Train of the Week

The C38AChe, designated as the NJ2 by the Chinese National Railways , is a diesel-electric locomotive built by General Electric in Erie, PA for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway . It is designed to maintain power in a high altitude environment where there is a lack of oxygen, which is vital for combustion to occur in an internal combustion engine. The C38AChe has a full car body design with cab on only one end (European and Asian locomotives most often have 2 cabs on either end). The prime mover of the C38AChe a 16 cylinder 7FDL also found in the Dash 9 and Genesis locomotives. However, unlike the domestic GE locomotives, the C38AChe is equipped with 3 axle trucks manufactured by the United Group of Australia instead of GE’s own trucks. The locomotive produces 4,400 hp at sea-level and 3,620 hp at 16,600 ft. above sea-level. It has a maximum starting tractive effort of 120,000 lbf and a top speed of 75 mph.

The new AE Series (to distinguish from the original AE Series from 1972) is an express EMU operated by the Keisei Electric Railway of Greater Tokyo Area (pop. 34.6 million). It is the designated equipment for the new Skyliner Service on the newly opened 32-mile Narita Sky Access Line in July 2010. The Skyliner offers travellers a third choice in railway connection between Central Tokyo and Narita International Airport aside from the existing Keisei Cityliner on the local line and JR Narita Express . Unlike the JR lines, the Narita Sky Access Line uses the standard 4 ft 8.5 in instead of the 3.5 ft gauge. The exterior of the new AE Series is designed by Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto; the musical horn (not uncommon for Japanese express trains) and announcement chime were done by famous Japanese keyboardist Minoru Mikaiya. Six of the eight cars, all equipped with bolsterless bogies, in a AE Series consist are powered by twenty-four 235 hp three-phase AC traction mot...

The TGV postal are specially built push-pull high-speed trains for La Poste of France between 1978 and 1986 by GEC-Alsthom . They are based on the first generation production TGV-PSE and have mechanically identical power cars. Like the other Alstom high-speed trains, the TGV postal are articulated trains with Jacobs bogies between non-powered carriages. The total power output of the trainset is 6,800 kW (9,100 hp) and it is scheduled to travel at a maximum speed of 270 km/h (168 mph). Five half-sets (2 full trainsets of 2 power cars with 8 carriages and a spare half-set) were originally built with two more half-sets converted from TGV-PSE No. 38. Currently the TGV postal run 6 round trips a day.

The AC6000CW is a diesel electric locomotive built by GE Transportation in the 1990s to compete with Electro Motive in the 6,000 horsepower range. The locomotive is essentially an elongated AC4400CW (to 76 ft.) to accommodate a larger radiator in order to cool its 6,250 hp (4,660 kW) engine. The visibly larger radiator of the AC6000CW To achieve 6,250 hp, the existing 7FDL engine was deemed insufficient and a new one had to be built. This resulted in the form of the 7HDL, co-developed by GE and German firm Deutz Power Systems . However, similar to the story of the EMD 265 engine for the SD90MAC , the 7HDL was not ready to be delivered with the AC6000 and the 4,390 hp 7FDL was fitted to the units (UP designated them AC4460CW) with the option of swapping in the 7HDL once the engine was ready. Today AC6000CW and AC4460CW happily coexist although some 6000s are being converted to 4460s. GE is also performing engine upgrade on some AC6000CWs with the 6,000 hp 16 cylinder Evoluti...

The ALP-45DP , as the name suggests, is a dual power ( electro-diesel ) 4-axle locomotive designed and built by Bombardier Transportation in Germany. It is derived from the earlier electric ALP-46 , which is ultimately based on the Deutsche Bahn Class 101 . ALP-45DP being unveiled at InnoTrans 2010 Pantograph end; this display unit has a combined NJT/AMT colour scheme Unlike the typical diesel-electric locomotives in North America, the ALP-45DP use two Caterpillar 3512C HD high-speed 4-stroke V12 diesel engines which rev up to 1,800 rpm (North American units use medium-speed diesel engines and typically rev up to 900 rpm). These engines are each rated at a maximum of 2,100 hp or 1,566 kW. In electric mode, the maximum rated output of the ALP-45DP is 5,900 hp or 4,400 kW. Also different from other European locomotives, the ALP-45DP has only one cab. It is also only fitted with one pantograph at opposite of the cab end. The top speed of this locomotive is 125 mph (201 km/h) in...

The FT , a freight locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between 1939 and 1945, is the first model in the famous and hugely successful F-unit. With its streamlined, beautiful bulldog nose design and highly reliable service, the F-unit soon became the standard equipment on North American railroads and the icon of North American railroading. General Motors FT demonstrator unit The FT was designed to consist of a cab-equipped A unit permanently coupled with a cab-less booster B unit. The two units together have 8 axles in total and produce 2,700 hp (2 MW). An option of semi-permanently coupled A-B-A sets was also available. Multiple sets of the FT can work together and be control from one cab using multiple-unit cables and many railroads have used the FT back to back in an A-B-B-A formation. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 's FT in A-B-B-A formation Cab of the EMD FT Some of the later F-units have steam generators added and used to haul passen...

The bilevel coaches and cab cars were originally built by Hawker-Siddeley in Thunder Bay, Ontario first entered service in 1976. They were designed for the Government of Ontario Transit , now Canada’s largest passenger rail carrier, by both miles of track owned and ridership. The bilevel coaches are easily identifiable by their tapered ends. There are a total of 7 series of the bilevel coaches built to date. Series 1 through 5 were built by Hawker-Siddeley and UTDC with riveted alumni body on steel frame, while the Bombardier Series 6 and 7 featured welded alumni body. GO Train on the Lake Shore West Line in Sunnyside, Toronto GO Train at Exhibition Station on the Lake Shore West Line Soon after its introduction, the bilevel car became the standard equipment for many commuter railroads across North America. Today, 13 commuter railroads in 7 States and 3 Provinces operate a total of 1,038 bilevel coaches and cab cars, of which GO Transit owns 490. The bilevel coaches seat be...