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Agent said:
Is that pink paint covering the snowplow on the lead unit? The same Trainorders post shows it didn't look like that leaving California.
Click to expand...
Maybe it hit a pink flamingo?

As for #635 coming next, there has been a month plus gap in deliveries, so there is likely a small backlog of new ACS-64s that will be making their way east in the next several weeks.
 
635 did come through Ottumwa, Iowa today with less pink this time (although the paint on the caboose at the beginning has pretty muck faded to pink):

 
Saw this youtube video link posted elsewhere of #627 and #618 pulling the 60 car long Circus train through Secaucus junction: Amtrak 2015 Circus Train w/ Two ACS-64s @ Secaucus Jct. #602, seen on the foreground, was there as a chase/protect engine in case there was a problem pulling the Circus train through the tunnels to Long Island.

So what is the pets on board policy for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus train? :p
 
Here's Amtrak #6 with 633 running about an hour and a half later in Agency, Iowa. You might notice we got some snow yesterday.

 
AMTK 636 was on Amtrak #6(25) today. There was also an extra sightseer lounge with a "Big Game Train" poster on a window.

 
Yep.

Siemens is assembling the ACS-64's in Florin, California to comply with the "Buy American" part of the 1982 Surface Transportation Assistance Act.

The traction inverters and other electrical pieces are made in Alpharetta and Norcross, GA. The traction motors and gear units are built in Norwood, OH.
 
Agent said:
Thirdrail7 said:
Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.
Click to expand...
What are the modifications that are needed?
Click to expand...
Some of the lower units do not have the same software as the higher units. They are light years behind. Additionally, some of the newer features that were added during the year of operation must be installed in some of the lower units. The next change is already afoot. The shakedown train this week will test the compatibility of two units on opposite ends of the train. While this was a common operating procedure for diesels, it didn't work with the AEM-7s or HHP-8s. As such, that mod will be installed on the lower units.

They are a work in progress.

One feature that none of them have is the fix for that gaping hole they were warned about. Hopefully, they will have installed some sort of shroud or shield by next winter.
 
Any news on the roof cowling? I've seen pictures of the parts that are reportedly going on the roof, but haven't seen an ACS-64 with them on it.

peter
 
Thirdrail7 said:
Agent said:
Thirdrail7 said:
Now, we have to wait for the lower units to receive their updated mods. That will take time.
Click to expand...
What are the modifications that are needed?
Click to expand...
Some of the lower units do not have the same software as the higher units. They are light years behind. Additionally, some of the newer features that were added during the year of operation must be installed in some of the lower units. The next change is already afoot. The shakedown train this week will test the compatibility of two units on opposite ends of the train. While this was a common operating procedure for diesels, it didn't work with the AEM-7s or HHP-8s. As such, that mod will be installed on the lower units.

They are a work in progress.

One feature that none of them have is the fix for that gaping hole they were warned about. Hopefully, they will have installed some sort of shroud or shield by next winter.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for the information. I hope that the retrofits go fairly quickly and that all the ACS-64s are "fully modernized" by the end of the year. If it's mostly software, that should be easy; if there's a lot of hardware, I guess it could take a while.
 

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