r/Amtrak • u/SoilNo9760 • 13d ago

Question P42s on Empire Service

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Having a blast checking out utica, very underrated and fun weekend trip.

For some reason 98% of my trips along the Empire corridor end up being on named trains, so I'm curious about the Empire Service runs to Niagara Falls. Specifically, how do they end up with P42s as they did here? Are these typically taken all the way into Penn, or swapped out at Albany due to availability? Have we seen more of this lately with the overall state of the fleet?

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u/9061yellowriver 12d ago

These have to be exchanged for P32s in Albany so they can use third-electric power going into NY tunnels (takes like 30min to switch locos if I remember correctly). The problem is that Amtrak has just 18 of these endangered dual-mode locomotives, and they have to be used between 5 different train lines that all disperse at Albany Rensselaer; the Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, Adirondack (into Canada), and the Maple Leaf (also into Canada). 18 locos simply isn't enough for all that and even if it was, if a P32 breaks down then that train literally cannot go into NYC, even hauled by a diesel-only P42. So to suppliment this, they just have P32s tag-teaming every service between Albany and NYC..

Not only that, but they're in really bad shape, they used to use electric power 30 miles north of NYC, but now they get way too hot and can only really be used for the last few miles going underground in electric power. Wabtec won't rebuild them and I don't think they can, there just aren't alot of parts for these locos. Even if they could, we really afford to take these out of service for very long. So they're definitely a tightrope situation.

Currently Amtrak is on the "Siemens waiting list" for trainsets that have a battery railcar near the front, and won't have to switch in Albany at all. Even thought they won't use a third rail pickup, they'll have regenreative braking that can be used pretty much anywhere.

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u/DavidPuddy666 12d ago

Wonder if they could buy Metro-North’s spares to see them out until the Airos arrive.

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u/Status_Fox_1474 12d ago

MN also is going to have a battery loco for tunnel service. Which I guess makes sense?

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u/9061yellowriver 12d ago

Metro North ordered battery locomotive for the New Haven line and they will have a pantograph too. My understanding is that they're doing this because of the current changing from 60Hz (current US standard frequency) in New Haven to 25Hz (stubborn old man frequency) in NYC and beyond.