Amtrak to get new locomotives under $744 million contract with Siemens

Amtrak’s just announced a $744 million contract for new diesel-electric locomotives to be manufactured by Siemens Mobility.

Siemens, the international company headquartered in Munich, Germany will build 75 locomotives to replace and supplement Amtrak’s aging national network diesel locomotive fleet which includes the Heartland Flyer in Oklahoma.

Delivery of the new locomotives will begin in the summer of 2021 with passenger service starting in the fall of 2021.

These locomotives will power trains used on lines that span the United States, both from north-to-south and east-to-west: Auto Train(Washington, DC to Orlando, FL), California Zephyr (Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA), Capitol Limited (Washington, DC to Chicago, Illinois), Cardinal (New York, New York to Chicago, Illinois), City of New Orleans (Chicago, Illinois to New Orleans, Louisiana), Coast Starlight (Seattle, Washington to Los Angeles, California), Crescent (New York, New York to New Orleans, Louisiana), Empire Builder(Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington), Lake Shore Limited (Boston, Massachusetts to Chicago, Illinois), Palmetto (New York, New York to Savannah, Georgia) Silver Star/Silver Meteor (New York, New York to Miami, Florida), Southwest Chief (Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California), Sunset Limited (New Orleans, Louisiana to Los Angeles, California) and Texas Eagle (Chicago, Illinois to San Antonio, Texas). All locomotives are expected to be in service by 2024.

The Charger locomotive is one of the most popular passenger locomotives in North America today with more than 70 Chargers successfully transporting passengers throughout North America, traveling almost 5 million kilometers a year.

Capable of speeds up to 125 MPH, the new locomotives feature the QSK95 Cummins 4,400 horsepower-capable 16-cylinder engine, which increase capacity and result in greater availability. The Charger is lower-noise than the diesel engines it will be replacing and offers a streamlined design with smoother traction control. The quieter, smoother ride results in an improved experience for both operators and passengers.

The new locomotives are also more environmentally-responsible than their predecessors, providing the latest Tier 4 emissions technology, reducing nitrogen oxide by over 89 percent and particulate matter by 95 percent, compared to Tier 0 standard.

The locomotives are “Buy American-compliant,” and will be manufactured at Siemens Mobility’s North American rail manufacturing plant in Sacramento, CA.