Passenger Trains > Amtrak AEM7 memories. Early '80s

1. Amtrak AEM7-909 has two Amfleet cars in tow as it rockets S/B on the Northeast Corridor through Perryman, MD at 3:45PM on 8/2/81.

2. No April Fools joke here. Amtrak AEM7-925 is S/B on the Northeast Corridor at Principio. 1:30PM on 4-1-83 in Principio, MD.

3. Amtrak AEM7-941 is on the point of S/B #89, the "Palmetto", as it whizzes by Loudon Park Cemetery at MP 100 on the Northeast Corridor. 11:30AM on 3-3-84 in West Baltimore, MD.

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Thanks for posting! And that's interesting - a two car train led by an AEM7!!!! That's a first that I've ever seen. Wonder if it was a test or "executive/special" train of some sort. Seems REALLY odd! I always found it odd that Amtrak could really never come up with a WOW factor livery for the AEM7 motors.........they were the true workhorses of the NEC and saved the NEC service in the early years after the GG1s had to be retired and the E60s just couldn't hit the proper high speeds, without de-railing..........

Little workhorses...

Posted from Android

Excellent trio, Bill!  Always liked the looks of those units.

texchief1

Given how hard working and successful these units were, I can't believe AMTRAK didn't order more of them.  These motors were great!

Thanks for sharing.  The original paint on those was by far the best-looking.

All Amtrak AEM-7 are long gone, while the Swedish Rc-4 1166 remains active and sports a retro 
paint scheme as a tribute to its visit to the USA for Amtrak tests.  Photo from an earlier TO post dated   
21MAY2025 .

 

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coach Wrote:
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> Given how hard working and successful these units
> were, I can't believe AMTRAK didn't order more of
> them.  These motors were great!

Wasn't there an issue with pulling longer NEC trains at 125 mph?  Amtrak wanted to move to 9 and 10 cars at 125-135 mph and the AEM-7 didn't play in that league.

NJ Transit had a similar issue with the ALP-44 units and bought an upgraded ALP-46 and ALP-46a

Really sharp images, especially #1.  Well done.  

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> coach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Given how hard working and successful these
> units
> > were, I can't believe AMTRAK didn't order more
> of
> > them.  These motors were great!
>
> Wasn't there an issue with pulling longer NEC
> trains at 125 mph?  Amtrak wanted to move to 9
> and 10 cars at 125-135 mph and the AEM-7 didn't
> play in that league.
>
> NJ Transit had a similar issue with the ALP-44
> units and bought an upgraded ALP-46 and ALP-46a

Definitely the case with NJT ALP-44's - they were limited to roughly 8 car trains. When the ALP46 variants arrived, NJT wanted to get those motors on their high capacity morning trains to add cars and be able to handle more multilevels in the consist. I believe that the AEM7s had a similar situation and that's why you often saw double headed AEM7's - all the time for longer consists. The E60s were prime candidates for pulling the LD trains on the NEC to free up the AEM7 for corridor duty. Recall the LD trains were limited in speed during the AEM7 years due to still having Heritage baggage and, later, Diners still in the consist. I do remember one time being on the Three Rivers heading towards NYC and when we switched power in Philly we were given an HHP8 motor. We FLEW up the corridor. The sleeping car attendant even commented that this is the fastest she ever experienced on the train and it was like we were "flying" over the tracks. It was memorable as we either got mesmerized for being on the ex-PRR east-west main line for so long, and then hit the higher speeds of the NEC..........