GE playing important role in U.S. high(er) speed rail

From Enhanced Online News:

Enhanced Online News wrote:Following the successful installation and testing of GE’s Positive Train Control Safety System, Amtrak and MDOT, FRA and GE Transportation will inaugurate the higher speed rail service on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 with government leaders, Amtrak executives, MDOT officials and members of the media from Chicago and Michigan. The group will take a passenger train achieving speeds of 110 mph from Chicago, IL to Kalamazoo, MI, and back.
...
A full-featured, vital positive train control system, ITCS increases the speed of all trains on the network. ITCS continually monitors the condition of signals, switches and crossings, and ensures that train operation is safe at any speed.

The Amtrak 110 mph expansion service in western Michigan was a project that GE Transportation together with Amtrak, MDOT and FRA implemented beginning in 1995, and after successfully reaching milestones of 90 mph in 2002 and 95 mph in 2005, is now complete and successfully operating at 110 mph.
...
ITCS has been deployed on thousands of miles of railroad around the world. It operates as both an overlay and as a standalone signal system in Asia and Australia, as well as being the high speed rail Positive Train Control solution in Michigan and Illinois. GE is currently deploying ITCS as a train control solution in California to help Amtrak achieve interoperability in the coming years.

Read more at: http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120215006264/en

Nominal top speed for the original Genesis locomotive was 103 mph, and I don't know of anything faster (outside the NEC electrified region) on Amtrak's roster. The press release makes it sound as if there are ALREADY trains operating at 110 mph-- at the very least, test trains. 7 mph margin of error in the top speed, or does this involve re-gearing something?

(And: talk to the civil engineering people of any European high speed railroad about 100+ mph with the sort of axle loading of any modern U.S. diesel and watch the expression on his face!)

Allen Hazen wrote:Nominal top speed for the original Genesis locomotive was 103 mph, and I don't know of anything faster (outside the NEC electrified region) on Amtrak's roster. The press release makes it sound as if there are ALREADY trains operating at 110 mph-- at the very least, test trains. 7 mph margin of error in the top speed, or does this involve re-gearing something?

(And: talk to the civil engineering people of any European high speed railroad about 100+ mph with the sort of axle loading of any modern U.S. diesel and watch the expression on his face!)

AMD103 is the P40. A batch of the P42s have had 110mph gearing since new. The Pennsylvanian need that capability since for a time diesels ran on the line west of Philadelphia under the wires. Also there is a short stretch of 110mph running from West Albany, NY to Hoffmans, where they join CSX ex-Conrail. Both these sections have cab signals.

All Genesis series locomotives have been rated 110 Mph for years now, The original AMD103's were upgraded in Horsepower and gearing and trucks were always same as the P42's.
Upgrading the P40's to 4200 HP was only a rack setting .

JayBee and Dutch Railnut: Thank you, both, for correcting me. I seem to have missed over a decade of locomotive news.