dr_spock Posted June 23, 2016 On June 18, 2016 Amtrak's AEM-7s made their final revenue run. After 37 years and over 220 million miles the electric locomotives are retired from service. The AEM-7s were also known as "toasters" for their boxy toaster shape and as "meatballs" for their ASEA Swedish components. They were replacements for the GG1s and GE E60s. Now they are replaced by the ACS-64. They were one of my favorite electric locomotives growing up. I was thrilled when they electrified the Northeast Corridor all the way to Boston, MA and I could see them from my bedroom window. Sad to see them go. Farewell to AEM-7 by dr_spock_888, on Flickr Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xboxtravis7992 Posted June 23, 2016 Wow, had no idea these were being mothballed. Fitting Lego tribute then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Railfan9 Posted June 23, 2016 Wow, had no idea these were being mothballed. Fitting Lego tribute then! Word on Amtrak is they are not just being mothballed, but scrapped completely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xboxtravis7992 Posted June 23, 2016 Problem is electrics have less versatility, they can only run a few lines. Diesels can be sold to shortlines and live forever, but not electrics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Railfan9 Posted June 23, 2016 Problem is electrics have less versatility, they can only run a few lines. Diesels can be sold to shortlines and live forever, but not electrics. Plus the AEM-7s were getting to the point where they soon would be needing major overhauls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrispyBassist Posted June 23, 2016 Thankfully not all of them are being scrapped. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania got one: Amtrak Electrics by Matt Csenge, on Flickr Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Railfan9 Posted June 23, 2016 It shows how electric traction on the North East Corridor has evolved over the years from the GG1's to the AEM-7s. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xboxtravis7992 Posted June 23, 2016 I know this a strange question but what does New Jersey Transit use for trains on the Northeast Corridor? Only time I rode that line was on a family vacation to NYC were we rode from Penn Station to Newark Airport. Since I'm from the Western US, my knowledge of what I rode back east on that trip is nonexistent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3D LEGO Posted June 24, 2016 dr_spock, Lovely tribute to the end of an era. I was reading about that just the other day. Having seen at least one rumbling about Union Station, Washington D.C., I can at least say that I have seen and heard one. Nice and quite other than the occasional clicking. But all locomotives make those sounds... except for hydraulics or direct-drives. While it is great that they pushed the electrified network to Boston, CT, they really need to replace everything on the sound end to make it uniform and get rid of all the ancient, rusting and otherwise derelict ex PRR stuff. (Nothing against PRR heritage rather it is at the end of its life and is becoming a hazard if not costly to maintain.) The 25 Hz off-grid frequency sections must be a real pain to maintain. Oh and the Siemens ACS-64 sticks out way past the trucks on the end, giving a weird feel to it. It reminds me more of the Siemens Eurosprinter locomotives for heavy freight than the passenger versions. But it might just be me. Wait... Is that a Viewliner II coach I spy there?! CrispyBassist, That picture goes to show how not every approach is the best approach. The brute E60s from GE are good for lugging slow bulk freight but not so for fast freight or passenger. (I wonder what would have happened in Milwaukee Road's case... They liked fast freight just like PRR did.) xboxtravis7992, They use Bombardier built ALP-46, ALP-46A (Newer, higher power model.) and ALP-45DP which are dual-mode electrics with diesel prime movers for off-grid sections. (Agence métropolitaine de transport in Montreal uses these as well.) The ALP-46 and ALP-45 are based on the TRAXX locomotives found all over Europe. They are built in Kassel, DE and shipped to New Jersey by boat. NJT used to operate a fleet of ABB ALP-44 locomotives, very similar to the AEM-7s built by EMD with components from ABB. NJT retired theirs with the introduction of the ALP-46/46As. Only SEPTA still operates its lone ALP-44 but that should change in the not too distant future. MARC in Maryland operated a small fleet of AEM-7s and the failure Bombardier-Alstom HHP-8 but since Amtrak is scrapping their AEM-7s and HHP-8s, they are losing their contracted service provider and have opted to replace the fleet with Siemens Charger diesel electric locomotives. 