Amtrak award contract to Siemens to supply 83 'Intercity Trainsets'

[popeter45]

Mod Note: Posts #1 - #10 originally in this thread.

Amtrak Announces Siemens as Preferred Bidder for New Equipment - Amtrak Media

After a competitive procurement launched in January of 2019, Amtrak has identified California-based Siemens Mobility Inc. (Siemens) as the preferred bidder to manufacture a new fleet of 83 Intercity Trainsets (ICTs), which will provide dual power in many instances and modern rail amenities to...

media.amtrak.com

New Fleet will Improve Safety and Enhance Customer Experience

WASHINGTON – After a competitive procurement launched in January of 2019, Amtrak has identified California-based Siemens Mobility Inc. (Siemens) as the preferred bidder to manufacture a new fleet of 83 Intercity Trainsets (ICTs), which will provide dual power in many instances and modern rail amenities to better serve all Amtrak customers. The ICTs will operate on the Northeast Corridor, Palmetto and various state-supported routes and will replace the current Amfleet I, Metroliner cab and Cascades service fleets. Accompanying the contract to manufacture the trainsets will be a long-term service agreement for technical support, spares and material supply.

“This new state-of-the-art equipment will not only provide Amtrak customers with an enjoyable and efficient travel experience, it will also enable us to improve safety, increase passenger capacity and reduce carbon emissions,” said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn.

Amtrak has targeted summer 2021 for contract execution and notice to proceed and will spend the time between now and then continuing negotiations with Siemens for this generational procurement.

would that indicate bi mode locmotives like NJT have as part of this order?

 

[nlogax]

Amtrak Announces Siemens as Preferred Bidder for New Equipment - Amtrak Media

After a competitive procurement launched in January of 2019, Amtrak has identified California-based Siemens Mobility Inc. (Siemens) as the preferred bidder to manufacture a new fleet of 83 Intercity Trainsets (ICTs), which will provide dual power in many instances and modern rail amenities to...

media.amtrak.com

would that indicate bi mode locmotives like NJT have as part of this order?

Similar though NJT just bought Alsthom ALP45 DPAs. This new order is for entire sets including stock..farewell Amfleet I and Talgo sets. If I were to guess, a fleet of AC-capable bi-mode Chargers and a whole pile of Venture stock.

 

[Jozhua]

Amtrak Announces Siemens as Preferred Bidder for New Equipment - Amtrak Media

After a competitive procurement launched in January of 2019, Amtrak has identified California-based Siemens Mobility Inc. (Siemens) as the preferred bidder to manufacture a new fleet of 83 Intercity Trainsets (ICTs), which will provide dual power in many instances and modern rail amenities to...

media.amtrak.com

would that indicate bi mode locmotives like NJT have as part of this order?

The cynic in me sees "dual power" as being able to handle power from different electrical systems, rather than something as exotic as bi-mode lol.

SC-44's are diesel electric transmission, so hopefully they will run on OLE.

Having locos at both ends seems sensible from an operational standpoint, choosing the same rolling stock as Brightline also seems sensible. It's sad to possibly see Talgos go from Cascades, however, I have heard complaints about them bouncing round quite a bit on the tracks round there.

Whilst I don't see rolling stock as a priority for Amtrak (the new Avelia Liberty trainsets will do little to improve journey times on the NEC), I understand that Amfleets and Metroliner cabs are aging. Coaching stock can often "roll on" for quite a number of years, as you don't tend to have as much active equipment (especially diesel engines) on the carriages themselves. These train sets seem sensible, Siemens have proven themselves in the North American market serving Brightline (and I believe VIA?).

I assume if any new routes or service improvements are planned, the order will be amended accordingly. Hopefully that means there should be a steady supply of rolling stock and an order list which can be extended to provide new service if needed. It's an exciting step forward for Amtrak and the new administration, I just hope the Democrats don't cut off their nose to spite their face on this one!

 

[popeter45]

The cynic in me sees "dual power" as being able to handle power from different electrical systems, rather than something as exotic as bi-mode lol.

SC-44's are diesel electric transmission, so hopefully they will run on OLE.

Having locos at both ends seems sensible from an operational standpoint, choosing the same rolling stock as Brightline also seems sensible. It's sad to possibly see Talgos go from Cascades, however, I have heard complaints about them bouncing round quite a bit on the tracks round there.

