The future is now.
For decades, General Electric "Genesis" series locomotives have dominated US passenger rail outside of the Northeast Corridor. As late as the summer of 2023 you could stand by the main line just south of Union Station for hours and see nothing but P-42s, sometimes as many as 3 in a single train!
But time just keeps on slipping. Amtrak is phasing out the "Genesis" in favor of the new Siemens ALC-42 "Charger", and that process has come to D.C.
As of late February 2024 it's a healthy mix of old and new, and as they've gone to the trouble of repainting some of the P-42s into Phase VII, you'll probably still be able to catch these 90s era locomotives for years to come.
But the era of the Genesis is ending. And, with Amtrak gearing up to replace the half-century old Amfleets, and with the Avelia Liberty set to begin service on the NEC even as soon as the end of this year, it's an exciting time for railfans in the US. Come out and catch the old stuff while you still can!
The first shot of the oncoming chargers was somewhat wobbly, but it was my very first time seeing an only Charger consist, and frankly I'm just glad I remembered to press "record". I was most of the way through packing up my equipment to go home when it came, and because these new engines are (compared against the usual roar of a diesel electric locomotive) almost silent, especially at idle, I had basically no warning they were coming. Seriously, if it weren't for the flanges squealing their way through the curve, you could actually get away with not wearing earplugs next to these things. The sheer difference in volume just doesn't quite come across on camera the way it does in real life, but it's huge. As much as we dweebs may love the clang of old EMDs, noise pollution is a serious problem in our automobile-infested cities, and these new quiet engines are a big step in the right direction. Now if only they'd do something about all those damned cars...
I'd also like to clarify that we were not (to the best of my knowledge, anyway) trespassing to get any of the later shots. There is a massive gap in the trackside fence near L'Enfant plaza, and you can plant yourself in what is otherwise a perfectly ordinary public park and film through it.
Негізгі бет The Siemens ALC-42 Charger has come to L'Enfant
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