Siemens ACS-64 roll-out in Sacramento

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afigg

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Now we know why Boardman was in California for National Train Day. AP has issued a news story about the first of the ACS 64 electric locomotives which is to be unveiled in Sacramento on Monday, May 13. Three engines are to be unveiled on Monday and then sent for testing. Quite a favorable article on Amtrak. The Poughkeepsie Journal has the AP article with a photo of Boardman and an ACS-64. The Washington Post has the same AP story, but without the photo in the on-line edition.

Excerpts from the AP story:

NEWARK, N.J. — When Amtrak unveils the first of 70 new locomotives Monday at a plant in California, it will mark what the national passenger railroad service hopes will be a new era of better reliability, streamlined maintenance and better energy efficiency.On a broader scale, the new engines could well be viewed as emblematic of the improving financial health of Amtrak, which has long been dependent on subsidies from an often reluctant Congress.

....

The new engines will be used on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston and on Keystone Corridor trains that run between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa. Three will be unveiled Monday before being sent out for testing. The first is due to go into service by this fall, and all 70 are expected to be in service by 2016

,,,

Among the improvements in the new locomotives are computers that can diagnose problems in real time and take corrective action and a braking system capable of generating 100 percent of the energy it uses back to the electric grid — similar to the way a hybrid automobile's motor acts as a generator when braking, according to Michael Cahill, CEO for Siemens Rail Systems. That could produce energy savings of up to $300 million over 20 years, the company estimates.
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Taking a page from defense contractors. spread the parts order around - which has been a very successful strategy for the big DOD contractors in recent decades::

The ripple effect spreads farther. As a condition of the Department of Transportation loan, the majority of the products and materials used to build the locomotives must be made in the U.S. As a result, some lighting parts are coming from Connecticut, the driver's seat from Wisconsin, insulation from Indiana, electronics from Texas and hydraulic parts from California. In all, 70 suppliers in 23 states are providing components, Siemens said.
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So, ACS-64 test run sightings on the NEC by late summerl?
 
Very good news, and it all lines up well with NTD. I would have to imagine these will spend a decent amount of time in Pueblo before they hit the NEC. Even when they do hit the NEC I would guess their first runs will probably be when there are little to no revenue trains on the rails.
 
battalion51 said:
Very good news, and it all lines up well with NTD. I would have to imagine these will spend a decent amount of time in Pueblo before they hit the NEC. Even when they do hit the NEC I would guess their first runs will probably be when there are little to no revenue trains on the rails.
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I too would not expect the first test runs on the NEC or keystone East would be during the busy time of the day. Probably late at night or on weekends, so it will be the determined foamer who gets the first images and video.

The AP story says the first unit is expected to go into service this fall. which while that could mean December, strikes me as optimistic. There will be a lot of tests, maintenance & support preparation and many hours of test runs before the first unit can be cleared for revenue service.
 
The more intriguing item to me will be how long will it be before deliveries are occurring and retirements are occurring as well. I really hope they've got a few of these earmarked to go to locations like Strasburg. Who knows, maybe Bennett Levin will add a couple to his collection. ^_^
 
Thanks for the link to the Poughkeepsie Journal Afigg. Nice picture of Mr. Boardman with the new locomotive.

This same AP article on Yahoo included NO pictures!!

San Francisco Chronicle also reprinted the AP story, but also has pictures of the front and side of the ACS-64.

Handsome machine, I look forward to seeing it run!
 
Since I know Bennett, Next I see him I will ask. But I'm sure the answer is no.

Now to add to this my Dad who is 71 and has dementia claims their are ACS-64's at Pueblo. Which I doubt. He claims to have photos. When he's asleep or not on his computer I'll dig through it to see if he's right.

If that's what the side is going to look like.. I call Bulls**t.

http://www.hostthenpost.com/uploads/3eb5a7b5b511238b4caea1fd49126d93.jpg

That link is to a photo of an ACS at Pueblo. Although I'm not sure if that's Pueblo.

To edit this post for a 4th time. This photo is at the Sacramento Shop.
 
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I really hope that the paint scheme in that picture from the Chronicle is just on the demo unit...Not sure how I feel about them going UP for the whole fleet. Also looks like the windows on the side of the engine are pretty small.
 
I agree. I don't like the paintjob on the side. Maybe it's just for the first unit. One of Portland's Streetcars has "MADE IN THE USA" on as its paint scheme, but that was for the first Oregon Iron Works car.

