Essentially the EMD SD70MACH is a well proven freight locomotive rebuilt for passenger service. This is a similar operation that Erie Lackawanna had back around 1971 when it ordered 32 new GE U34CH locomotives, which were 6 axle units, with 3,600 HP GE (max), and ~ 3,400 HP net at the wheels, powered by GE model 7FDL-16 diesel engines, which were 4 stroke cycle in V16 configuration. These subsequently were bought by the New Jersey Transit in the early 1980's and run on NJT's various lines until about 1994, when all were retired. One GE U34CH NJT 4172 (formerly E-L 3372) has been preserved and essentially all cosmetic restoration was completed in Sep 2023. More work is still being done on it currently. I saw a picture of it on one UA-cam video about 3 months ago, when the cosmetic restoration was done by the United Railway Historical Society of New Jersey (URHS), looks brand new, a truly excellent job by the URHS of New Jersey!
They run the Milwaukee lines out of Chicago Union Station, so the MDW to Elgin/Big Timber, MDN to Fox Lake, and the NCS to Antioch. Maybe they’ll run the Heritage Corridor to Joliet eventually since that also runs from Union Station
In like the new Metra EMD SD70MACHs, awesome video😮
Their nickname should be the “Stomach” units since the name SD70MACH almost spells the word stomach with 70 replacing “TO”
Essentially the EMD SD70MACH is a well proven freight locomotive rebuilt for passenger service. This is a similar operation that Erie Lackawanna had back around 1971 when it ordered 32 new GE U34CH locomotives, which were 6 axle units, with 3,600 HP GE (max), and ~ 3,400 HP net at the wheels, powered by GE model 7FDL-16 diesel engines, which were 4 stroke cycle in V16 configuration. These subsequently were bought by the New Jersey Transit in the early 1980's and run on NJT's various lines until about 1994, when all were retired. One GE U34CH NJT 4172 (formerly E-L 3372) has been preserved and essentially all cosmetic restoration was completed in Sep 2023. More work is still being done on it currently. I saw a picture of it on one UA-cam video about 3 months ago, when the cosmetic restoration was done by the United Railway Historical Society of New Jersey (URHS), looks brand new, a truly excellent job by the URHS of New Jersey!
I’m jealous
I’m guessing this is the only route these things can run on?
They run the Milwaukee lines out of Chicago Union Station, so the MDW to Elgin/Big Timber, MDN to Fox Lake, and the NCS to Antioch. Maybe they’ll run the Heritage Corridor to Joliet eventually since that also runs from Union Station