Is it time to preserve an Amtrak Genesis P40? Since 1993, Amtrak’s iconic Genesis diesels have hauled countless millions of passengers across its network. From Sunset Limited to Downeaster, the Genesis has been the locomotive for generations of Amtrak travelers. While the Genesis models remain among the most common locomotives for long distance passenger service, the writing is on the wall for this American classic as new Siemens Chargers have been supplanting them in revenue service. In a few more years the locomotive that has been the face of Amtrak will have been fully replaced.
Preservation is fickle. We have many stunning examples of steam, diesels, and electrics at museums around the continent. Some are beautifully preserved in operating condition. But many significant and iconic machines are totally extinct.
Unique, bold trains like Union Pacific’s famed streamliner M10000 — one of the most recognizable trains of the 1930s — passed into history decades ago. Likewise, New York Central’s 4-6-4 Hudsons, which for more than quarter century hauled the railroad’s Great Steel Fleet carrying millions of travelers, were all scrapped.
In other situations, the shell of a great machine has been preserved but in a neutered form without the defining technology inside. What is a locomotive without its ability to deliver power?
The Genesis is a landmark design of the late 20th century and was the first all-new, mass-produced American passenger diesel designed from the wheels up in four decades. It incorporated significant technical innovations developed by German manufacturer Krupp, notably its integral monocoque body shell and modern bolster-less flexicoil-style fabricated trucks. Amtrak’s Chief Designer, César Vergara, designed the distinctive carbody, locomotive cab, and the graphics for the first paint scheme, including the fade-effect of the striping toward the back of the body.
The time is ripe to preserve a Genesis diesel. Rather than wait to pluck a derelict stripped ruin from a scrap line, I would like to see one of the 1993-built 800-series Genesis 1 P40s preserved in full working order and restored to its original appearance. To make this effort sustainable, the locomotive will need spare parts, including the vital electronics, necessary to ensure its continued to operation long into the future.
I communicated with Vergara, who supported my idea, saying this is an important project preserving the history of locomotive design. I also reached out to Patrick C. Morrison, Museum Director at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, who was delighted by the suggestion and offered further insight. The RRMPA is home to historic Amtrak electrics from GG1 to AEM7.
“Genesis would give us something beyond the rainbow era. This would bridge a gap in our history and technology, [which is important because] railroad history didn’t end at fixed point in time, and this would give us the opportunity to showcase a locomotive built in Pennsylvania that continues the story. Many members of [today’s] visiting public have experienced the Genesis diesel and this allows the museum to maintain relevance with the public.”
Preserving a fully operational P40 will engage today’s generations and help make railroads and railroad history more relevant. This will benefit the industry, Amtrak, passenger travel, and railroad preservation as a whole.
I hope to continue this discussion, and help set into motion the wheels of preservation.
