BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has asked Amtrak about the possibility of leasing electric locomotives for testing on its commuter rail service, the Boston Globe reports.
Joseph Aiello, chairman of the Fiscal and Management Control Board that oversees the MBTA, mentioned the request at recent event, but an MBTA spokesman said the discussion is in its early stages.
“The Authority has had preliminary discussions with Amtrak about leasing electric locomotives,” spokesman Joe Pesaturo told the Globe. “The scope of such a pilot and the equipment needed to operate it is yet to be determined.” The paper reported that Amtrak would not confirm that discussions had taken place.
The MBTA’s commuter trains are diesel powered, even on electrified lines. Officials are reviewing whether some or all lines could be converted to electrified service as part of a study of the commuter system.
New Jersey Transit has 24+ ALP-44 electric locomotives sitting in storage, with no plans to use them. MTBA should consider contacting NJT about leasing some of these for testing. This would eliminate the need for Amtrak to remove locomotives from active service.
The ALP-44 is not as powerful as the electric locomotives currently used by Amtrak and NJT, which is one of the reasons that NJT is now using only the ALP-46 electrics. However, the ALP-44 does MU, and I can recall seeing doubleheaded 44’s pulling 10 car commuter trains on the NEC.
Michael,
One of the original reasons for the ALP45 was the ability to provide a “one seat ride” on the Raritan Valley line. If straight diesel engines are used, passengers must change trains at Newark Penn to an electric train on the North east corridor line.
The one seat ride is not currently being done because NJT says it is short of trained engineers.
They had been providing this service in none commuter hours since the two existing tunnels are at capacity during rush hours.
If the new tunnels are ever built the one seat ride will finally become a reality.
The MBTA has a hard enough time operating what they have without adding electrification to the mix.
NJT uses the SLP45 on account of Penn station and the tunnels. MBTA has no need for those costly inefficient locos.
MBTA’s thinking has been this: that on a commuter network that’s only about 10% electrified, it hasn’t made any sense to maintain a fleet of electric locomotives. To say nothing of the yard leads and yard tracks that electric catenary would need to be added to.
Extension of electrification to more lines? I’ll believe it when I see it. Candidate lines would probably be on the already electrified South Station side. This could include the Needham, Stoughton or Franklin lines which branch off the electrified NEC. And certainly could included the former B&A which over the decades has morphed from almost nothing to significant density (and is state-owned – CSX has walked away from it).
They might try leasing an ALP45 from NewJerseyTransit. These engines can run under wire or powered by two onboard diesel engines. They are used on several lines in New Jersey where the outer portions of the route do not have cantinary. They then go on to the north east corridor and change to electric power.