USA: Siemens Mobility has been awarded a firm order to supply six more Charger electro-diesel locomotives for use on MTA Metro-North Railroad commuter services between Connecticut and New York.
The order announced on September 26 has been placed by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority on behalf of Connecticut Department of Transportation. It forms part of a 2020 framework agreement covering up to 171 electro-diesel locos which included an initial firm order for 19 and the immediate exercise of an option for eight.
The locomotives in the latest order are to be delivered from the manufacturer’s Sacramento factory in 2027.
The 4 200 hp EPA Tier IV locos will have a maximum speed of 177 km/h using diesel power or 130 km/h using 750 V DC third rail electric power; this is necessary for running into New York’s Grand Central and Penn stations where diesel traction cannot be used.
The new locomotives will replace Metro-North’s GE P32AC-DM electro-diesel locos which have reached or exceeded their projected 25-year lifespan. They are expected to offer shorter journey times and quicker recovery from service disruption, and a substantial reduction in CO2, particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions.
