A pair of brand new ACS-64 (built by Siemens) are being moved on the Zephyr from California to Chicago. There, another train will take the engines to the Northeast Corridor. The units feature cabs at both ends of the unit and are, of course, electric. You can see the pantographs (red) on the top which can be extended to connect to the catenary above the rails for power.
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Posted By Webmaster On Monday, June 1, 2015 At 10:11:09 AM (PT)
Excellent information, Bill. Thank you very much for sharing!
Posted By Loco Bill Canelos On Wednesday, May 27, 2015 At 5:00:25 AM (PT)
Kevin, Great Trip all the way around. My daughter is an engineer for Siemens. I have heard complaints about Amtrak buying units from a foreign company. Siemens actually provides many great paying jobs here in the USA in Wind Power, power generating, with many assembly and manufacturing jobs in many states.
The ACS-64's have full-width anti-climbers engagement and push-back couplers that are part of the locomotive's integrated Crash Energy Management System, offering enhanced safety to its occupants. The new units produce 8,600 hp. The ACS-64 locomotives are being assembled in Siemens' Sacramento, Calif., rail-manufacturing plant, with parts supplied from its plants in Norwood, Ohio, Alpharetta, Ga., and Richland, Miss., and nearly 70 suppliers representing more than 60 cities and 23 states.
The ACS-64's have amazing acceleration which is one of the reasons it was selected.
