riding-amtraks-new-electricshttps://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/locomotives/riding-amtraks-new-electrics/Riding Amtrak's new electrics | Trains MagazineTrains magazine offers railroad news, railroad industry insight, commentary on today's freight railroads, passenger service (Amtrak), locomotive technology, railroad preservation and history, railfan opportunities (tourist railroads, fan trips), and great railroad photography.InStockUSD1.001.00locomotivesrailroadsarticleTRN2020-11-032014-11-1118700
On June 2, 2014, Trains Passenger correspondent Bob Johnston was in the cab of Amtrak ACS-64 electric locomotive 600, joining engineer Darren Avila, road foreman T.C. Williamson Jr., and signal supervisor Joe DiGiacomo aboard Northeast Regional train No. 184 from Washington D.C., to Wilmington, Del. His cover story in the January 2015 issue, “Amtrak’s new electric workhorse,” features photos and crew commentary from the journey, as well as a look inside the Wilmington Heavy Maintenance Facility, where new ACS-64s are prepped for Northeast Corridor revenue service. This photo gallery includes additional views from the cab and an interior look at No. 600 — the locomotive Amtrak named in early November to honor the company’s seventh president, David Gunn.
ACS-64 600 is ready for its 9:20 a.m. departure from track 17 at Washington Union Station, leading Northeast Regional 184 to New York. It was the first of the new locomotives to enter revenue service; a photo from that Feb. 7, 2014, trip is on the cover of the January 2015 Trains.
9:24 a.m.: Engineer Darren Avila has No. 600’s controller in the full power position accelerating past Virginia Railway Express equipment in Ivy City yard. The audio recorder in the foreground would soon slip off the console.
9:34 a.m.: The engineer’s control stand, from left to right: the video monitor containing pertinent air brake and locomotive performance information; the cab ACSES signal display with the current “approach medium” indication, and the split-screen view from rear-facing cameras to show platform activity on both sides of the train. Below the screen are air brake controls for the train (red handle) and engine (black handle). Avila has also placed speed-restriction advisories and a train schedule card on the desktop.
10:26 a.m.: Past Baltimore, train 184 is switched to the north track across the aging Bush River bridge, where a bird’s nest rests comfortably above the clear signal.
10:27 a.m.: Safety personnel are in place to protect an Amtrak track crew upgrading the center track east of Bush River with new rail, ballast, and concrete ties.
10:33 a.m.: Waiting east of the work area is HHP-8 No. 660 with Washington-bound train 185. By November, this locomotive and all but two in the 15-unit HHP-8 fleet were stored.
10:40 a.m.: Back on the south track east of Perryville, Md., train 184 speeds past a Norfolk Southern crude oil train headed for the refinery at Delaware City, Del. Heavy overnight freight traffic has prompted Amtrak to make limited midday slots available.
Let's face it your probably not going to come up with another locomotive with the character of the legendary GG-1, it was a classic and one of a kind. That being said the technology on this locomotive puts it in a class by itself. I look forward to the day when you can ride a high speed electric from Maine to Florida, or New York to LA. After all electrics in China travel roughly the distance between New York in around four hours. As our airports get crowded alternatives need to be developed.
"… the locomotive Amtrak named in early November to honor the company’s seventh president, David Gunn."
Ah, yes.
"David Gunn".
Met him when he was "president" of the NYCTA and I was a lowly M/M (Motorman – T/O – Train Operator) pulling into 7th Ave. Station on the ."F" Line… very.. "impressed"… "wildly" happy he's earned this honor… would like to honor his achievements in Rapid Transit myself…
Such a stately and modern looking vehicle. The AEM7's were nicknamed "Toasters" {though I called them "Little Powerpacks"},someone will have to give the ACS64's a robust nickname.
I rode Northeast Regional being pulled by #616 on January 8 from Newark Penn to Boston Back Bay. Looked nice on approach. The train ride was cool if but slow in certain parts.
I know the Metra EMD's with the nose being flush with windshields are called motorhomes or Winnebagos; but I think the ACS 64's should be awarded that title. Many large pusher motorhome's have adopted a slanted light package on the nose of what is basically a flat as a barn bus nose. Sounds like this beast is powerful and can actually put the power to the rails. Can't wait to ride behind one.
Duffin: "Gear Box",,"Gear stick" What in the world are you referring to? These are electric locos, no "gears". Diesels in this country also have no "gearsticks nor gearboxes"; electric propulsion needs none..
Slick looking electric. Liked that you showed interior shots, not done that often. At least the birds had the sense to build their nest in a safe place. Had the chance to ride in the cab of a GG1 but at the last minute it was put second in the consist of six engines being run to Phila's 30th Street Station so had to settle for a consolation ride in the cab of a new AEM-7. Hope this ACS-64 has the durability of the GG1. Sorry Mr. Teed but that's the shape of locos to come, can't afford to build the heavy monsters of the past, ( and we don't seem to have anymore Raymond Lowey's out there anymore.)
It's probably too far for the linkage from the gear stick to the gearbox from the "rear" cab, whilst it is fine from the "front" cab. Electric locomotives probably have automatic gearboxes so no problem. Just the diesels still being stick-shift.
In Europe, most diesel locomotives are dual-cab, making it unnecessary to turn them on a turntable. Since train lengths are shorter, locomotives are rarely seen in multiple traction, making it pointless coupling 2 single-cab locomotives together. In Victoria, Australia, there were dual-cab EMD F-units, and the Jersey Central had dual-cab baby-face Baldwins in passenger and light freight service back in the 50's.