3D LEGO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted June 24, 2016 Sad to see them go. Farewell to AEM-7 by dr_spock_888, on Flickr We know what you mean ...but your lego model could live forever Very good work on your aerial electric line! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted June 26, 2016 Amtrak has released a video of its final AEM-7 run: Thankfully not all of them are being scrapped. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania got one: Amtrak Electrics by Matt Csenge, on Flickr Thanks for the picture from the museum. Looks like they received the original DC version from Amtrak. I like those Budd Metroliners too. I never did end up getting them in HO scale back in the 1980s as planned. I think school or girls got in the way... dr_spock, Lovely tribute to the end of an era. I was reading about that just the other day. Having seen at least one rumbling about Union Station, Washington D.C., I can at least say that I have seen and heard one. Nice and quite other than the occasional clicking. But all locomotives make those sounds... except for hydraulics or direct-drives. While it is great that they pushed the electrified network to Boston, CT, they really need to replace everything on the sound end to make it uniform and get rid of all the ancient, rusting and otherwise derelict ex PRR stuff. (Nothing against PRR heritage rather it is at the end of its life and is becoming a hazard if not costly to maintain.) The 25 Hz off-grid frequency sections must be a real pain to maintain. Oh and the Siemens ACS-64 sticks out way past the trucks on the end, giving a weird feel to it. It reminds me more of the Siemens Eurosprinter locomotives for heavy freight than the passenger versions. But it might just be me. Wait... Is that a Viewliner II coach I spy there?! Thank you. That's a Viewliner Sleeper. Is there a coach version of the Viewliner coming out? I think a diner and a sleeper/baggage versions are in testing? A Viewliner coach would be good, then I don't have to make a Amfleet II car MOC. I think North East Corridor modernization has been in the works for a long long time. If Congress should provide more funding to Amtrak. Yeah, those ACS-64s have overhang. I wonder if a LEGO version would have problems on those R40 curves and switches taking out track side plants and structures. We know what you mean ...but your lego model could live forever Very good work on your aerial electric line! Grazie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legownz Posted June 27, 2016 My favorite Amtrak Engine and one of my top favorite engines of all time. I'm sad to see it go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cale Posted June 27, 2016 Nice little model of the "Toaster". It sad to see them go. On of my favorite memories of them is getting blasted with snow by an AEM-7 speeding past our photo line while on a Strasburg RR charter. IMG_1430a by Cale Leiphart, on Flickr IMG_1431a by Cale Leiphart, on Flickr Cale Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3D LEGO Posted June 27, 2016 dr_spock, My apologies. You are correct, the Viewliner| Viewliner II series just cover sleepers, dinners, baggage-dorms and baggage cars. The plan was to do the full spread but a few holdups, budget cuts and bankruptcies have so far delayed that goal. I was surprised to see a Bombardier-Alstom HHP-8 in the video. I thought they put all those units out to pasture. 3D LEGO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted July 2, 2016 Nice little model of the "Toaster". It sad to see them go. On of my favorite memories of them is getting blasted with snow by an AEM-7 speeding past our photo line while on a Strasburg RR charter. IMG_1430a by Cale Leiphart, on Flickr IMG_1431a by Cale Leiphart, on Flickr Cale Thank you Cale. Nice shot. I'd be scared of fine snow powder without a weather sealed camera. dr_spock, My apologies. You are correct, the Viewliner| Viewliner II series just cover sleepers, dinners, baggage-dorms and baggage cars. The plan was to do the full spread but a few holdups, budget cuts and bankruptcies have so far delayed that goal. I was surprised to see a Bombardier-Alstom HHP-8 in the video. I thought they put all those units out to pasture. 3D LEGO No worries. I think those HHP-8 electric engines are leased. Amtrak could be keeping them around as a reserve fleet until they are returned at end of lease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legoboy22 Posted July 2, 2016 Thats a shame they are leaving. They were some of my favorite trains Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
