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Amtrak Puts More Long-Distance Chargers in Service

Amtrak ALC-42 300 leads the Empire Builder east over Montana’s Marias Pass earlier this year. The new Siemens ALC-42s have recently been spotted on the Empire Builder, City of New Orleans and California Zephyr. Photo by Justin Franz.

Amtrak Puts More Long-Distance Chargers in Service

By Justin Franz 

CHICAGO — Amtrak’s newest locomotives are slowly but surely starting to enter regular service on long-distance trains out of Chicago. In recent weeks, the Siemens Mobility ALC-42 “Chargers” have been spotted on the Empire Builder, the City of New Orleans and the California Zephyr. 

The locomotives made their in-service debut earlier this year on the Builder, although those initial runs were mired with technical problems, particularly with the ALC-42’s Positive Train Control systems. Now it appears they’re finally working the kinks out and just last week, four led the eastbound California Zephyr solo (only two were online). Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari tells Railfan & Railroad that as of this week there were 11 ALC-42s in service on the system. However, it might be some time before they are a constant presence on the trains as at least 25 locomotives are needed for all three runs. Magliari also said that all 11 locomotives are not always in service at the same time, with some being sent out to train crews along the various routes. 

More often than not, the ALC-42s are seen mixed in with P42 locomotives, the units they will eventually replace. On the Empire Builder route, it’s become somewhat common practice to have the ALC-42 trail a P42 west out of Chicago. At Spokane, the ALC-42 will usually take the Seattle section by itself for the final leg of the journey while the P42 leads the rest of the train to Portland, Ore. 

Amtrak expects to have 125 of the ALC-42 locomotives by 2029. 

This article was posted on: September 1, 2022