Amtrak’s new locomotive began service this week, pulling the Amtrak Empire Builder train westbound from Chicago to Seattle.
Locomotives 301 and 302 are among the first of 75 locomotives being delivered through 2024. The ALC-42 locomotives are part of Amtrak’s sustainability initiative and are more environmentally friendly than their 1990’s predecessors.
They reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by more than 89 percent and particulate matter by 95 percent while consuming less fuel than the locomotives being retired and reaching a top speed of 125 mph.
“We take our commitment to sustainability seriously at Amtrak. We’re focused on being the solution to get people out of cars and planes and onto rail for greater emissions reductions, said Amtrak Vice President and Chief Mechanical Officer George Hull in a brief ceremony at Chicago Union Station.
“While railroading is a small portion of the emissions picture nationally, we want to take these steps to be the cleanest passenger railroad operating diesel trains in North America, commuter or interstate,” Hull added. “We’re dedicated to continuously seeking new and innovative technologies that provide solutions to meet transportation needs while reducing health and climate impacts.“
Amtrak is paying for the new locomotives and supplemental multi-year maintenance support with about $850 million in funding set aside when the order was placed in 2019. The new locomotives will primarily replace the Amtrak P40 and P42 locomotives, some of which have been in service for more than 25 years on some state-sponsored routes but primarily on the Long Distance portion of the Amtrak National Network.
