USA: Siemens displayed its first completed Charger diesel-electric locomotive when Federal Railroad Administrator Sarah E Feinberg visited its Sacramento manufacturing plant on March 26.
The states of Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri, Washington and Maryland have ordered a total of 66 Charger locomotives which will be powered by Cummins QSK95 diesel engines. The Sacramento plant is also currently producing ACS-64 electric locomotives for Amtrak and SEPTA, passenger trainsets with Charger locomotives for All Aboard Florida’s future Brightline service, and light rail vehicles for Calgary, Denver, Minneapolis–Saint Paul and San Francisco.
The Sacramento plant has been in operation for more than 30 years and employs more than 850 people. It was recently expanded by 11 600 m2, and Siemens said it plans to create more than 200 manufacturing jobs over the next 18 months.
‘Rail is essential today but will be even more so in the future’, said Feinberg. ‘During my visit to this plant, one with a huge number of employees, I saw that Siemens is building locomotives and equipment not just for right now, but they’re also building for the future of rail travel which is a great success story.’
