Amtrak
Pacific Surfliner, Caltrans Introduce New, Cleaner Locomotives at Los
Angeles Union Station
More
reliable, greener Siemens Charger locomotives will power passenger
trains along southern California coast between San Diego, Los Angeles
and San Luis Obispo
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1, 2018
/PRNewswire/ -- With a blast of the locomotive's horn and a shower of
biodegradable confetti, the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo
(LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency and the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) introduced new, cleaner locomotives to the
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service today at Los Angeles Union Station.
State and local officials in
attendance had an opportunity to step aboard one of 14 new Charger
locomotives that will begin operating starting this fall. The Charger
locomotives, manufactured by Siemens, will power the next generation of
Pacific Surfliner trains between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis
Obispo.
"The production and delivery of new
locomotives and railcars does more than provide an
environmentally-friendly way to travel around the state," said Brian
Annis, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency
(CalSTA). "It also directly employs more Californians in well-paid
jobs, while indirectly generating more jobs throughout the state's
economy."
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.
"These locomotives were proudly
produced by the 1,300 Siemens employees who work in our solar-powered
plant in Sacramento, California, one of the most well-established,
comprehensive manufacturing facilities of its kind in the country,"
said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rolling Stock in the
U.S. "Siemens is grateful for the opportunity to work with
Caltrans and is proud to be a part of their efforts to provide clean
and efficient transportation for the state of California."
The 14 locomotives were funded by
Caltrans with approximately $100 million in state, federal and local
funds, and will replace Amtrak-owned locomotives which are nearly 20
years old.
"I'm excited for these new
locomotives, which will provide safe, clean and reliable passenger rail
service in Southern California," said Caltrans Director Laurie Berman.
"I'm very proud of partnerships like this – working together helps
Caltrans do more for the mobility of Californians."
With 24 daily trains providing
service along the Southern California coast, the Pacific Surfliner
offers an attractive and environmentally-friendly transportation
alternative that helps relieve congestion on adjacent freeways like
Interstate 5 and U.S. 101.
"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, which oversees the
Pacific Surfliner service. "These locomotives will allow us to expand
Pacific Surfliner service to meet growing ridership demand while also
significantly reducing emissions in the communities we serve."
About the Pacific
Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner travels along a
351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles,
Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27
stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail
route in the United States with 24 daily trains and annual ridership of
nearly 3 million. To learn more and plan a trip, visit
PacificSurfliner.com, like Pacific Surfliner on Facebook, or
@PacSurfliners on Twitter.
About the LOSSAN
Rail Corridor Agency
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San
Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority
composed of rail owners, operators and planning agencies along the
entire LOSSAN rail corridor. In addition to working to improve
passenger rail ridership, revenue, on-time performance, operational
flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management
responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015,
following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the
state of California. For more information, visit lossan.org.
About Caltrans
Caltrans manages more than 50,000
miles of California's highway and freeway lanes, provides inter-city
rail services, permits more than 400 public-use airports and
special-use hospital heliports, and works with local agencies. Caltrans
carries out its mission of providing a safe, sustainable, integrated
and efficient transportation system to enhance California’s economy and
livability.
Media Contact: Tori
Elder, The ACE Agency, tori@theaceagency.com
From the Press Kit by Media Contact Tori Elder, The ACE Agency and
Michael Litschi, LOSSAN Agency
(Double-Click any fact
sheet for a double-size copy; Click BACK in your browser to return to
this page.)
The event started in a tent with seating and refreahments
adjacent to the Charger.
Jennifer L. Bergener, Managing Director - Los Angeles - San Diego
- San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN)
Brian C. Annis, Secretary, California State Transportation Agency
Armin Kick, Vice President, Locomotives and High-Speed Trainsets, Siemens
Tony Kranz, Board Member, Los Angeles - San Diego -
San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN)
Speakers Photo
Countdown to the locomotive's bell and a shower of confetti.
Michael Litschi, LOSSAN Agency, prepares to come in with a cutter.
Official ribbon cutting.
Siemens' Representatives: L to R Christoph Grimm, Paul
Aichholzer, Armin Kick, technicians.
