Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have put into commercial operation new and cleaner locomotives to serve Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service.
At Los Angeles Union Station, one of 14 new Siemens Charger locomotives will start operating between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
“The Charger locomotives are almost 90 percent cleaner than the locomotives they will be replacing, and their 4,400 horsepower engines are more powerful and reliable too,” said Bryan MacDonald, chairman of the LOSSAN Agency.
The Charger is the first passenger locomotive to receive the stringent Tier IV emissions certification from the Environmental Protection Agency, making the Charger one of the cleanest diesel-electric passenger locomotives currently in operation. California is leading the charge and is at the forefront of low-emission rail vehicles.
The 14 locomotives were funded by Caltrans with approximately USD 100 million in state, federal and local funds, and will replace Amtrak-owned locomotives which are nearly 20 years old.
The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 565-km coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27 stations.
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