Amtrak orders 50 more Charger Locomotives from Siemens Mobility

Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation of the United States, has ordered an additional 50 Charge Locomotives from Siemens Mobility. Together with the initial order of 75 locomotives in 2018, the 125 diesel-electric units are an important part of Amtrak’s sustainability initiative and are considerably more environmentally friendly than their 1990’s predecessors. The total contract value of up to $2 billion includes the original contract for $850 million and incorporates both the manufacturing as well as the long-term service agreement for technical support, spare parts, and material supply. 

“We’re dedicated to continuously seeking new and innovative technologies that provide solutions to meet transportation needs while reducing health and climate impacts,“ said Amtrak Vice President and Chief Mechanical Officer George Hull. “We are focused on being the solution to get people out of cars and planes and onto rail for greater emissions reductions.”

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Amtrak as they continue to modernize their fleet with the latest in sustainable and intelligent rail technology,” said Michael Cahill, President of Rolling Stock for Siemens North America. “We are also grateful for Amtrak’s confidence in Siemens technology and applaud their continued efforts to provide their passengers with clean, green sustainable, safe and reliable travel experiences.” 

The Charger is the most energy-efficient Tier 4 passenger locomotive in the industry. They reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by more than 89 percent and particulate matter by 95 percent, while consuming less fuel than the locomotives being retired, and can reach a greater top speed of 125 mph.

The new locomotives are designated as ALC-42 for “Amtrak Long-distance Charger, 4,200-horsepower.” They will primarily replace Amtrak P40 and P42 diesel-electric locomotives, which have a lower top speed and began service under different emissions standards 30 years ago. The first of the ALC-42’s entered service in February 2022 on the Empire Builder route and are next to be deployed on the well-known City of New Orleans route, running between its namesake city and Chicago.

The ALC-42 locomotives are being manufactured at Siemens Mobility’s North American rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California and comply with the Federal Railroad Administration Buy America Standards. The plant is one of the largest of its kind on the continent, and one of the most sustainable, using a 2.1 MW_p solar panel installation to generate much of its power from the California sun. It is part of Siemens Mobility’s larger U.S. manufacturing network, with eight facilities, more than 4,000 employees and 2,000 American suppliers, including Cummins, which manufactures the Tier-4 complaint diesel engines in Seymour, Indiana.

This press release is available at https://sie.ag/3xLfijk

About Amtrak®

For 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and transformed transportation by modernizing train travel and building for the future. Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the Amtrak app. Learn more at Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in transport solutions for more than 160 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio in its core areas of rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digitalization, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2021, which ended on September 30, 2021, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €9.2 billion and had around 39,500 employees worldwide. Further information is available at:  www.siemens.com/mobility.

Contacts for journalists:

Marc Magliari, Amtrak Media Relations

Phone: 312 544.5390; E-mail: MediaRelationsChicago@Amtrak.com

Chris Mckniff, Siemens Mobility

Phone: +1 (646) 715-6423; E-mail: chris.mckniff@siemens.com

For further information about Siemens Mobility in the U.S., please see: usa.siemens.com/mobility