New Diesels for MARC & VRE

According to MARC's Growth and Investmen Plan, an order for a new fleet of environmentally-friendly diesel-electric locomotives will be placed within nine months (from September 2007). VRE has also issued a request for proposals for their own new fleet of diesels (http://www.vre.org/about/procurement/rf ... 8-004.html). It would be interesting to see if a joint order for the locomotives develop, as that would be in the best interests for both railroads.

Currently these are the only new passenger locomotives on the market:

-MotivePower MPXpress MP36 and MP40
-Alstom PL42AC
-GE Genesis?

The MBTA will also be ordering 38 new locos within the same timeframe as MARC and VRE, so the higher demand could be cause for the release of a new diesel model, such as a next-gen Genesis. In my opinion the Alstom PL42 would be the best choice for MARC, and one of the MPs for VRE.

Please go with the PL42 or the Genesis (P?) because those MP units are ugly!

It looks like Motive Power Inc. was awarded the contract to manufacutre 2 new locomotives for VRE.

http://www.vre.org/about/Ops_board_item ... inutes.pdf
(see page5)

As a daily VRE rider, I am definitly looking foward to some new power on VRE.

I like the look of the MP locomotives. It looks like that is the only one that Motive Power makes.
http://www.motivepower-wabtec.com/locom ... xpress.php

I figured VRE would go for the MPs, as they are the cheapest and most readily available passenger diesel locos available. I don't think the MPs look that bad (although the older, similar looking F59PHIs sure are ugly), but I hope MARC goes for the PL42s which are better looking and more technologically advanced.

Did VRE lease or buy a couple more F40s? Interimly? I vaguely remember reading that somewhere a week or so ago.

VRE did lease 3 newer locomotives, which they say will go in service this month. VRE said it took time to sign the agreement and get the lomocomotives.

Those Motive Power Locomotives look similar to the Bombardier locomotive that VRE had leased.

Every time I see a comment about how "ugly" the MP36/MP40 locomotives are, it brings to mind the absolutely hateful reception the F40PH received from railroad enthusiasts when it was introduced back in the 1970s. Nowadays we look on them as the standard for what a passenger locomotive should look like, but back then a lot of people were complaining that they would never take a picture of a locomotive again. It is particularly amusing when I see some of the same fans that were complaining about them when they were delivered now complaining about them being retired.

its probably a good thing they went with the MPs and not the PL42s from Alstom -

For the sake of passengers in other parts of the country, hopefully the 30-odd PL42s built for NJT will be the first and last ones ever made...........

When they work they are awesome - but when they don't.................

But the PL42AC's produce some of the most interesting and entertaining stories of locomotive malfunctions (causes unknown) of any power operated in the industry. It is just incredible to get a few of their operating people together and listen to them talk about all the wierd things these locomotives do. Add in a few of the shop people to tell you about what it takes to do routine changeouts of onboard equipment when it needs servicing and you will hear a lot of use of the english language that is seldom applied to locomotives with such emotion. The PL42AC's are rapidly becoming a legend in their own time.

mxdata wrote:But the PL42AC's produce some of the most interesting and entertaining stories of locomotive malfunctions (causes unknown) of any power operated in the industry. It is just incredible to get a few of their operating people together and listen to them talk about all the wierd things these locomotives do. Add in a few of the shop people to tell you about what it takes to do routine changeouts of onboard equipment when it needs servicing and you will hear a lot of use of the english language that is seldom applied to locomotives with such emotion. The PL42AC's are rapidly becoming a legend in their own time.

Wow, that is like the best post I have ever read - HAHAHHAHA - my luck with them has been good so far, but Ive only had a few encounters so far - but im sure my luck is running out with them!

The Wabtec Press Release - 26 MPXpress locomotives for MARC:

http://wabtec.com/upload/pressrelease/2 ... %20MPX.pdf

MARC purchases 26 MP36 locos! GP40s will be replaced

'On Your MARC' Newsletter Spring 2008

I was really hoping that MARC would convince GE to build some Genesis P42s for them (or at least see if Amtrak has any surplus P40/P42s), or that Alstom would build (problem-plagued, but technologically advanced) PL42s for MARC. But I guess the only passenger diesel locos readily available are the (ugly) MPIs. Oh well.

I'm also disapointed that MARC is retiring the GP40WH-2s. A couple years ago MARC said they were going to rebuild them to extend their service life (similarily to the AEM-7 program which is just about finished). Out of all the passenger diesel locos in the U.S. the MARC GP40s are my favorite. I would much rather see the GP39H-2s go, which are much less powerful and not as attractive.

lookin good! but what is MARC gonna do with the GP40s? Sell them?

Artist impression of new MARC loco:

NortheastTrainMan wrote:lookin good! but what is MARC gonna do with the GP40s? Sell them?

I have no idea what MARC could possibly do with the GP40s. Hopefully they don't get rid of them at all. A lot of other Northeast commuter agencies are getting rid of their GP40s, including NJ Transit and the MBTA (which is also purchasing MP36/MP40 locos). VRE also awarded a contract to MPI for MP36/MP40 locomotives in February to replace their GP40s and GP39s.