Passenger Trains > Last Commuter Train in Western U.S. Powered by F40's

Now that Caltrain F40PH-2C's 920-922 have exited commuter train service and are now working
on Amtrak Capitol Corridor runs that leaves just one commute service in the western U.S. with
F40-type power assigned(there have been several F40 variants since the original F40PH's of 1975). 
That consist makes just one roundtrip each weekday and is doubleheaded.

Stockton to San Jose Altamont Corridor Express trains 7 and 8 run with a pair of F40PH-3C's.
The reasoning as described by AI(which is never wrong, of course): 
"Trains 7 and 8 are the final scheduled runs of the morning and evening blocks. Having a 
second locomotive allows ACE to haul a spare engine to San Jose or the Tamien storage yard.
If another train's primary unit breaks down mid-day, this spare can quickly replace 
it without waiting for an engine dispatched from the ACE shop in Stockton."

Heading east of the Rockies I can only find Trinity Railway Express in Dallas with two ex-Amtrak
F40's rostered.  Do these still see regular use? After that it's on to Chicago.

ACE 3105 and 3103 are seen at 10:00 this morning with seven car train 7 departing off track 5 
at San Jose Diridon.  They are deadheading down to the ACE layover yard south of Tamien where
they will spend the day.  Third shot shows the 3105 and 3104 rolling through Tamien.

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The 3102 and 3105 are seen on San Jose Diridon track 1 ready to push train 8 to Stockton.  The ACE
F40PH-3C's were built by MPI in Boise.

ACE has 6 Chargers and 4 active F40's to easily handle the four roundtrips(they have expansion plans).
Two additional F40's have been out of service for some time(stripped for parts?).  

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"Heading east of the Rockies I can only find Trinity Railway Express in Dallas with two ex-Amtrak
F40's rostered.  Do these still see regular use?"
>
Yes. #130 was on the 9:32 AM train into Fort Worth this morning (which would be #2921).
Also, once the train reaches Fort Worth it's in the Western U.S.

Don’t forget the WeGo Star in Nashville.

SAAP Wrote:
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> Yes. #130 was on the 9:32 AM train into Fort Worth
> this morning (which would be #2921).
> Also, once the train reaches Fort Worth it's in
> the Western U.S.

Yes, where the west begins. Dallasites just love that slogan, lol...

JG

Ha, ha!  The commonly used full statement: "Fort Worth is where the west begins, Dallas is where the east peters out".

Yes both TRE F40's are in active service. Especially since they are sending some F59's out for a light refurb.

Posted from Android

Nice shots, really like that old ACE scheme.

What are the numbers of the 6 ACE Chargers? As far as I can tell they only have 5! 3110, 3111, 3112, 3113 and 3114.

Valleyman

Valleyman Wrote:
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> What are the numbers of the 6 ACE Chargers? As far
> as I can tell they only have 5! 3110, 3111, 3112,
> 3113 and 3114.

3115 shown as pending delivery as of earluer this year.
https://www.thedieselshop.us/ACE.HTML

 

The place where I work is close to the old Mulford Line and I see 921 regularly. It would be nice if that awful Caltrain horn was removed and a proper K5LA installed.

Posted from Android