Passenger Trains > Capitol Corridor/CalTrans/Amtrak running out of locomotives

Capitol Corridor Alert: Trains 520, 534, 535 & 549 temporarily suspended September 4–19 due to locomotive repair work. Thank you for your patience. Check schedules before traveling. 

-Capitol Corridor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/25 21:38 by GenePoon.

I know about a dozen or so F40's they could have used, but they're in Peru now.  

Oops

Posted from Android

I guess they aren't so much better off than Chicago Mechanical.

Down for two weeks. That sounds pretty serious.

There was a Trains story recently where all the Midwest SC44s were suffering from a software component failure so perhaps this is a maintenance blitz to replace the parts before it gets worse.

Amtrak P42 Heritage 203 and an F59 were pushing Eastbound Capitol 524 (03) this morning past the Santa Clara railcam at 06:26.  They arrived last night into San Jose on a westbound Capitol.

Here's a low-light screen grab from the camera.

Rich



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/25 06:36 by PasadenaSub.

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ExStarlightHog Wrote:
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> I know about a dozen or so F40's they could have
> used, but they're in Peru now.  Yep! The Peruvian railways knew something that the CalTrans' (and American) dummies missed!

The transition of maintenance from Amtrak to Tasi has not been smooth. . .

GenePoon Wrote:
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> Capitol Corridor Alert: Trains 520, 534, 535 & 549
> temporarily suspended September 4–19 due to
> locomotive repair work.


I’d like to know who at CCJPA (or CalTrans Rail Division?) decided to abolish 6 trains for two weeks (but it will be longer!) instead of leasing power.

Get one loco each from heavy rail passenger lines around the West: Metrolink, Coaster, Caltrain, SoundTransit, FrontRunner.

Unless the issue is not equipment but the ability to maintenance it?

ExStarlightHog Wrote:
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> I know about a dozen or so F40's they could have
> used, but they're in Peru now. 

And I mentioned that very same thing a few times as those engines were being hauled away.....our taxpayer dollars could have been kept here, to help us.  

Are these all Chargers failing, or a mix of all units ?

Switchpoint Wrote:
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> Are these all Chargers failing, or a mix of all units ?

All state-owned equipment, Chargers and F59s.

And the state owned Chargers on the Surfliners down in Southern California were running with no problems and big crowds this last weekend. Must be a NorCal thing.

What's wrong at the Oakland Maintinance Facility ?

Switchpoint Wrote:
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> What's wrong at the Oakland Maintinance Facility ?

Too many transfers from Chicago.

I don't think Sound Transit has anything to spare at the moment.  I understand that two of its aging Sounder F59s are out right now, apparently needing extensive work  If so, that leaves Sounder with one spare locomotive. Sounder service uses 11 trainsets with eleven F59s and three newer MPIs to pull or push them.

See this thread

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,6073253

They will be leasing Caltrain locomotives and cars.

stevef Wrote:
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> See this thread
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,
> 6073253
>
> They will be leasing Caltrain locomotives and
> cars.

Amazing. Why Amtrak doesn't do more of this and their state PARTNERS to get a maintenance blitz done on some of their trains plagued with mechanical equipment issues or capacity issues is mind-bogglging, but glad California is doing the right thing!

DutchDragon Wrote:
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> Switchpoint Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What's wrong at the Oakland Maintinance Facility
> ?
>
> Too many transfers from Chicago.

Herzog is transferring people from Chicago?