Whilst I don't see rolling stock as a priority for Amtrak (the new Avelia Liberty trainsets will do little to improve journey times on the NEC), I understand that Amfleets and Metroliner cabs are aging. Coaching stock can often "roll on" for quite a number of years, as you don't tend to have as much active equipment (especially diesel engines) on the carriages themselves. These train sets seem sensible, Siemens have proven themselves in the North American market serving Brightline (and I believe VIA?).

I assume if any new routes or service improvements are planned, the order will be amended accordingly. Hopefully that means there should be a steady supply of rolling stock and an order list which can be extended to provide new service if needed. It's an exciting step forward for Amtrak and the new administration, I just hope the Democrats don't cut off their nose to spite their face on this one!

if this order works out well i wonder if they will pivot to a larger order for stuff like viewliner I replacements and a Superliner/double decker varient of the venture stock
a standardised fleet could work well for image rather than the mix and match they currently have

 

[Shinkansenfan]

Replacing aging rolling stock is a big priority for Amtrak as mentioned in Amtrak's fleet plan https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/.../Amtrak-Equipment-Asset-Line-Plan-FY20-24.pdf

According to the above document, as of Fall 2018, the average age of the passenger cars was 32.9 years old.

Much of the single level fleet comprises Amfleet I cars (458 cars) which were built in 1975-1977. While Budd built a fabulous, quality product that has endured several refreshes, after 40+ years of service, they are becoming costly to maintain.

The 16 former, self propelled Budd Metroliner cars (that were converted to non motorized cab cars (driving trailers)) were built in 1967!

The tag on order for Amfleet II (139) cars with slightly larger windows and are used on longer distance routes in the East Coast, are just a bit younger, built in 1981-1983.

Similarly, the double deck Superliner I (244 car) fleet was built around the same time from 1979-1981.

The Superliner II (184 car) fleet (which Amtrak acquired because VIA cancelled their order) is a bit younger, having been built 1993-1995.

PDF page 9 of the above report lists the type of passenger cars, year(s) built, number of cars and average age for each type as well as fleet average age as of Fall 2018. Add ~2 1/2 more years to that.

The Avelia Liberty trainsets were ordered primarily to increase trainset capacity--not running speeds.

An earlier plan to order more intermediate Acela carriages to lengthen the Acela trainsets was cancelled after it was deemed the cost to produce the extra cars and graft them onto a trainset that would be past midlife (when the additional cars were to be delivered) was poor value for money.

The new Siemens trainsets ordered by VIA have not yet been delivered, but the Brightline trainsets provides a preview.

Having ridden the Brightline trainsets just before they temporarily shut down in 2020, I thought those were nice trainsets with good climate control, noise control, ride quality, absence of squeaks, excellent seat alignment with windows and wide ICE type gangways to the next car--and the trainsets have locomotives that match the profile of the cars behind! The retractable door threshold extender improves the high level platform boarding experience by narrowing the gap between the platform and the car. This is safer for passengers and better for those using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

It should be noted that some of Amtrak's proposed route expansion will rely upon host railroad cooperation (not always forthcoming) and the willingness of state(s) in which the service is to run through to help fund the service. Both are not assured. In some corridors (such as to Phoenix), track and structures have been lifted and will need to be replaced. If Amtrak is the sole user, the ongoing operations & maintenance cost will be spread only across the new service.

 

[ac6000cw]

I assume if any new routes or service improvements are planned, the order will be amended accordingly. Hopefully that means there should be a steady supply of rolling stock and an order list which can be extended to provide new service if needed. It's an exciting step forward for Amtrak and the new administration, I just hope the Democrats don't cut off their nose to spite their face on this one!

The initial order for the Siemens SC-44 diesel locos was placed by a group of state DOTs (Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington) to re-equip their corridor services, operated by Amtrak under contract.

This latest procurement exercise looks like primarily for re-equipment of the non-Acela NEC trains and their 'corridor' extensions beyond the wires.

By statute, 'corridor' services (passenger services under 750 miles end-to-end) have to be state-supported, so that Amtrak map has only a 'wish list' of expansion possibilities - Amtrak has no budget for them, as far as I'm aware.

