets one in good enough condition to keep operating.
RR Museum of PA already has the 915 in their collection. I doubt it'll ever be used, unless there's a huge shift in their mission/oversight/budget.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Are there any preserved electric locos that operate on common carrier rail (ie., other than tourist lines)?
927 has now been retired, but 946 is still out there on today's 95.
942 appears to be sitting in the shops in DC and is probably done.
"So long 'Toaster'!"
"So long kid!"
This morning, one is still reported scheduled for trains. Interesting to see how long this will continue ... every day is wonderful in a sense.
Amtrak needs those AC AEM-ys and would be extremely foolish to scrap all of them. Using new road electrics for switching at Penn is wasteful. Sunnyside is supposed to be covered over for air-rights development. This will require either a very expensive (to build, operate, and maintain) air-handling system or electric switchers to replace the current diesels. Again, the ac-AE7's would serve fine.
But Amtrak has made errors in the past. I certainly consider their approach to reducing dining car losses as scatterbrained.
30 years ago I was at a dining car table on the Broadway Limited with a guy who happened to be a locomotive trainer for Amtrak and he referred to the AEM7s as the Swedish Meatballs.
And in Israel, the Ampersand sign, borrowed from business use for internet addresses, the "@", is called a "strudle."
https://www.amtrak.com/farewell-to-the-aem7-excursion-train
At least Amtrak is sending them off in style. In a similar vein, Metra issued a press release for the last regular service runs of the Highliners on the IC Electric on February 12. There was also a small ceremony at Randolph Street Station prior to the last run.
This may be Amtrak's first step in scrapping these units. Probably since there is no apparent buyers of these units Amtrak may have to "TRY" to sell them and if no buyers then scrap them. Who can possible use these units. ? Operators of like units Rc4s for spare parts ? Caltrain for some units to prove Caltrain's new CAT ? MBTA for possible of PVD - BOS express service ?
http://biggsappraisal.com/AEM7AC
I'd be incredibly surprised to find any buyers. NJ Transit has retired its ALP44's (similar) and SEPTA is also replacing its AEM7's with ACS64's. MBTA probably wouldn't want them since they would be tied to one route, quite unlike the diesels currently used.
Now why didn't I think of this sooner?
How's about a fine Swedish send-off to the old "Swedish Meatball?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk_Vu6AcbWg
What a classy group!
Maybe the TTC will need them for parts ?
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.