"The MP36 was made by MPI using EMD prime movers and traction motors."
Why not just buy them from EMD then? I thought all MPIs were partly recycled right? Made with reconditioned and not brand new prime movers? Maybe works in Chicago, hasn't been a walk in the park here obviously. If the MPIs were so great, MARC would be buying more of them.
As for Siemens, yes, they have a lot more experience with high speed passenger locomotives than any US maker. Yes I agree that doesn't translate to their locomotives having guaranteed success here. We shall see.
Traxx et al btw, were really designed by a predecessor to Bombardier, Adtranz. Obviously, whatever engineers successfully designed those older euro-locos either weren't applied at all to North American engineering efforts for the HHP-8 or were very mis-applied. (buyout in 2001, HHP-8s designed in the late 90s - so not applied at all) I see Bombardier back then as a clever marketing company (with respect to advanced HS locomotives) who though they could license a bit of tech from Alstom and "presto, American TGV" (Oh maybe I should say: "voila, TGV-americain" LOL) Little details like strengthening the yaw dampers got lost in all the excitement. But, in fairness, Amtrak probably screwed up the "requirements gathering" too. In any case my overall point stands, this is a final convergence of years of compounded idiocy. On the other coast, Caltrain has finally made the commitment to electrification! If the state doesn't go bankrupt before it's done. It's good they got the environmental studies out the way so Californians don't have to
worry about it harming them. (yes, I actually read posts along those lines on websites out there, during the early 2011 debate over electrification. I took a great interest in Caltrain after visiting the Bay Area in 2011. Other than running on diesel, it seemed amazingly advanced compared to DC or Philly area commuter rail)