 

[43096]

This latest procurement exercise looks like primarily for re-equipment of the non-Acela NEC trains and their 'corridor' extensions beyond the wires.

So if these are for the NEC services, where does that leave the ACS-64 fleet? They're not exactly old or anywhere near life expired.

 

[37424]

The Armfleet cars look out of the arc hopefully the new Siemens carriages will make Amtrak look a bit more 21st Century.

 

[Austriantrain]

So if these are for the NEC services, where does that leave the ACS-64 fleet? They're not exactly old or anywhere near life expired.

Any reason why they could not run with new Venture train sets on electric-only services? Both from Siemens...

From the few sources I could find it would seem that the new trains will be loco+coaches anyway?

 

[Giugiaro]

The Armfleet cars look out of the arc hopefully the new Siemens carriages will make Amtrak look a bit more 21st Century.

Still, the Amfleet cars on the outside look way more modern than the similarly aged Sorefame cars from Portugal.

 

[jamesontheroad]

The remarkable thing about the Amfleets is that their design is so heavily influenced by the era in which they were conceived. Amtrak needed a product that could compete with air travel, so inspite of the corrugated aluminium finish they have a profile and window-to-body ratio that is reminiscent of shining airliners of the nineteen-sixties and seventies. They look tired today, but they are a product of a bygone era that was uniquely American.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Googling some pictures these vehicles seem to be UK profile (though a bit bigger) with a noticeable "tuck in" at solebar level - why do this in the low-platform USA when you can just go for the standard "boxy" UIC shape?

 

[nlogax]

The remarkable thing about the Amfleets is that their design is so heavily influenced by the era in which they were conceived. Amtrak needed a product that could compete with air travel, so inspite of the corrugated aluminium finish they have a profile and window-to-body ratio that is reminiscent of shining airliners of the nineteen-sixties and seventies. They look tired today, but they are a product of a bygone era that was uniquely American.

Amfleet cars will be missed, though Amfleet II will continue to live on for a while longer after the Is disappear. I've always loved using both versions, absolutely core to the classic NEC experience. Quiet, comfortable and pretty spacious.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Amfleet cars will be missed, though Amfleet II will continue to live on for a while longer after the Is disappear. I've always loved using both versions, absolutely core to the classic NEC experience. Quiet, comfortable and pretty spacious.

Windows that make the Pendolino ones look big, though.

 

[edwin_m]

The remarkable thing about the Amfleets is that their design is so heavily influenced by the era in which they were conceived. Amtrak needed a product that could compete with air travel, so inspite of the corrugated aluminium finish they have a profile and window-to-body ratio that is reminiscent of shining airliners of the nineteen-sixties and seventies. They look tired today, but they are a product of a bygone era that was uniquely American.

Stainless steel not aluminium I think? That was certainly the almost universal construction for American passenger stock after about 1950.

Googling some pictures these vehicles seem to be UK profile (though a bit bigger) with a noticeable "tuck in" at solebar level - why do this in the low-platform USA when you can just go for the standard "boxy" UIC shape?

Amfleet was based on the Metroliners built for the NEC, where most (possibly by now all) of the platforms are high. I was looking at some photos of the era when they were mixed with heritage stock and the variation in profile looked like a real hodgepodge.

Windows that make the Pendolino ones look big, though.

Possibly down to the "aircraft look" mentioned above, although perhaps also the FRA structural standards they had to meet. Though if you want crashworthiness you're probably better not fitting escape windows that pop out if the rubber seal is removed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Stainless steel not aluminium I think? That was certainly the almost universal construction for American passenger stock after about 1950.

I believe so. It's the use of ribbed stainless steel that gives the dated look - same as the Portuguese stock (on which the droplights also age it) and original Silberlinge in Germany. Paint it up in a modern livery and it doesn't look anything like as old.

Amfleet was based on the Metroliners built for the NEC, where most (possibly by now all) of the platforms are high. I was looking at some photos of the era when they were mixed with heritage stock and the variation in profile looked like a real hodgepodge.

I was more thinking the new Siemens kit appears to be close to UK profile, rather than "boxy" Continental profile you'd expect? The Amfleets were clearly built to look like planes.

Though if you want crashworthiness you're probably better not fitting escape windows that pop out if the rubber seal is removed.

Common in mainland Europe, to be fair. Eurostar (E300) sets have them too, they're the windows with the bars on.

