P42DC - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
A P42DC in as delivered Phase 5 Amtrak paint is sitting in Chicago, Illinois waiting on be assigned to a train in July of 2001. The striping of this paint scheme would later be modified downwards where the red reflective stripe hugs the bottom of the carbody. Photo credit Marty Simane
The GE P42DC is a Passenger, 4200 horsepower (before HEP), DC-motored locomotive used for high speed passenger service with HEP. This locomotive, along with it's P40DC and P32AC-DM cousins, is a monocoque-designed single shell engine that is streamlined for passenger service throughout North America.
The P42DC is a direct upgrade from the previous Amtrak Genesis P40Dc/AMD-103 locomotives. Upgrades on this locomotive feature an electronically controlled air brake system, a tuned prime mover that got an additional 200 horsepower, and updated top speed of 110 from 103 miles an hour. That's pretty much it.
The P42DC, however, was much more successful compared to the P40DC. Beginning in 1996 and ending in 2001, Amtrak purchased 207 of these units to replace not only the aging F40PHs (which had about 2/3rds the power as a P40), but to also replace the P40DCs themselves. Thus started the legacy of Amtrak's P42DCs being the backbone of their dieselized routes outside of the Northeast Corridor.
Continuing into the late 2010s and into the early 2020s, the P42DCs were starting to show their age, with Amtrak already divesting themselves of the P40DCs (sans for some upgraded to P42DC specs in 2009). A new order or Siemens Chargers was placed in 2018 with Siemens for their Siemens Charger ALC-42 engines. Teething troubles with these locomotives have extended the life for the P42DC as a mainstay on the Amtrak longhaul system, but has already replaced them on shorter routes in the midwest.
PT-Specific Information
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | GE 7FDL16 |
| Horsepower | 4200 |
| Truck Type | Krupp-MaK High Speed Bolsterless Truck |
| Axles | 4 |
| Traction Motors | 4 |
| Minimum Weight | 260,000 lbs ⚠ |
| Maximum Weight | 280,000 lbs ⚠ |
| Model Base Speed | 79 MPH ⚠ |
| Top Speed | 110 MPH |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Generator Max Current | 3200 Amps |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 1800 Amps |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 1370 Amps ⚠ |
| Traction Motor Type | DC |
| Factor of Adhesion | 29% |
| Transition Mode | Automatic, no Selector |
| Transition Groups | 1 |
| Transition Shunts | 1 |
| Generator Transition | No |
| Traction Control | ETC |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Electrical Blowers |
| DB Max Current | 920 Amps ⚠ |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 920 Amps ⚠ |
| Blended Braking | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head-End Power (HEP) | Yes |
| HEP Power Consumption | 1475 HP |
| HEP Standby/Run Mode | N4, N8 ⚠ |
| Load Ramp Speed | 2 Amps/Tick |
| TM Overload Protection | Yes ⚠ |
| Starter Mode | Manual Primer, Manual Start ⚠ |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26-L |
| Compressor CFM | 237 (Wabtec 3CDC @ 1053 RPM) |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 35 Cubic Feet ⚠ |
###Notes:
⚠: Not verified or educated guess