Is AMTRAK becoming a more european railroad??

[SPCDANW2021]

I was reading some articles and saw the new AMTRAK engines for the northeast USA and just got a little worried because im a BIG fan of the GE P42s and i dont want them to go. So is AMTRAK modernising to more of a european railroad with the ACELA and other fast engines??

[carnej1]

SPCDANW2021

I was reading some articles and saw the new AMTRAK engines for the northeast USA and just got a little worried because im a BIG fan of the GE P42s and i dont want them to go. So is AMTRAK modernising to more of a european railroad with the ACELA and other fast engines??

Two observations:

1. The Northeast is heavily electrified (which is VERY European) and the most common Amtrak electric locomotives for decades have been the AEM-7s which are a European design so nothing new on that end.

 

2. Many would argue that the P40/P42s have very "Euro" looking styling compared to the F40PHs that they replaced...

 

 

 The ACELA fleet (and the HHP-8s & AEM-7s) are not replacements for the P-42s or any other Diesels so I don't understand why you referenced them..

[SPCDANW2021]

Thanks for the reply. I really dont know why i thought the ACELA was a reaplacment fot P42s but because with most railroads trying to modernize their fleets with electric and more effictiant locomotives, just got worried because i LOVE P42s. THANKS for the comment much appreatiated.

Dan 

[daveklepper]

Even more European are the Talgos, Porland, OR - Seattle, WA - Vancouver, BC

And we would have had them in Amtrak service Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison if WI Gov. Brown handn't terminated the project.

[schlimm]

daveklepper

Even more European are the Talgos, Porland, OR - Seattle, WA - Vancouver, BC

And we would have had them in Amtrak service Chicago - Milwaukee - Madison if WI Gov. Brown handn't terminated the project.

True, except the governor of WI is Scott Walker.

But having some equipment with a European heritage doesn't make Amtrak  "more European."  Having a route and service structure that serves most people efficiently is the European way. 

[owlsroost]

The P42's don't just look a bit European, the trucks are a German design using frame-mounted GE traction motors (to reduce track forces at high speeds), and the semi-monocoque bodyshell probably also had a lot of European input.

[oltmannd]

owlsroost

using frame-mounted GE traction motors

Eh, they are regular GE 752 DC nose suspended traction motors.  Same as on freight locos.

[daveklepper]

Apologies to the two gorvernors that I mixed up.  But aren't the Cascades doing a good job and building ridership?  Not all Euorpean railroads have streetcar headways.

[carnej1]

SPCDANW2021

Thanks for the reply. I really dont know why i thought the ACELA was a reaplacment fot P42s but because with most railroads trying to modernize their fleets with electric and more effictiant locomotives, just got worried because i LOVE P42s. THANKS for the comment much appreatiated.

Dan 

railroads in the US,Mexico and Canada are not replacing their fleets of diesels with straight electrics as there is almost no electrified freight service on the Continent.

The P42s are aging and will eventually be replaced so enjoy them while they are around...

[schlimm]

daveklepper

Apologies to the two gorvernors that I mixed up.  But aren't the Cascades doing a good job and building ridership?  Not all Euorpean railroads have streetcar headways.

I was sitting in a small town (Bacharach) in a park along the Rhine River the other day.  There are double-tracked lines on both sides: the west bank has  more passenger, the east bank more freight.   In the ten minutes while there, I counted 11 trains of all types: one ICE, one IC, one RE, three RBs and five freights.  Largely electric-powered, except for one of the RBs.

[daveklepper]

In 1960 I rode one of the lines you saw.   Going from Wuppertal to Vienna.   Those are heavily traveled lines with lots of traffic.

[AMTRAKKER]

Respectfully....

 

Someone actually LIKES the G.E.'s???

 

F40PH forever.

[Firelock76]

I can't say i'm a big fan of the "Genesis"  series of locomotives from an esthetic point of view.  They look like something out of science fiction rather than something that belongs on rails.  Just bizarre.

It's been said before and I'll say it again, would it have been THAT difficult to give them the look of a classic, say an ALCO PA or FA?  I won't say an E unit since EMD is GE's competition, that'd be asking too much!

But that's the railfan in me talking.  Chances are the average Amtrak passenger could care less what the locomotive pulling his/her train looks like.

[NRdriver]

I also like the big GE's, great loco and awsome sound!

[SPCDANW2021]

I love  the GEs two.

[jrbernier]

  At this point the classic 'covered wagon' nose would not meet crash standards(even the P42 does not meet the current FRA standard).  The pounded sheet steel over a frame(EMD) or simple rolled sheet(Alco) noses are too susceptible to something puncturing the nose, and have no 'refuge bay' for the crew.  IIRC, the MPI commuter engines may be the only passenger engine that meets the current standards.

  Would I like to see something like an updated EMD of Alco cab unit profile for Amtrak - Yup.  But I do not see that happening.

Jim

[Firelock76]

I'm sure the classic "covered wagon"  nose wouldn't meet the current crash standards, but with all that space I'm sure it could be made to meet them with little difficulty.

But like you, I'm not holding my breath waiting for it to happen.

Wayne