New stock for North American passenger operators

Fleets of locomotives and carriages to be upgraded in the USA and Canada.

NEW locomotives from both Siemens and Alstom are entering service with, or being ordered by, North American passenger operators replacing older EMD, GE and Alstom built diesel fleets.

New Jersey Transit (NJT) which operates commuter rail services in New Jersey as well as to and from New York and Philadelphia is adding 25 more ALP45-DP bi-mode (12.5kV/25kV AC and diesel) locos to its fleet. These were originally ordered from Bombardier which is now owned by Alstom and they are built in Europe at the former Bombardier loco factory in Kassel, Germany.

A fleet of 35 were built in 2010-2012 with the follow on orders totalling 25 more placed in 2017 and 2020. The first three of the newer ALP45A locos (as the second batch are designated) were delivered in January 2021 and will enable NJT to replace its oldest diesels, some of which date from the late 1960s, as well as beginning the replacement of the first of the more modern 2003 Alstom built EMD710 engined type PL-42AC locos which cannot be upgraded to meet American Tier IV emissions standards.

A year after the first three ALP45A locos were delivered, another three locos left Hamburg Docks in January, bound for the USA. As the locos weigh 130.6 tonnes – and 90 tonnes even without bogies they have to be transported from Kassel to Hamburg by road with the loco body separate from the bogies. They are reunited prior to loading on board the ship via a huge floating crane.

NJT is also modernising its other rolling stock and ordered 113 double deck ‘Multilevel III’ EMU coaches from Bombardier in 2018. Deliveries are due to begin this year and in February an order for 25 more coaches was placed from the options (for up to 636 more vehicles) agreed in the original contract.

The new 110mph EMUs will replace ‘Arrow III’ single deck EMUs built in 1977.

Quebec commuters

In Canada Montreal, commuter rail operator Exo (known as Agence métropolitaine de transport or AMT until 2018) has ordered 10 Siemens ‘Charger’ diesel electric locos in a deal worth CAN $132 million (£78 million). The locos will be fitted with Cummins QSK95 16-cylinder Tier 4 compliant diesel engines and will be delivered from 2025 to replace a similar number of 1988-1990 built EMD F59PH locos that

Exo bought second-hand from Toronto operator Go Rail in

2011.

Exo was also the only other customer for the original Bombardier ALP45 DP, although the bi-mode locos now all work only as diesels as electric services through the electrified Mont Royal tunnel have ceased because the route is being converted into a new automated metro system known as Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM). Heavy rail services on the electrified Deux-Montagnes line also ended in late 2020 for conversion to the new REM.

The new locos will be used alongside 11 EMD F59PHI locos and the 20 Bombardier ALP45DP on the routes from central Montreal to Hudson, Saint Jerome, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Mascouche.

Exo is also buying new double deck passenger coaches, made in China by CRRC Tangshan. The first two vehicles arrived in February and the remaining 42 will be delivered in 2022/23. The order includes eight driving trailers for pushpull operation.

High speed

The first of 75 new, long distance equipped, 125mph, ALC-42 ‘Chargers’ ordered by US national passenger operator Amtrak for long distance services entered

service on February 8, with locos 301 and 302 hauling the Chicago to Seattle ‘Empire Builder’ service, along with a GE P42 loco.

Technical problems with on board cab signalling and electric train supply unfortunately marred the maiden trip and Amtrak had to add a further GE P42 loco.

On the same day Amtrak announced it has ordered 50 more of the ALC-42 version of the Charger.

Amtrak also introduced the first of the Siemens built ‘Venture’ passenger coaches, delivered as ‘married pairs’ of two cars on the Chicago – St Louis route on February 1. In total 97 vehicles are currently on order for services in the Midwest from Chicago and 49 for use in California.

ANDREW GARRETT KEITH FENDER Left: To be replaced by Chargers, Exo EMD F59PH locos Nos. 1340 and 1349 are seen at Sauvé on December 2, pushing the 13.32 Mascouche – Ahuntsic train. Below: Siemens Charger locos have been ordered by multiple American commuter rail operators. Californian based Altamont Commuter Express has bought four which it will use along with four of its six existing MPI F40PH-3C EMD engined locos. ACE SC44 Charger No. 3110 seen at San Jose with 15.35 service to Stockton on January 5.

NICK PATON A rare view of a new ALP45A leaving Europe. NJT loco No. 4539 is loaded on board Hamburg Docks Schwimmkran III (Floating Crane III), which dates from 1941, at the Burchardkai terminal early on January 15. It was then taken to the Unikai terminal where it was placed on its bogies and the whole loco was loaded onto a special trailer to move it on board the 100,000 tonne merchant ship MV Atlantic Sun along with two other locos. They arrived in New York on February 17 after a voyage via both Liverpool and Halifax, Canada.

KEITH FENDER To be replaced by the ALP45A, NJT PL-42AC No. 4025 arrives at Seacaucus Junction with a northbound Spring Valley service on June 10, 2017.