The first engine has been installed in a new Siemens Charger locomotive, moving the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) one step closer to obtaining the state-of-the-art machines, the agency announced March 10, 2016.
Siemens reached a production milestone at its Sacramento, Calif., manufacturing plant with installation of the first Cummins QSK95 diesel engine and traction alternator into the carbody of a new higher-speed diesel-electric Charger locomotive.
California, Illinois and Maryland have ordered a combined 34 Charger diesel-electric passenger locomotives from Siemens Mobility, bringing the number of state Departments of Transportation procuring these units to six and the total number of units to 69. The locomotives will be built at the Siemens rail manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif.