Train of the Week

The Class Sm3 is a tilting EMU based on the Italian ETR 460 Pendolino operated by VR Group of Finland. Due to the long distances and low population in Finland, the Finnish stated-owned railway company chose to run higher-speed trains on existing network rather than building entirely new high-speed railways. After years of extensive testing, the Pendolinos began service in 1997. The introduction of these trains saw a pleasant increase in train ridership in Finland. The Sm3 consists of 6 self-propelled carriages with 2/3 of the axles being powered. The train has a total power output of 5,400 hp, total weight of 362 tons, and a top revenue speed of 140 mph. Because of her tilting capabilities, the Pendolino is able to operate 35% faster than regular trains on Finland’s board gauge (5 ft.) network. Tilting bogie of the Pendolino

When Amtrak was formed in 1971, the passenger railroad inherited locomotives (F and E units) and cars from the freight railroads who abandoned passenger operations. The locomotives were poorly maintained and often broke down en route of Amtrak trains. In 1973, Amtrak bought the first of their new locomotives, the SDP40F , an interim solution to their locomotive requirements, before cars with electrically heated arrived. As the name suggested, the SDP40F was a full car body passenger version of the 6-axle SD40 freight locomotive. It had the same 16 cylinder EMD 645 engine as the SD40 and the same 500 hp traction motors, but was geared for a top speed of 100 mph. Steam generators were equipped on these units to provide heating to the old passenger cars. SDP40F (2nd and 3rd units) on the San Francisco Zephyr The SDP40F was a reliable locomotive like her freight cousin, but had several high speed derailments . The cause were unclear but was believed to be the uneven weight distr...

The Queensland Rail Tilt Train is a narrow gage (3 ft. 6 in.)  tilting train from the State of Queensland in Australia. Two sets of the Tilt Trains are manufactured and 3 sets are still in service today. The Tilt Train comes in 2 flavors. The electric version is an Electric Multiple Unit and is built by Hitachi; the diesel version is a push-pull trainset with locomotives on either end built by EDI Rail of Australia using EMD technology. The push-pull diesel Tilt Train The electric Tilt Train Despite the fact that the Tilt Train runs on narrow gage track, the electric Tilt Train is still the fastest train in Australia. It is the Australian speed record holder with a top speed of 130 mph. The top speed in service of the Tilt Train is 99 mph, same as that of the standard gage XPT from New South Wales. Enjoy this short little documentary on the Tilt Train.

The XPT , or eXpress Passenger Train, is a push-pull diesel-electric trainset operated by New South Wale’s CountryLink in Australia. It is made up of two Commonwealth Engineering power cars based on the British Rail Class 43 used on the famous HST InterCity 125 and up to 7 Budd coaches (rather than the Mk3 on the BR InterCity). XPT at Sydney Central Station British Rail InterCity 125 at York The exterior of the XPT’s power cars are quite similar to the Class 43. They are also powered by high-speed diesel engines produced by Paxman (now owned by MAN). However, the engines are detuned to 2,000 hp from 2,250 hp and cooling systems are improved to accommodate hot and dry Australian operating conditions. Top speed in service of the XPT is also slower than the HST at 100 rather than 125 mph. Also, unlike the HST, which operates in intercity services, the XPT is a long distance train and offers sleeping accommodation for overnight services. Coach Class of the XPT Sleepi...

The F40PH shares the same gene as ElectroMotive’s reliable lines of freight locomotives, the GP40 and SD40 . It is the passenger version with a full width car body and geared for 103 mph. Many commuter railroads in America and VIA Rail Canada still operate variants of this locomotive today. On this post I’ll focus on the latest of the rebuilt F40s , what is referred to by railfans at the F40PH-3, rebuilt by CAD Railway Industries in Montreal, QC. Corridor train with the rebuilt F40PH-2 in Kingston, Ontario Instead using the 3,000 horsepower 16 cylinder 645 engine for traction and head-end power , the -3s have a separate Caterpillar engine to provide 500 kW of HEP and the 645 is upgraded to EPA Tier-0 compliant. Electrical components have also been modernized on these locomotives and a new painting scheme similar to the P42DCs has also been applied. A list of modifications done to the unit can be found here . Both versions of F40PH-2 leading the transcontinental passenger tr...

The Central Link is one of the two operational Link Light Rail routes in the Puget Sound Region, Washington (hence the name SoundTransit , make sure you check the website out, one very interesting thing I find about the Central Link is that each station has their own unique logo). It is operated by King County Metro and runs between downtown Seattle from Westlake Station in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and the Seattle Tacoma International Airport. The Central Link was opened in full in December 2009 and it only took about half an hour for the entire trip to Sea-Tac with a top operating speed of 55 mph. Its route traverses through downtown, SODO, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, and Tukwila. The equipment currently being used on the Central Link is low-floor LRVs manufactured by Kinkisharyo-Mitsui from Japan with a top speed of 65 mph. Trains run in two-car sets and are planned to expand up to four cars in the coming years. Link LRT in the Transit Tunnel at Westlake Station ...

The Empire Builder began operation in June 1929 as the premier passenger train of the Great Northern Railway . The name was chosen to honor founder of the railroad, James J. Hill, who was known as the "Empire Builder". Although now operating on a slightly different route, the Empire Builder remains running today as the busiest long-distance train on the Amtrak system. Departing Chicago as the combined Train 7/27/807, the Empire Builder travels on the Canadian Pacific Railway via Milwaukee, WI to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. She then continues on the BNSF Railway (Great Northern’s modern form) as Train 7/27, passes through the northern plains and the beautiful Glacier National Park in Montana. The train is split into two at Spokane, WA where Train 7 continues on towards her final destination, Seattle’s King Street Station and Train 27 heads south to reach her destination, Union Station in Portland, OR. The Amtrak Empire Builder The Empire Builder I was severely delaye...