 

[HSTEd]

Wait, doesn't the Amtrak Cascades service use Talgo tilting stock to significant advantage?

Is siemens building tilting stock now or is that being abandoned?

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

After the December 2017 Cascades derailment, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended withdrawing the Talgo Series VI sets. They were withdrawn last year and replaced temporarily with Amtrak Horizon cars, although the newer Talgo Series 8 sets (there are only two) are still in service. The Series VI cars have now been scrapped.

I suppose that nobody wants to risk headlines about "unsafe" trains by ordering more Talgos.

 

[Austriantrain]

Is siemens building tilting stock now or is that being abandoned?

I don’t think the new Siemens stock will tilt.

The Avelia Liberty sets built by Alstom as a replacement for the Acelas will, though.

 

[ac6000cw]

So if these are for the NEC services, where does that leave the ACS-64 fleet? They're not exactly old or anywhere near life expired.

Any reason why they could not run with new Venture train sets on electric-only services? Both from Siemens...

From the few sources I could find it would seem that the new trains will be loco+coaches anyway?

As the wording of the press release is pretty vague (and I haven't managed to find any more detail than that so far), I also expect most of this new fleet to be basically loco-hauled stock, some used traditionally (loco at the head-end only), some push-pull with cab-control cars and some top-and-tailed with locos for the longer/heavier trains (instead of double-heading).

I wouldn't like to guess at this stage if the 'dual power' implies diesel at one end/electric at the other end of the trainset, or diesel+OHLE bi-modes - other than replacements for the 18 Amtrak-owned P32AC-DM dual-mode (diesel+3rd rail) locos used on the non-NEC services that run to/from NYC (which are now over 25 years old).

I suspect the least likely option is a bi-mode trainset like our IETs with distributed underfloor engines and traction equipment.

Siemens Mobility in Sacramento seems to have become the new EMD + Budd rolled into one, for passenger rolling stock, with over 1400 people employed on a 60 acre site.

After the December 2017 Cascades derailment, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended withdrawing the Talgo Series VI sets. They were withdrawn last year and replaced temporarily with Amtrak Horizon cars, although the newer Talgo Series 8 sets (there are only two) are still in service. The Series VI cars have now been scrapped.

I suppose that nobody wants to risk headlines about "unsafe" trains by ordering more Talgos.

I agree, but I feel that Talgo became something of a scapegoat when the real issues were the inadequate training/supervision of the engineer, inadequate signage of the speed restriction and a decision to start running services over the new line before PTC had been installed & commissioned.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

No disagreement there. Alon Levy goes further and argues that the scapegoating of the Talgos is a symptom of cultural problems in the US rail industry (backwardness, exceptionalism and refusal to learn from abroad) that undermine safety and obstruct modernisation.

The lessons from the Cascades crash are the same as those from the New York and Philadelphia crash, and drawing different lessons is prima facie evidence of irrational prejudice against foreign design elements that in fact work better than domestic ones. The people at the NTSB who authored the recommendation to get rid of the Talgos have just shown themselves to be incurious about practices in parts of the world with better rail safety. Thus, they should all be immediately dismissed from their jobs and replaced by people who are more informed. Any day they keep their jobs is a signal that the NTSB will be an obstacle to any program to make American passenger rail not only faster, more convenient, and more reliable, but also safer for passengers and employees.

 

[Taunton]

That's silly. You will notice that Amtrak had bought several series of Talgo sets (built in the USA, in Wisconsin) whereas hardly any other railway in the world outside Spain has done so.

The collision absorption of the vehicles was found to be poor; that was why the trains were recommended for withdrawal.

There's a current fascination and excitement in the USA with "firing" people (as in the quote above), which seems to come from the television Apprentice programme being believed by those outside the mainstream business world as being the way to run things. Reminds me of the Soviet Union in the 1930s actually.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's a current fascination and excitement in the USA with "firing" people (as in the quote above), which seems to come from the television Apprentice programme being believed by those outside the mainstream business world as being the way to run things. Reminds me of the Soviet Union in the 1930s actually.

Given that the US operates a "work at will" policy (which basically means you can fire someone on the spot for no reason at all) that is a much more common occurrence than it is here.

 

[Taunton]

You try and fire US railway union employees.