Also, as an aside, since there are already TWO misuses of the terms in this nascent thread:

their =/= there

there =/= they're
 
Amtrak has issued a 5 page news release on the ACS-64s: AMTRAK UNVEILS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY LOCOMOTIVES FOR NORTHEAST SERVICE. The last 3 pages of the press release look to be a handout with the factoids and numbers that were regurgitated in the AP news story.

Of the 3 units being rolled out, the news release states: "The first three locomotives will undergo a comprehensive testing program this summer, including two at a U.S. Department of Transportation facility in Pueblo, Colo., and one on the NEC." So we may see one undergoing initial testing on the NEC in the not too distant future.

Among the features listed in the hand-out sheets:

Power
The ACS-64 locomotive will have a peak of 8,600 horsepower (6.4 MW) with excellent acceleration capabilities to attain revenue
service speeds of 125 mph pulling up to 18 Amfleet coach cars, while at the same time providing up to 1,000 kVA (1 MVA) of headend
power for auxiliary train equipment such as interior lights, electrical outlets and air conditioning and heating for passengers.
Regenerative Braking
The electro-dynamic brake system of the ACS-64 has the ability to put a maximum of 5 MW of electricity back into the catenary during
regenerative braking. The regenerative braking can feed up to 100 percent of the energy generated during braking back to the power grid.
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To verify that the ACS-64 can meet the speicification of pulling 18 Amfleet coach cars at 125 mph, they will have to test that. Future youtube video if someone can capture the 18 car train going through a station at 125 mph
 
Acela150 said:
Hate to break it to you but, I saw a photo of 602 and it has the same logos. I would imagine it's for the testing phase.
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In the video posted on the Amtrak Blog (and in reply #13 here), at least one of the locomotives does not have the flag. So maybe it won't be on all of them.
 
Tracktwentynine said:
In the video posted on the Amtrak Blog (and in reply #13 here), at least one of the locomotives does not have the flag. So maybe it won't be on all of them.
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In the video #601 lacks any logo's on the side but in this rendering... 601 has a large Amtrak logo on the side along with road numbers (which all of these lack.) I this this is a special livery just for the roll-out press conference and might last into the testing phase.

Another clue that it is a special livery for this press conference is the size of Siemens logo... it's the same size as the Amtrak logo. I imagine if any Siemens logo's remain on the final version they'll be quite small.

Updated_Rendering_of_Siemens-built_Amtrak_Cities_Sprinter.jpg
 
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What is with that huge US flag on the side? Agreed the loco is made in USA and the whole patriotism angle, but does it have to be so in-your-face? Maybe they are trying to woo Union Pacific by copying their flag-on-loco design? :D
 
They sure are pretty...

edit-

I agree that big honking flag screams "this railroad run by jingoists!"
 
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"jin·go·ism (j ng g - z m). n. Extreme nationalism characterized especially by a belligerent foreign policy; chauvinistic patriotism."

I might be simple-minded, but when I saw the flag logo, my first thought was, "Terrific! Some good things are still Made in America!" It made me proud.
 
Perhaps the oversized flag is overcompensation for a German design built by a German company in a German-owned factory. By American workers.
 
Is it just me, or is appreciation of this locomotive going to be an acquired taste?

I quite like the front end. It's modern and dynamic and clearly says "i'm the modern railroad, I'm powerful and fast and efficient and here to stay".

I also like the flat and smooth sides. Away with the clutter of air vents and hatches. They will only get dirty. Whether or not the Amtrak logo is large or small doesn't really matter (and will probably get re-done and re-designed many times during their working lives anyway). But then the realisation is less than perfect. Whereas their European Siemens counterparts have prefectly fglat sides, that make the steel look thicker and more solid than it reaklly is, on this engine you can see every bump and the metal looks very thin.

What I don't like is the wheels and trucks. It seems the designer went to lunch when he got there and forgot to finish it when he came back. Wheels are a locomotive's legs and should be part of the design. they could have curved or angled the flat sides downwards to between the trucks to break that very clear glass ceiling the locomotive seems to have.
 
I'm just glad these are being manufactured as quickly as they are. The Viewliner IIs seem to be coming slowly.
 
So these new electrics only have a cab at one end? Don't the current locos have cabs at both ends of the unit?

If I am seeing it right, I guess there will be some operational changes to make sure the cab is always forward.
 
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