Amtrak F40s on the Move!

After receiving a tip late Tuesday evening, I took a drive over to Holmesburg Junction station along the Northeast Corridor in Philadelphia.....

The story I got was that Amtrak has sold the five F40PH's that had been stored in Bear, DE for well over a decade, and the single P40DC from the Wilmington shops to LTEX Rail in Ohio (note the LTEX reporting marks on each locomotive).

Amtrak made the equipment move early Wednesday (6/26) morning from Wilmington, DE to Millham Interlocking in Trenton, where the locomotives will be interchanged with Conrail and then eventually to NS for their journey west.

Please see link for video of the move.

The line-up was as follows:
Amtrak
GP15 #s 579 & 572
P40DC # 828
F40PH #s 409, 401, 408, 404 & 402

https://youtu.be/JGTUJ1Pve3o

Ben

The F40s are all the final 1987 builds that were posted up for sale at Bear. Any other '87s on the property still?

Well that's the first P-40 to be sent away to be parted out,METRA might take a peek at the F-40's as rebuild fodder.

Seems that if Metra wanted these F40s, they would have gotten them directly from Amtrak years ago? Or they’d have Progress reporting marks (for rebuild into F40ECOH) rather than LTEX.

Maybe LTE is just buying them for the parts? I imagine there is a lot of commonality with the GP40 for prime mover, etc.

From what I was told, the locomotives are going to LTEX with the intentions of returning most, if not all to service in some form.

FWIW, with the F40PH's and Turboliners now gone from the shops in Bear, only about 15 AEM-7's, City Sprinter #601, and a variety of older, mostly damaged coaches/cab cars remain in the yard.

Ben

So what happened to 627?

I went by Millham Interlocking this evening on my way home from work. The five F40PHRs and one P40DC are there on 5 track awaiting pick-up by Conrail. They are supposed to be moved early tomorrow morning (6/27) into Morrisville Yard. I was granted permission to take pictures by the crew that was there keeping an eye on the equipment.

Here is a shot of the entire line of locomotives:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153878

P40DC (LTEX #828):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153879

F40PHR (LTEX #401):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153881

F40PHR (LTEX #408):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153882

F40PHR (LTEX #404):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153884

F40PHR (LTEX #402):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153886

F40PHR (BUGX #409):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153887

Looking back at the equipment line with MILLHAM Tower across the main to the right:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5153888

Ben

The 627 is in the back lot at Wilmington.

liftedjeep wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:44 pm

jonnhrr wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:48 am Maybe LTE is just buying them for the parts? I imagine there is a lot of commonality with the GP40 for prime mover, etc.

From what I was told, the locomotives are going to LTEX with the intentions of returning most, if not all to service in some form.

Ben

Wanted to address this — LTEX says things like this, but also has a backlot of locomotives that “they intend to return to service” when economic conditions permit. I give it better than even odds that at least two of these six return to service within a few years, but I’d be surprised if the P40 does.

The LTEX deadlines are their parts supply,they seem to able to bring a roadswitcher back from the dead....

I don’t doubt that LTEX could have the F40s and the Genesis running and sellable within the year. I’m more wondering whether they will have a market.

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:00 pm I’m more wondering whether they will have a market.

Does VIA need some spare parts supply? Does MNCR want to expand the WH fleet? Are Caltrans or NCDOT takers?

R36 Combine Coach wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:57 amDoes VIA need some spare parts supply? Does MNCR want to expand the WH fleet? Are Caltrans or NCDOT takers?

Prolly not VIA, with Chargers coming. Same with Caltrans and their Stadler MUs. MNCR, Metra or Music City Star maybe as operational units or parts; NCDOT seems happy with their F59s though.

Progress still ought to offer an F40ECO though; that could grab a lot of grant money to resupply agencies like MNRR and Metra looking to refresh and meet Tier III. They’ve done 90% of the work with offering the GP32ECO.

The Music City Star in their Transit Asset Management Plan TAMP for 9/18/2018 list some fun facts for their 4 ex Amtrak F40's. #120 rebuilt 2011 has 43,451 miles. #121 built 1985 has 385,023miles. #122 built 1985 has 391,285 miles but is out of service. The 4th unit #381 with a West Coast paint scheme has 211,217 miles. All 4 units need rebuilding 2019-2020 to return to service.
With all the miles those F40's have been to the moon.

While we are at it 1968 PS built Cab Car #400 has 376,419 miles, Cab Car #401 has 342,782 miles, Cab Car #402 has 308,184 miles.
1961 PS built Coach #500 has 258,916 miles Coach #501 has 259,184 miles. Coach # 502 has 259,419 miles, Coach #503 has 258,916 miles Coach #504 has 20,434. The ex VRE coach & cab cars are used for parts. MCS should be getting some 1985 built cab & coach cars this year? to replace them.

Anybody else running 1961-1968 Pullman Standard built coach or cab cars?