News & Reviews News Wire News Photos: Toaster, California style

News Photos: Toaster, California style

By Trains Staff | December 15, 2021

| Last updated on April 1, 2024


Ex-Amtrak AEM7 will be used for catenary testing

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Red, black, and white electric locomotive
Caltrain has repainted an ex-Amtrak AEM7 it will use to test its catenary. Caltrain, via Facebook

Front view of electric locomotive in red, black, and white paint
A front view of the repainted locomotive. Caltrain, via Facebook

Days after Amtrak wrapped one of its ACS64 locomotives in the paint scheme once worn by its AEM7s, Bay Area commuter operator Caltrain has unveiled a repainted AEM7  in a variant of the red, black, and white scheme worn by its MP36 diesels. The ex-Amtrak unit will be used to test the Caltrain catenary system, in advance of the arrival of its Stadler-built EMU trainsets, as it prepares to switch from diesel to electrified operation between San Francisco and San Jose. In a Facebook post unveiling the locomotive, Caltrain thanks rail contractor Herzog for sponsoring the repainting. The catenary system is slated to be completely installed by summer 2022.

Three-quarters view of red, black, and white electric locomotive
Contractor Herzog sponsored the repainting of the locomotive. Caltrain, via Facebook

6 thoughts on “News Photos: Toaster, California style

  1. Sure beats Amtrak’s latter-day solid aluminum paint.

    BTW, this year, SEPTA used 3 of its AEM-7’s on Fall Foliage trains. These were not “Leaf Peeper” passenger trains going to the hills around Thorndale, but work trains to scrub the slippery stuff off the rails.

    You can’t keep a good motor down.

  2. Seeing this the other day made me wonder about the influences that made silver trucks a “thing” west of the Mississippi?

  3. Shows you how a new paint job influences one’s opinion! If I had never seen an AEM7 before, I would have thought this was a brand new locomotive!

    1. Caught my attention when new, Washington DeeCee 1983. Class act after all those 1970’s Amtrak freight designs masquerading as passenger locos.

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