Siemens to manufacture 83 Airo Intercity Trainsets for Amtrak: Design, Delivery, Acceptance

Traingeek3629 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:42 pm Having to lug a Diesel engine around while the train is running on an electric route seems like it'll slow acceleration down by a lot. If they don't think the electric power cars will be reliable enough to not need a diesel, that's a problem in of itself.

When the new ICT's are running under electric power. The APV is powering both his trucks, but also the trucks on the Dieselengine. So no problem for the electric mode

So, the APVs are basically B units? For brake tests , etc, would they count as locomotives?

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:23 pm So, the APVs are basically B units? For brake tests , etc, would they count as locomotives?

Yes, anything that directly deals with making a train go is treated as a locomotive. Cab Cars, slugs, B units, and this APU will all fall under those locomotive inspection requirements and frequency.

west point wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 11:42 pm Just think how much quicker a train set can accelerate with 6 or 8 powered axels rather than 4. The NEC is a hodge Pouge of slower sections requiring many changes in MAX authorized speeds. The extra powered axels over the many speed changes allows for quicker return to MAX speed. Cannot even duplicate that with an ACS-64. Now if the NEC was all one MAX speed those extra powered axels would not help much. Even adjacent tracks will have different max speeds.

IIRC, it's why brightline has two locomotives per set, to improve acceleration.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:28 am

west point wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 11:42 pm Just think how much quicker a train set can accelerate with 6 or 8 powered axels rather than 4. The NEC is a hodge Pouge of slower sections requiring many changes in MAX authorized speeds. The extra powered axels over the many speed changes allows for quicker return to MAX speed. Cannot even duplicate that with an ACS-64. Now if the NEC was all one MAX speed those extra powered axels would not help much. Even adjacent tracks will have different max speeds.

IIRC, it's why brightline has two locomotives per set, to improve acceleration.

The fastest acceleration I have ever felt other than MUs was on a Keystone with two ACS-64s.

I don't know what kind of compromise in acceleration having to lug the idled diesel might be but the extra tractive effort of the two powered trucks will make up for some of that "dead"weight. The prospect of being able to quickly change to diesel power in the event of electric power going out or wires down will MORE than make up for that compromise. Imagine a Regional taking a delay, not because of downed wire, but for having to transfer passengers from a disabled Acela Express!

Amtrak pulled the trigger on 10 more. Press release:

https://media.amtrak.com/2023/08/more-a ... ng-demand/

WASHINGTON – Amtrak executed a contract option to order 10 additional Amtrak Airo trainsets as demand for passenger rail travel exceeds expectations. This brings the total contract order to 83 trainsets. The first Amtrak Airo trainset is scheduled to debut in 2026 and these new trains will operate on routes throughout the country.

Two years ago, back in 2021, Amtrak ordered 83 trainsets. Two years later, in 2023, Amtrak orders another 10 trainsets yet we are still totaling 83 trainsets. Where did the other 10 trainsets go?

Probably into the accounting department. It seems to be a pretty big black hole in Amtrak. Planning department too. They could be parked alongside the equipment for the Skyline Connection and Crescent Star.

The orgininal Siemens press release about this order says 73. Amtrak's 2022-2027 Asset Line Plan also notes that 73 ICTs were ordered, which leads me to think the original Amtrak PR misstated the number of units.

If my calculations are correct then with 4 powered trucks(2 powered axels) then the power under catenary will continuous 5832 kW at the traction motors (729 kW each) or 7582 hp. With 1 MW HEP power it will be an serious powered train.

I will be interested to see photos of the DC link cable used to transfer power from the APV’s rectifier(s) to the VFDs for the traction motors on the locomotive. I’ll be interested to see how much bigger and more rugged it is than the DC link cables used by the high powered EV fast chargers.

Is it known yet if the ALC-42E can run standalone at track speed without an APV coupled up? I am curious to know if multiple ALC-42Es could be coupled up and work in multiple on a single train.

Wikipedia claims that NJ Transit performed a software modification on their ALP-45DPs to disable their ability to start and stop their prime movers while moving. Is it known yet if the ALC-42Es will have a similar capability designed in but disabled in software, or will it be left out entirely?

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 5:20 pm Wikipedia claims that NJ Transit performed a software modification on their ALP-45DPs to disable their ability to start and stop their prime movers while moving. Is it known yet if the ALC-42Es will have a similar capability designed in but disabled in software, or will it be left out entirely?

I would imagine so, given current operations have the engines swapping out under the catenary, and there's a delay built into the schedule. They may trim that down if swapping from electric to diesel needs a similar, if short, delay.

This also means the delay on the Pennsy in Philly gets cut down to "how long it takes the engineer to walk the length of the consist up to cab in the other end of the train."