Perhaps diesel-electric locomotives are "never" double-ended in North America but that is not the case in other countries. In Australia there have been many different ways of doing that from double-ended bulldog cab units or double flat faces to one with bulldog cab front but flat faced rear full control station.
Certainly a good looking locomotive, but today the live span of everything is much shorter. I took many pictures of the GG1 in the North East Corridor up to now the Acela .
@Ian Narita: When I used to hang out in Newark, Penn. Station, I remember seeing the engineers of GG1's would leave the cabs and check the pans as well.
Are the per-station pantograph checks now standard operating procedure, or a temporary precaution limited to this new equipment that will eventually be discontinued once the units have passed a certain amount of testing?
If these new locos prove to be as reliable as they are good looking Amtrak will have hit the jackpot with a worthy successor to the venerable GG1. I like a locomotive with a real windshield and not that tiny peephole on the front of the P-42s.
maybe we could call it the sprinter of the east?
They are out there but the lawyers and bean counters broke their pencils
Let's face it your probably not going to come up with another locomotive with the character of the legendary GG-1, it was a classic and one of a kind. That being said the technology on this locomotive puts it in a class by itself. I look forward to the day when you can ride a high speed electric from Maine to Florida, or New York to LA. After all electrics in China travel roughly the distance between New York in around four hours. As our airports get crowded alternatives need to be developed.
"… the locomotive Amtrak named in early November to honor the company’s seventh president, David Gunn."
Ah, yes.
"David Gunn".
Met him when he was "president" of the NYCTA and I was a lowly M/M (Motorman – T/O – Train Operator) pulling into 7th Ave. Station on the ."F" Line… very.. "impressed"… "wildly" happy he's earned this honor… would like to honor his achievements in Rapid Transit myself…
but I "tremble" at the "Prospect"
wow.
"David Gunn"
Such a stately and modern looking vehicle. The AEM7's were nicknamed "Toasters" {though I called them "Little Powerpacks"},someone will have to give the ACS64's a robust nickname.
I rode Northeast Regional being pulled by #616 on January 8 from Newark Penn to Boston Back Bay. Looked nice on approach. The train ride was cool if but slow in certain parts.
I know the Metra EMD's with the nose being flush with windshields are called motorhomes or Winnebagos; but I think the ACS 64's should be awarded that title. Many large pusher motorhome's have adopted a slanted light package on the nose of what is basically a flat as a barn bus nose. Sounds like this beast is powerful and can actually put the power to the rails. Can't wait to ride behind one.
Duffin: "Gear Box",,"Gear stick" What in the world are you referring to? These are electric locos, no "gears". Diesels in this country also have no "gearsticks nor gearboxes"; electric propulsion needs none..
Slick looking electric. Liked that you showed interior shots, not done that often. At least the birds had the sense to build their nest in a safe place. Had the chance to ride in the cab of a GG1 but at the last minute it was put second in the consist of six engines being run to Phila's 30th Street Station so had to settle for a consolation ride in the cab of a new AEM-7. Hope this ACS-64 has the durability of the GG1. Sorry Mr. Teed but that's the shape of locos to come, can't afford to build the heavy monsters of the past, ( and we don't seem to have anymore Raymond Lowey's out there anymore.)
It's a long technological trip from the days when the engineer had to stick his head out of the side window to see past the boiler.
OMG
Wow! Looks great. If we can't have a GG-1, I'll take this guy.
Nice looking locomotive but I still prefer the GG1.
It's probably too far for the linkage from the gear stick to the gearbox from the "rear" cab, whilst it is fine from the "front" cab. Electric locomotives probably have automatic gearboxes so no problem. Just the diesels still being stick-shift.
In Europe, most diesel locomotives are dual-cab, making it unnecessary to turn them on a turntable. Since train lengths are shorter, locomotives are rarely seen in multiple traction, making it pointless coupling 2 single-cab locomotives together. In Victoria, Australia, there were dual-cab EMD F-units, and the Jersey Central had dual-cab baby-face Baldwins in passenger and light freight service back in the 50's.
Perhaps diesel-electric locomotives are "never" double-ended in North America but that is not the case in other countries. In Australia there have been many different ways of doing that from double-ended bulldog cab units or double flat faces to one with bulldog cab front but flat faced rear full control station.
Does anybody know why electric locomotives are always double-ended but diesels never are?
Certainly a good looking locomotive, but today the live span of everything is much shorter. I took
many pictures of the GG1 in the North East Corridor up to now the Acela .
@Ian Narita: When I used to hang out in Newark, Penn. Station, I remember seeing the engineers of GG1's would leave the cabs and check the pans as well.
If they were concerned, why not set up a camera to watch the pan.
Are the per-station pantograph checks now standard operating procedure, or a temporary precaution limited to this new equipment that will eventually be discontinued once the units have passed a certain amount of testing?
These sleek Siemens units will serve even longer than the GG1s did. My German-born wife says so 😉
Thats one ugly locomotive. The Cat Eyes are cool though!
AEM-7s are right up there on the list of reliable electric workhorses…..probably no.3 after New Haven's EP-3, which the GG-1 is based on.
If these new locos prove to be as reliable as they are good looking Amtrak will have hit the jackpot with a worthy successor to the venerable GG1. I like a locomotive with a real windshield and not that tiny peephole on the front of the P-42s.