The first ACS-64 is expected to be displayed Monday. After wards electric motor will go to Pubelo for testing. Wonder if it will be deheaded behind tr#6 or if it is not considered certified so will need a special move ?s
One problem I have is he statement that Amtrak will be able to use just one type electric motor. Amtrak has 48 AEM-7s + 15 HHP - 8s + an unknown number of E-60s. That number comes close to the # of ACS-64s of 70. IMHO the motors left should be parked at strategic locations to cover any unexpected breakdowns of the new motors. Look how many NEC motor failures delay Regional and LD trains.
Also: HHPs are not particularly reliable, and many of the AEM7s are getting long in the tooth. I would suspect the ACS-64s will be phased in as quickly as possible. (Let’s just hope their teething time will be short!)
A freight RR would want the post production qualification testing a Pueblo to be a matter of a month or two. I imagine Amtrak (and commuter agencies) drag this out to a year, writing all sort of esoteric qualification tests into their purchasing docs.
If it were up to me, I’d want to see if it’ll stay on the tracks at max rated speed with wheels and trucks at wear limits, whether the speed/TE diagram matches the builder’s spec and whether the energy consumption is what was promised. Everything else you can handle on the fly after delivery.
The truck centers are pretty far from the ends. The cab is cantilevered out past the trucks quite a bit. I’d be worried about hunting or rough ride at speed. Guess there is a lot of experience with this design, so they know what they are doing, though…
From the new article: “Three will be unveiled Monday before being sent out for testing. The first is due to go into service by this fall, and all 70 are expected to be in service by 2016.”
The E-60s were sent to the retirement home some years ago. According to the Amtrak roster list at On Track On-line, there are currently 47 active AEM-7s (19 DC, 29 AC) and 15 HHP-8s. So Amtrak will be replacing 62 active electric locomotives with 70 new ACS-64s. Which, if the money is well spent, should be more reliable than the aging AEM-7 DC units and the reported maintenance headache inducing HHP-8s.
Have not seen any reliable reports that Amtrak might increase the number of WAS-NYP weekday NE Regionals once the AEM-7 DC units have been replaced and enough ACS-64 are service, but I don’t think it would be a surprise Amtrak adds a NE Regional or two to the schedule, if they can wrangle enough Amfleet cars to run them. With a delivery rate of 2 units per month, after the initial units pass the testing, that would not be until late 2014 at the earliest though.
But if it takes 25 miles to reach that speed a speed restriction will then be encountered until rebuilding of ROW is complete… Actual acceleration specifications pulling 18 Amfleets will be interesting. That will probably be one test on NEC north of Trenton. Will Amtrak have to operate a test train at 135 MPH & 18 cars for certification to 125 ?