The public got its first look at one of the newest locomotives to hit the rails recently when the new Charger diesel electric locomotive was put on display at the California State Railroad Museum in historic Old Sacramento.
In the latest Caltrans News Flash, viewers get an inside look at the new high-speed, diesel-powered locomotive, which is one of six new locomotives that will soon be in service on Amtrak California’s state-supported Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin passenger lines.
The new locomotives are the very first to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s strict Tier 4 emissions standards, which reduce emissions by 85 percent. The Charger is equipped with a 4,400 horsepower-rated Cummins QSK95 Cummins Diesel engine, designed to operate at speeds of 125 mph.
The Chargers were purchased as part of a multi-state procurement contract that will eventually add 22 new locomotives to Amtrak California’s fleet. Each locomotive costs nearly $6 million, and were funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Proposition 1B, approved by voters in 2006.
