Passenger Trains > Former Amtrak retired AEM-7'S on Train #5

2 AEM-7's  On train #5 on their way to Caltrans. outside of Galesburg, ILL.

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So why all the affection for these toasters? If there's an uglier machine rolling around somewhere out there, I don't believe I've seen it although the AMC Gremlin might beat it out. Shame to see them debasing the Zephyr's consist like that and heading out our way.

Were these really too worn out to rebuild?   Seems like a lot of passenger equipment on the east coast get retired early these days.  The DLW "Edison" cars were in commuter service for 60 years...   Metroliner cab cars and arrow 1's still running at speed every day at 50 years old.

Nice catch! That's not something you see every day!!!

Also nice to see three sleepers (plus the Superliner Trans Dorm/Sleeper) on the CA Zephyr. FINALLY additional supply (sleeper inventory) to meet demand. Interesting to see the sleepers in the front of the consist, as usually they were placed on the rear of the train - due to some equipmnt turning maneuver that was done in Oakland.......

Nice to see the AEM7s on the move once again!

Meatballs banished to sushi country.

ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
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> So why all the affection for these toasters? If
> there's an uglier machine rolling around somewhere
> out there, I don't believe I've seen it although
> the AMC Gremlin might beat it out. Shame to see
> them debasing the Zephyr's consist like that and
> heading out our way.

In brief - I think it is more about the history, longevity, and background that these units represent.

They finally achieved the electric propulsion that was needed for the NEC. The E60s that preceded them were largely seen as a failure and freight train electric. Good for only 90 mph in the end after a derailment or two. And then if Amtrak had folded in those earlier years, the thought process was they could be offloaded to a freight railroad, being that Conrail hadn't totally given up yet on electric service. So to achieve speeds that the NEC tracks were good for, the "toasters" or AEM7's were seen as the answer - good for 125 to 135 mph running. The E60s at 90 mph were too slow and the GG1's needed to be officially retired. Amtrak and the NEC would finally emerge as a good competitor of ground service travel south of NYC to Washington DC with the use of the AEM7 electrics. Their paint scheme in the early years were a little more flashier than what they were retired with. These units never really got a good livery per say. But they became the workhorses of the NEC electrified territory and allowed Amtrak to emerge from the dark ages. With electric service extended to Boston, they became even more important, especially when the HHP-8's were deemed a failure. The AEM7's were a long running staple of electric propulsion on the NEC and Keystone train lines. But the number of AEM7 units were not adequate enough for NEC and Keystone expansion. But they still lasted on the roster for a long time overall. They were nearly as long running as the PRR's GG1s. Amtrak just never made the AEM7's as flashy as the GG1s or other motors/locomotives.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/19 21:41 by jp1822.

Just butt ugly, IMHO.

I read somewhere that these units are being used just to test the new catenary on the SF Peninsula.
Also, when I was FRA HQ in th early 80's I got a cab ride in one of those units from DC to Baltimore.
They did the job when it was needed, sort of like "Electric F-40s."

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Railfan2 Wrote:
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> 2 AEM-7's  On train #5 on their way to Caltrans.
> outside of Galesburg, ILL.

They are going to CalTrain, not Caltrans.

It is correct: the AEM7s are to be used to test the new catenary on Caltrain.

5 hrs late almost leaving LNK

They’re gorgeous machines that I will miss very much. By the way, these two got pretty thorough overhauls, I just think CalTrain wants to repaint them. If you want to know why they’re cool, it because they’re fast. Maybe not by international standards, but by North American standards, they were the undisputed speed Kong’s for a quarter century. Nice little locomotives.
Nick

Posted from iPhone

They are Swedish-based engines designed in the 1970's and were not regarded as ugly then. 
When Caltrain is done with them, what then ? Do they become stand-by rescue engines for breakdowns of either the new MU's or the remaining diesel sets, get donated to a western museum, or scrapped ? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/19 04:22 by joemvcnj.

Send one to Sacramento

Posted from Android

enjoy the pics not rthe technicality

Had these 2 been converted to AC traction motors ?

Excuse me but I can think of many units that are uglier. Just within Amtrak the P40/42s (the overwhelming majority of the Amtrak fleet) and HHP-8s

AEM7s are a good looking especially for a powerful compact unit.

WP17


ColdRainAndSnow Wrote:
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> So why all the affection for these toasters? If
> there's an uglier machine rolling around somewhere
> out there, I don't believe I've seen it although
> the AMC Gremlin might beat it out. Shame to see
> them debasing the Zephyr's consist like that and
> heading out our way.

OK, but so is a Dodge Dart Slant 6 by today's standards. 

What I’ve read these engines will be kept for back up power if needed to rescue or pull emu cars

Reading all of the negative comments about the AEM-7's, I am tempted to ask those nay-sayers to post pictures of the high-speed, compliant electric locomotives that they purchasedback  in the 1970's and 1980's. I am confident they have a thorough understanding of the market conditions at the time,a good comprehension of the throttle electronics, and know exactly what companies - foreign and domestic ,were even willing to bid on such small procurements,  with the Federally DOT mandated purchasing regulations, including but limited to the buy-America and American Flag Carriers shipping provisions.  Add in that the later ones had to accept an A-B-C-D 27-pin MU train-line-signal so they could MU and  be used in push-pull service with cab cars, as well as MU-ing with other AEM-7's. They have served well for 40 years (+/-), and they're still being re-utilized. At least they won't encounter northeast corridor snow in California, but there was a fix for that, too.  As a late friend of mine was fond of saying, "Show me yours".