Amtrak awarded Siemens Mobility a EUR 744 million contract to design and manufacture 75 Charger diesel-electric locomotives that will replace and supplement operator’s aging national network diesel locomotive fleet used on long-distance and state-supported routes.
Under the contract, that also includes a multi-year Technical Support Spares Supply Agreement, the delivery will begin in the summer of 2021 with passenger service starting in fall, 2021. All locomotives are expected to be in service by 2024.
These Charger locomotives will power trains used on lines that span the United States, both from north-to-south and east-to-west.
The vehicles offer the latest safety systems including Crash Energy Management and U.S.-mandated Positive Train Control, which is a communication-based train control that results in greater efficiency.
Capable of speeds up to 200 km/h, the new locomotives feature the QSK95 Cummins 4,400 horsepower-capable 16-cylinder engine, which increase capacity and result in greater availability.
The Charger is lower-noise than the diesel engines it will be replacing and offers a streamlined design with smoother traction control. 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 percent and particulate matter by 95 percent, compared to Tier 0 standard.
The locomotives will be manufactured at Siemens Mobility’s North American rail manufacturing plant in Sacramento. The engines are manufactured by Cummins in its Seymour, Indiana plant.
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