Siemens Mobility secures €744 million order from Amtrak

7 SHARES

Posted: 2 January 2019 | Global Railway Review |

The Charger locomotive that has been ordered is lower-noise than the diesel engines it will replace, and offers a streamlined design with smoother traction control.

Credit: Siemens Mobility

Siemens Mobility has been awarded a €744 million contract to design and manufacture 75 Charger diesel-electric locomotives for Amtrak.

The 75 locomotives will replace and supplement Amtrak’s aging national network diesel locomotive fleet used on long-distance and state-supported routes. The contract also includes a multi-year Technical Support Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA).

Delivery of the new locomotives will begin in the summer of 2021, with passenger service starting soon after.

These vehicles will power trains used on lines that span the U.S., both from north-to-south and east-to-west, including Auto Train, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, Silver Star/Silver Meteor, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle. All locomotives are expected to be in service by 2024.

“We’re proud and grateful to expand our relationship with Amtrak, a leader in the U.S. passenger rail transportation, which started nearly a decade ago with locomotives for the Northeast Corridor, connecting two of the largest cities in the U.S. – Washington, DC and New York. We’re confident that the new locomotives will assist Amtrak in its mission to provide safe, world-class, environmentally-responsible technology for its passengers,” said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens Mobility. “The Chargers will provide enhanced passenger experience, greater availability and increased sustainability over the course of their lifecycle, improving Amtrak’s long-distance services and operating efficiencies.”

There are currently more than 70 Chargers successfully transporting passengers throughout North America, travelling almost five million kilometres a year. They offer the latest safety systems including Crash Energy Management and U.S.-mandated Positive Train Control (PTC). Capable of speeds up to 125mph, the new locomotives feature the QSK95 Cummins 4,400 horsepower-capable 16-cylinder engine, which increase capacity and result in greater availability. 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 per cent and particulate matter by 95 per cent, compared to Tier 0 standard.