Half of the audience
Catered by Joan's On Third
Locomotive Tours 11 - 12:30
(Images with a narrow blue border can be clicked for a larger image; click BACK in your browser to return to this page.)
Charger Locomotive includes crash management components including reinforced locomotive cab and push-back couplers.
14 new Chargers to be put into service on the Pacific Surfliner.
Crash energy management components including reinforced locomotive cab and push-back couplers.
Christoph Grimm, Deputy Project Manager, Siemens Mobility
Division, gave me a personal tour of the Charger.
The left position has a screen that duplicates the operator's screen on
the right.
Christoph Grimm, Deputy Project Manager, Siemens Mobility Division
4,400 hp Cummins diesel engine,
made in Seymour, Indiana, (eight miles from my birthplace). It
can power longer trains to support future ridership demand.
16-cylinder meaning less maintenance than 20-cylinder EMDs.
Modular construction (note top panels) so modules can be taken out,
replaced and repaired with less down time. Capable of top speed
of 125 mph - current top speed on the Pacific Surfliner route is 90
mph. First locomotive to receive Tier 4 emissions certificate
from EPA, among cleanest locomotives in nation. 90% emmisions
reduction compared to current Pacific Surfliner locomotives. 16%
more fuel efficient than current locomotives. Facts confirmed by
Paul Aichholzer, Director Locomotives Projects
Yours truly, Carl Morrison
In the back of the Charger are two orange boxes (not pictured)
which are the first to be recovered after a crash, similar to black
boxes on an commercial aircraft.
"X marks the spot" This is how I tell a Charger from an EMD, from the outside I look for the X of the Charger.
Current Pacific Surfliner equipment on display
I guess they will need a new banner with a Charger like this one taken on a bridge near the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Surfliner Business Class Car
Lower level of the Business Class Car
Upstairs in the Business Class car, with free schedules which my station, FUL, doesn't hand out any more.
Attendants area for preparing amenities of Business Class.
Only one of the two doors on a Surfliner car will have the handicapped blue sign on the door.
One of the two doors on a Surfliner car will have this ramp for
wheelchairs and scooters. Look for the handicapped blue sign on
the door that has it.
I had the attendant get the ramp
out and take this photo to show how it works. However, at a
platform, the angle is not as severe. The ramp is only put out
when needed. In my case, I just lift my scooter from the platform
into the car.
Once onboard the Surfliner car, nearby will be a missing seat where the scooter, or a wheelchair, can fit perfectly.
Hard
to believe we have seen these F59s on the Surfliners since 1998!
They are being replaced by the new Chargers which were unveiled today.
I asked Michael Litschi <mlitschi@octa.net> how many Chargers will eventually be delivered and what the fate of the existing F59 locomotives would be.
There are
currently 7 Charger locomotives in Los Angeles, and we expect another 7
to arrive before the end of the year, for a total of 14.
Each Charger locomotive will have a “burn-in” period during which
it will operate as the second unit behind another locomotive. The
burn-in testing is expected to begin this month.
The existing Amtrak-owned F59 locomotives in the 400 series will
be returned to Amtrak for use on other routes. Earlier this year,
Metra in Chicago announced that it is working with Amtrak to purchase
up to 21 Amtrak-owned F59 locomotives.
Thank you Michael for the quick and complete response.
Los Angeles Union Station is a favorite place to view
trains that service the area. The best way to view the 14 tracks of
activity is to take a train to Union Station and when you arrive,
instead of hurrying into the station, walk to the south end of the
stub-in tracks and look west toward the station and east toward the
Metro building to see the locomotives. Your ticket is your permission to be on the platform.
A new Metrolink No. 912 by EMD happened to be on a nearby track.
New EMD next to a 17-yr-old Genesis Amtrak Long Distance Train.
Metro light rail will be the nearest tracks to the station.
Amtrak Veterans Commemorative Unit NPCU 90208 Pacific Surfliner
The historic station itself provides many opportunities for photos.
Directly opposite of this Ticket Entrance, two night later, was an
exclusive previw of the new Imperial Western Beer Co. and The
Streamliner put on by the Los Angeles Conservancy from 6 to 9 p.m.
The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner travels
along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los
Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
If the video above does not work, Click the link below for a video of the route:
