Amtrak’s fleet of new Charger and Sprinter locomotives materially changed the operation and visual image of US passenger service. Adapted from the successful. EuroSprinter designs, both classes of locomotives are delivering reliable performance and maintain creditable safety records.

The electric locomotives are designed to be capable of accelerating 18 Amfleet cars to maximum speeds as high as 125 mph on the Northeast Corridor in a little over eight minutes, with trains of eight Amfleet cars taking two and a half minutes to reach the same speed. They have advanced safety systems, including specialized couplers designed to keep trains from rolling over, jackknifing, or derailing during a collision. Additionally, the new locomotives are more energy-efficient than those that they replace, and incorporate other features compliant with the latest crashworthiness standards.

The systems-wide usage of these locomotives and advanced styling makes these locomotives popular with trackside audiences and that experience is enhanced by the new Venture passenger cars also built by Siemens. The cars are derived from the Siemens Viaggio Comfort cars used in Europe, with adaptations for North American operations. To date Amtrak has committed to 708 Venture cars in various configurations that will be used on Northeast Corridor, Cascade Service, Midwest Service and San Joaquins service.

These new locomotives are a material improvement of earlier electric locomotives and original Northeast Corridor Metroliner equipment including the AEM-7 design and Amfleet cars that were stopgap measures to jump-start the pattern for technologically improved motive power and reliable, high speed passenger service.

These developments go a long way to developing a reliable, balanced transportation program. To satisfy popular model railroad demand and to celebrate that US railroad progress we offer a weekend of aggressive savings on selected Amtrak locomotives and cars. This sale includes the prototypes describes and earlier Amtrak locomotives and cars. Please take a moment to review our inventory for Amtrak items and anything else you need to more fully enjoy one of the most rewarding hobbies in the World!

Frank Wrabel

modeltrainstuff.com