Indeed, one of the issues with the Washington derailment was the engineer had just pulled rank as the senior one on the board, regardless of being the most appropriate for the prestige run. That's what the union contract requires.

In the diatribe above, the NTSB are government employees. They, like union employees, are exempted from Work at Will.

 

[Jozhua]

if this order works out well i wonder if they will pivot to a larger order for stuff like viewliner I replacements and a Superliner/double decker varient of the venture stock
a standardised fleet could work well for image rather than the mix and match they currently have

I tend to agree.

Replacing aging rolling stock is a big priority for Amtrak as mentioned in Amtrak's fleet plan https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/.../Amtrak-Equipment-Asset-Line-Plan-FY20-24.pdf

According to the above document, as of Fall 2018, the average age of the passenger cars was 32.9 years old.

Much of the single level fleet comprises Amfleet I cars (458 cars) which were built in 1975-1977. While Budd built a fabulous, quality product that has endured several refreshes, after 40+ years of service, they are becoming costly to maintain.

The 16 former, self propelled Budd Metroliner cars (that were converted to non motorized cab cars (driving trailers)) were built in 1967!

The tag on order for Amfleet II (139) cars with slightly larger windows and are used on longer distance routes in the East Coast, are just a bit younger, built in 1981-1983.

Similarly, the double deck Superliner I (244 car) fleet was built around the same time from 1979-1981.

The Superliner II (184 car) fleet (which Amtrak acquired because VIA cancelled their order) is a bit younger, having been built 1993-1995.

PDF page 9 of the above report lists the type of passenger cars, year(s) built, number of cars and average age for each type as well as fleet average age as of Fall 2018. Add ~2 1/2 more years to that.

The Avelia Liberty trainsets were ordered primarily to increase trainset capacity--not running speeds.

An earlier plan to order more intermediate Acela carriages to lengthen the Acela trainsets was cancelled after it was deemed the cost to produce the extra cars and graft them onto a trainset that would be past midlife (when the additional cars were to be delivered) was poor value for money.

The new Siemens trainsets ordered by VIA have not yet been delivered, but the Brightline trainsets provides a preview.

Having ridden the Brightline trainsets just before they temporarily shut down in 2020, I thought those were nice trainsets with good climate control, noise control, ride quality, absence of squeaks, excellent seat alignment with windows and wide ICE type gangways to the next car--and the trainsets have locomotives that match the profile of the cars behind! The retractable door threshold extender improves the high level platform boarding experience by narrowing the gap between the platform and the car. This is safer for passengers and better for those using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

It should be noted that some of Amtrak's proposed route expansion will rely upon host railroad cooperation (not always forthcoming) and the willingness of state(s) in which the service is to run through to help fund the service. Both are not assured. In some corridors (such as to Phoenix), track and structures have been lifted and will need to be replaced. If Amtrak is the sole user, the ongoing operations & maintenance cost will be spread only across the new service.

I mean this is fair. It's probably worth planning rolling stock replacement now, even if there's a few years left in some of it. (Rollouts don't always run on schedule - some rolling stock may be retained for extra operational flexibility or capacity if demand increases)

I've heard the existing Acela sets are being scrapped once the Avelia sets are fully introduced, so assumed it was more about speed and service upgrade than capacity. I'm sure they are higher capacity, but it's only about 30% I believe.

Dual bi-mode locos will be a massive help to operational flexibility, reliability, speed and cost. Yes, probably slightly higher in terms of capex, but removes the requirement for shunting at either end of the routes. Bi-mode trains should also remove the need to shunt a diesel loco on at DC, which should help noticeably speed up journeys. Obviously having two units increases reliability from simply having two available, increases acceleration and likely reduces long term costs involved with shunting vehicles around, etc.

Wait, doesn't the Amtrak Cascades service use Talgo tilting stock to significant advantage?

Is siemens building tilting stock now or is that being abandoned?

Max operating speeds is 79mph, so I don't know if the Talgo stock makes much of a difference. I've heard with the carriages being quite short and light, it rides quite rough on the jointed track and the like.

It does seem like quite young rolling stock, there was two or three sets that were built but never actually got commissioned either I believe.

