Amtrak is Retiring the AEM-7 Electric Locomotives

[superbe]

This article is from today's USA Today.       

 

Amtrak is retiring the AEM-7 electric locomotives that have served passengers for 37 years. (Photo: Amtrak)

Amtrak is retiring the AEM-7 electric locomotives that have carried passengers along the Northeast Corridor for 37 years.

The trains have traveled more than 220 million miles between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Harrisburg and other points in between.

Together with the Acela Express, the AEM-7s have been the pillars of the Pennsylvania and New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroads along Amtrak’s busiest corridor.

The AEM-7s are being replaced by new, more advanced next-generation ACS-64 electric locomotives. Amtrak has ordered 70 ACS-64 locomotives with the final delivery of a unit expected this summer, says Amtrak spokesman Mike Tolbert.

On June 18, Amtrak will pay homage to the older machines with a special “Farewell to the AEM-7” excursion trip that will be open to the public.

"For nearly 40 years, the AEM-7 electric locomotive has been a workhorse for the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor," Tolbert says. "As we say goodbye to these iconic engines with a special excursion trip, we are proud to usher in new era with the Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64), a high-tech, reliable and energy-efficient locomotive that will serve our customers for decades to come."

Passengers will depart from Washington Union Station en route to Philadelphia. There, the train will travel on tracks not normally used by passenger trains, including the “New York and Pittsburgh Subway.”

Bob

 

 

[LIRRs]

These are truly iconic locomotives and, like everything else, sadly come to pass.  However, they can continue living on our railroads as soon as Atlas releases these units as planned. 

[Anonymous]

One AEM-7 has already been donated to the RR Museum of Pennsylvania. I wonder if Amtrak might also donate the unit that will be used for the 'farewell' excursion?

[angelob6660]

Did they do a farewell trip for the E60 and HHP-8 locomotives before they retired?

I thought they were retired a few years ago with the HHP-8 electrics. I miss locomotives that disappears off the rails, freight and passenger.

[RDG Casey]

HHP-8s were relatively hated with engineers, mostly to do with awkward set up and poor visibility in yard movies. They were gone pretty much as soon as the first ACS64s showed up. E60s were simply retired with no real fuss. Examples survive one at the railroad museum of Pennsylvania, and some run still with the Deseret Power Railway.

As a side note the AEM-7 that has been already persevered is a un-rebuilt DC version. Most were rebuilt to AEM-7AC specs.

[DRfan]

I agree 100% about the HHP-8s!  Although AMTRAK retired theirs, MARC still has at least four.  One died on Monday in the Odenton MD station causing horrible delays on the morning commute (it blocked one of three tracks for over an hour).  I spent two hours about two years ago stuck between Seabrook and Bowie MD because the HHP-8 had died that was pushing the train.  I could go on and on.  I don't know what is wrong with their design but they were and remain extremely unreliable.  They will never be missed by me!

[MidlandPacific]

The AEM-7s are done on the Regional and Keystone service, but 2 or 3 are running on the MARCs in Amtrak livery, probably a lease arrangement

[DRfan]

Several Amtrak AEM-7s have been used by MARC over the years.  I have seen #917 over the past several weeks being used.

[MidlandPacific]

946 too, IIRC.

[DRfan]

I actually saw three different ones on MARC yesterday.  I am begining to wonder if they are ditching the HHP-8s as well.