I recently became aware that most of the ALP-44 electric locomotives have been retired by New Jersey Transit, being replaced by newer, more powerful ALP-46 locomotives. The few remaining locomotives all seem to be from the first series. What is the reason for this? Is there a list giving delivery and retirement dates for each individual locomotive?
They need at least a couple of them for the ACES train. Apparently, they are the only ones that are compatible with the std. 24 pin MU trainline and can be used as cab cars on the “push” from Shore on the NEC to Atlantic City.
It’s possible that the earlier locomotives received an overhaul, before the decision was made that they needed a more powerful locomotive so they could operate longer trains. Once they decided on the more powerful ALP-46, then there was no reason to continue overhauling the ALP-44s.
With ACES being suspended until May, it is unknown if the three units used for the service (4405, 4407, and 4409) will be used in revenue service for the next few months, or placed in storage.
Reliable sources say that 4409 was last seen in revenue service. Last night, 4407 was at the MMC hooked up to a P40, presumably for icebreaker service. Six or seven other units were up and running, scattered around the MMC.
No units were ever overhauled/rebuilt (although 4412 received a “rebuild” from the MMC a few years ago, causing it to run worse than ever before), but the three ACES units had a lot of work done to them to make them run more smoothly/reliably.
Here is a full list to the best of my knowledge:
4400- Retired
4401- Retired
4402- Retired
4403- Retired
4404- Retired
4405- Active
4406- Active
4407- Active
4408- Retired
4409- Active
4410- Retired
4411- Retired
4412- Retired
4413- Retired
4414- Retired
4415- Retired
4416- Retired
4417- Retired
4418- Retired
4419- Retired
4420- Retired
4421- Active
4422- Retired
4423- Retired
4424- Active
4425- Active
4426- Retired
4427- Retired
4428- Active
4429- Retired
4430- Retired
4431- Retired