Renewable diesel (RD), a locomotive fuel made from renewable raw materials and considered more sustainable than its fossil fuel counterpart, will soon be deployed on two California intercity passenger rail services. On
VIA Rail Canada’s newest arrival, a full Siemens Venture trainset with a Charger locomotive, made a circuit of the Ottawa-Windsor segment of the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor on April 13 and 14, 2022.
Amtrak diesel-electric locomotives have worn many liveries over the years since the company was founded in 1971. The latest of these is a variation on the current “Phase VI” scheme that dates to 2002, to be worn by five of the first six ALC-42 Siemens Chargers that will replace the current P40 and P42 “Genesis” fleet on the National Network, including all long-distance and many state-sponsored routes. The sixth unit will be painted to recognize next year’s 50th anniversary of the inauguration of Amtrak service. Amtrak says “a final livery will be unveiled later as part of a fleet-wide plan.”
Amtrak will acquire 75 new Siemens Charger diesel locomotives for $850 million to replace aging power in its National Network locomotive fleet.
VIA Rail Canada announced that it has awarded Siemens Canada a C$989 million ($741 million) contract to supply 32 intercity trainsets for the Quebec City–Toronto–Windsor corridor.
Always a big railroad moment, three California passenger rail agencies unveiled the next-generation motive power for Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains.
Ahead of the year-end holidays, the Washington State Department of Transportation is starting two additional Amtrak Cascades daily round-trips between Seattle and Portland.
The first Amtrak Midwest Charger locomotives were unveiled Monday in Chicago, and have started revenue operations in in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Siemens on Aug. 9 inaugurated its new Locomotive Service facility in New Castle, Del., that will operate as the company’s digital service, supply chain and technical field training hub in the region.
The Siemens-built, Cummins QSK-95-powered Charger diesel-electric locomotives hauling All Aboard Florida’s Brightline higher-speed express passenger trains connecting West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami along the Florida East Coast Railway main line will be fueled with blended biodiesel under a two-year contract with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL).
