posted on 21st Dec 2018 19:46
Siemens Mobility has been awarded a 744 million EUR contract to design and manufacture 75 Charger diesel-electric locomotives for Amtrak. These machines will replace and supplement Amtrak’s aging diesel locomotive fleet used on long-distance and state-supported routes. It also includes a 20-year Technical Support Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA). Delivery of the new Chargers will begin in summer 2021, with passenger service starting in autumn that year.
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.