F40PH
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The F40PH is a diesel locomotive originally made for Amtrak in 1975.
| EMD F40PH | |
| |
| Amtrak 315, an F40PHR | |
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
|---|---|
| Builder | Electro-Motive Division and other GM subsidiaries |
| Build date |
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| Total production |
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| AAR wheel arr. | B-B |
| Gauge | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Track gauge/data' not found. |
| Length | 56 ft 2 in (17.12 m) |
| Width | 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) |
| Height | 15 ft 7.5 in (4.763 m) |
| Locomotive weight | 260,000–282,000 lb (118,000–128,000 kg) |
| Prime mover | EMD 16-645E3 |
| Engine type | V16 diesel |
| Cylinders | 16 |
| Power output | 3,000–3,200 hp (2.2–2.4 MW) |
Background
When started in 1971, Amtrak was given many old locomotives. These came from railroads who used to operate passenger trains. More modern models were kept by freight or commuter railroads.[1]
To replace them, Amtrak ordered 150 SDP40F locomotives. These entered service in 1973. These were later helped by 25 GE P30CH in 1975. The SDP40F was a troubled design. Problems with its weight balance cause it to come off the tracks very often.[1] The P30CH's poor truck design was the reason no more of these were built.[1]
History
On May 8, 1975, Amtrak ordered the first 30 F40PHs. The first of these entered service on April 9, 1976. They were initially intended for short routes.[1]
However, in the winter of 1976-77, a blizzard hit America hard. This put Amtrak's steam-heated passenger cars out of service. In place of them, the F40PH and the new Amfleet passenger cars were put on long-distance runs.[2]
In the spring of 1977, 40 SDP40Fs were returned to EMD. Parts of these were used to create 40 more F40PHs, known as the F40PHR. They had a bigger fuel tank, and a more powerful head-end power generator.[1]
In this process, a total of 132 F40PHRs were created. In addition, Amtrak bought six more F40PHs from GO Transit in 1990. These, combined with new orders from EMD, brought the total number of locomotives owned by Amtrak to 216.[2]
Starting in 1991, Amtrak began replacing its F40PHs with more up-to-date models. The last of the F40PHs were retired by 2001, once the delivery of GE Genesis locomotives was complete.[2]
F40PH Media
Metra EMD F40PHM-2 No. 206 near Stuart Field in Chicago, Illinois
Rebuilt VIA Rail F40PH-2D No. 6434 leading the Canadian near Jasper, Alberta, in 2011, with an original unit following
Speno EMD F40PH-2M No. 101 at Coquitlam, British Columbia in 1987
Amtrak NPCU No. 90221 on the Hiawatha
F40PH locomotives Nos. 237 and 4128, rebuilt as F40FHs by the Grand Canyon Railway, at the Grand Canyon Village, 2022
RTA EMD F40PH No. 123 crossing the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois in 1981
Tri-Rail M-K F40PHL-2 No. 803 at Hollywood station in 2013
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Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Holland 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Graham-White & Weil 1999.
Sources
- McDonnell, Greg. Locomotives: The Modern Diesel and Electric Reference (2015)Boston Mills Press. ISBN 978-1-77085-609-7.
- Holland, Kevin J.. Amtrak's F40PH: From dark clouds, a silver lining. Railroad History (200) (Spring–Summer 2009). p. 56–65.
- Graham-White, Sean. The little locomotive that did. Trains 59 (12) (December 1999). p. 52–61.