 

[jopsuk]

83 "trainsets" certainly sounds like a much bigger order than any previous- I guess with the different requirements there will be several different lengths. It definitely positions the Venture as the new standard single deck carriage in North America if that's what these are (and it's a good guess)- the other fleets are:
5 x 4 car sets with two locos at Brightline - apparently dues to become 10 x 7 car sets in the future
7 x 7 car sets (including cab cars) for Caltrans San Joaquins
97 carriages for Amtrak Midwest - 17 cafe cars & 17 business/economy coaches, each of those semi-permanently coupled to one of 34 economy carriages, plus 26 individual economy coaches and 3 cab cars
32 x 5 car sets (including cab cars) for Via

Wonder if we'll see more orders following?

 

[Jozhua]

Just found this quote on the report, which mirrors my earlier thoughts. I didn't realise it took as long as 30 minutes to change locos, nor that power would be out in the coaches for that time!

One of the most significant service improvements that can result from re-fleeting is the elimination of engine changes for trains which travel on both the NEC and state-supported routes.

Currently, passengers on Northeast Regional, Carolinian, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian and Vermonter trains sit for approximately 30, and sometimes more, minutes in Philadelphia, Washington and New Haven without power, lights, climate control, food service or operating restrooms while diesel and electric engines are swapped.

The switching of engines in Washington Union Station contributes to the congestion on its lower level, creating challenges and capital expenditure requirements to support current and planned future Amtrak and commuter services.

Furthermore, the locomotive change introduces an opportunity for a train delay should anything go wrong during the process. Mechanical department staff must assist in the coupling and uncoupling of motive power, and separate sets of train and engine crews are required to ferry locomotives between maintenance facilities and the station area.Should Amtrak obtain a dual power capability for through trains between the NEC and state corridors, Amtrak would realize several benefits. Scheduled trip times would decline by 15 to 30 minutes, a reduction that would cost billions more to achieve through infrastructure improvements.

Locomotive movements and platform capacity utilization in busy terminals would decrease. On-time performance would improve as the delay risk of locomotive changes was eliminated, and passengers would not lose lighting, climate control or working toilets during the train’s engine change. This more-attractive service would be less labor-intensive, needing less mechanical and yard-to-station transportation work and less total travel time which train crews must work to complete a given trip.

It is true, that in regards to bi-mode operation, a massive improvement to service can be created with more limited capital expenditure when compared to infrastructure. I guess I'm starting to come around to fleet replacement!

They also have a point about acting now, considering the average age of much of the fleet and the expected timescale of replacement.

 

[ac6000cw]

I didn't realise it took as long as 30 minutes to change locos, nor that power would be out in the coaches for that time!

I'm sure they could do it faster if they really wanted to - I can't see why it's any more complicated than it is/was in the UK. (e.g. BR used to timetable electric <-> diesel locomotive changes at B'ham New Street for 15 minutes, as far as I remember). And yes, I've experienced the 'no power' situation on Amtrak when locomotives are changed .

It'll be interesting to see what Siemens come up with for the 'dual-power' situation - the NJT ALP-45DP dual-mode locos are very heavy (over 130 tonnes on 4 axles), and Amtrak have already said that's too heavy and expensive (at $12m each) for their purposes.

(BTW - American railroaders 'switch', not 'shunt' railway vehicles, and almost always talk about locomotives, engines or units, not 'locos' and never about carriages or coaches )

 

[nlogax]

It'll be interesting to see what Siemens come up with for the 'dual-power' situation - the NJT ALP-45DP dual-mode locos are very heavy (over 130 tonnes on 4 axles), and Amtrak have already said that's too heavy and expensive (at $12m each) for their purposes.

My bet is it'll be based on the Charger platform. It's already been confirmed that MTA is going with dual-mode Chargers for Metro-North lines and it would make sense for Siemens Mobility to continue development with knitting in mind elsewhere.

 

[ac6000cw]

My bet is it'll be based on the Charger platform.

I agree.

It's already been confirmed that MTA is going with dual-mode Chargers for Metro-North lines

AFAIK they are diesel+3rd rail (so they can access the stations in NYC), partly to replace the existing P32AC-DM locomotive fleet, so no pantograph or transformer to accommodate in what is already a 120 tonne 125 mph diesel locomotive. A tri-mode diesel/battery/OHLE unit might be fun, but I suspect that would be a step too far for Amtrak.