Jump to content

AMTRAK ANNOUNCES SIEMENS AS PREFERRED BIDDER FOR NEW EQUIPMENT


bobtehpanda

Recommended Posts

Quote

New Fleet will Improve Safety and Enhance Customer Experience

WASHINGTON – After a competitive procurement launched in January of 2019, Amtrak has identified California-based Siemens Mobility Inc. (Siemens) as the preferred bidder to manufacture a new fleet of 83 Intercity Trainsets (ICTs), which will provide dual power in many instances and modern rail amenities to better serve all Amtrak customers. The ICTs will operate on the Northeast Corridor, Palmetto and various state-supported routes and will replace the current Amfleet I, Metroliner cab and Cascades service fleets. Accompanying the contract to manufacture the trainsets will be a long-term service agreement for technical support, spares and material supply.

“This new state-of-the-art equipment will not only provide Amtrak customers with an enjoyable and efficient travel experience, it will also enable us to improve safety, increase passenger capacity and reduce carbon emissions,” said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn.

Amtrak has targeted summer 2021 for contract execution and notice to proceed and will spend the time between now and then continuing negotiations with Siemens for this generational procurement.

https://media.amtrak.com/2021/04/amtrak-announces-siemens-as-preferred-bidder-for-new-equipment/

---

Sounds like MUs are on the menu?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


10 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

I honestly hope so.

Of course, accessibility will still be an issue unless stations are upgraded to high-level platforms (that half-assed high-level segment bullshit you sometimes see is a slap in the face to everyone irrespective of mobility because it's a failure to commit to one standard).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/24/2021 at 3:26 PM, bobtehpanda said:

It would be interesting if they were. I seem to be under the impression that they will be push-pull sets reminiscent of what VIA Rail will be getting, only with dual-power engines. I was hoping for dual power for the Avelia trains, but then they might not be capable of 185 mph service if they have to carry a heavy diesel engine around. But I'll definitely be fine with these electro-diesel trains. It will be great to not have to do engine changes in New Haven, Philadelphia or DC. I'm glad they're also considering putting them on the Palmetto and other services outside the NEC. They'll cut off some time on many of the Midwest Service trains, because they won't have to back into Union Station in Chicago. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, T to Dyre Avenue said:

It would be interesting if they were. I seem to be under the impression that they will be push-pull sets reminiscent of what VIA Rail will be getting, only with dual-power engines. I was hoping for dual power for the Avelia trains, but then they might not be capable of 185 mph service if they have to carry a heavy diesel engine around. But I'll definitely be fine with these electro-diesel trains. It will be great to not have to do engine changes in New Haven, Philadelphia or DC. I'm glad they're also considering putting them on the Palmetto and other services outside the NEC. They'll cut off some time on many of the Midwest Service trains, because they won't have to back into Union Station in Chicago. 

The wording of the press release is strange; the mention that the units will be powered seems to be contrasting with the current Siemens trainsets.

Amtrak already runs Siemens Venture sets (what VIA is getting) in California, the Northwest and the Midwest. I feel like if they were getting Siemens Venture sets they would've just said that outright?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Won't disagree with you on electrifying Amtrak routes outside the Boston-DC Corridor. Unfortunately, the damn freight companies - who own the tracks Amtrak runs most of its trains over - just won't have it. So, half-assed short segments of high platform (or worse, lifts) and dual power electro-diesel trains it is. Unless - maybe - the Federal and State governments of this country can finally break with 160+ years of tradition and start treating passenger and freight rail as public infrastructure, same as roads, airports and seaports.

Edited by T to Dyre Avenue
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/10/2021 at 11:21 AM, Missabassie said:

Americans always have to complicate things, what with their fancy jargon and whatnot. Keep it simple, and electrify. 

 

15 hours ago, T to Dyre Avenue said:

Won't disagree with you on electrifying Amtrak routes outside the Boston-DC Corridor. Unfortunately, the damn freight companies - who own the tracks Amtrak runs most of its trains over - just won't have it. So, half-assed short segments of high platform (or worse, lifts) and dual power electro-diesel trains it is. Unless - maybe - the Federal and State governments of this country can finally break with 160+ years of tradition and start treating passenger and freight rail as public infrastructure, same as roads, airports and seaports.

Even if $10 trillion dropped from the sky tomorrow for electrification, it would still take a fairly long time to actually build it out. So a train where you can swap/remove the diesel component is a necessary stepping stone, because the current Amtrak fleet isn't getting any younger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

 

Even if $10 trillion dropped from the sky tomorrow for electrification, it would still take a fairly long time to actually build it out. So a train where you can swap/remove the diesel component is a necessary stepping stone, because the current Amtrak fleet isn't getting any younger.

Agreed. Electro-diesel is the way to go for now. And we do need a new fleet of Amtrak trains. Electrification is something Washington and the states should have been doing decades ago but didn’t - more for political reasons than practical ones - which is a damn shame but no surprise. Our rail industry dropped the ball on electrification so many decades ago (in fact, some railroads like the New York, New Haven & Hartford and the Milwaukee Road de-electrified all or parts of their infrastructure) that if we started electrifying our rail infrastructure tomorrow, it would still be decades more before we catch up to European and Asian rail systems.

Edited by T to Dyre Avenue
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, we're basically a First World country with Third World transportation infrastructure.  The current state of affairs with railroads in this country is absolutely deplorable.  Even the Russians do a better job than us when it comes to rail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.