AMTRAK P42 GENESIS SERIES LOCOMOTIVES ROAD NUMBERS 120-129 Here are 120-129 road numbers in the transitional Amtrak Genesis orders from the GE Transportation Division at Erie, Pennsylvania. This transitional group remains intact in the northeast as of June 2024, with the exception of one (128) evidently totalled by a low boy trailer at a Michigan road crossing on February 1, 2012. For a good portion of their careers, #126-127-128 were assigned to Michigan Wolverine commuter duties (#128 was destroyed there). Now they mostly run commuter trains in New England instead of Michigan. Serial numbers for 120-129 represent three different orders that were built at different times. Engine 120 was the last of the September 1997 production with serial number 49972. It originally ended up in the Los Angeles pool. After delivery in 1993 style 1G paint, it was eventually refurbished in 2002, getting 3G millenium styling. To replace two P40's lost in a fatal March 1999 Illinois grade crossing truck incursion (807 and 829), #121 and #122 were ordered, receiving an August 2000 build date, and northeastern style striped paint. Their serial numbers are 52585 and 52585 and they went into stripeless millenium paint in 2004 at their first overhaul. Of the #120-129 group, three of them were committed mostly to Michigan Wolverine duties, replacing 1991-built 3200 horsepower GE's that are now being used as switchers at Amtrak. Given that as much as 1000 horsepower is needed to power head-end power generators, the P42 was more capable of quick startups from station stops. Typically Michigan Wolverines either used push-pull locomotives on each end of the train, or for a time used converted EMD depowered F40 units on one end. The cab cars are now retired from Michigan duties, although they are still being used by Amtrak for the Downeaster and on some Cascades trains. OUT OF SERVICE #128 Serial Number 52808 (November 2000): Encountered low boy trailer near Jackson, Michigan on a Wolverine train, February 1, 2012. RECENT MAJOR MAINTENANCE Most major work and repainting is done at BeechGrove, Indiana. Here are some events we know about: #120 - Mechanical February 15, 2019 #123 - Fresh paint March 15, 2019 #121 - Fresh paint July 15, 2019 #126 - Fresh paint September 4, 2022 #125 (52805) BEE 3-17/6-16 (SO FAR). STILL IN SERVICE AS OF JUNE 2024 Road numbers continued from #123 after a new major order was placed with GE, eventually through #207 over the period October 2000 through October 2001. Millenium painted locomotives in this group had the high skirt blue bands upon delivery, changed out to low skirt band in 2004. Originally the new Amtrak logo was in three places on the flanks, as well as above the headlight on the nose. After overhauls, side logos went away except for the largest one just behind the cabside doors. Many other changes have taken place, including the bolt-on noses, addition of forward-facing cameras, and additional roof-top electronics, particularly for the Michigan engines, that got cab-top boxes over the fireman's head prior to being displaced by Siemens Chargers. Cameras and event recorder improvements followed the 1999 tragedy, and positive train control was finally implemented by 2021, some two decades after these and other safety improvements were first recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. As of 2024, improved road crossing protections have not been implemented, despite the recommendations. This is an eastern group of eight operable units in June 2024, except for #126. It has returned on The Zephyr and then moved briefly to Hiawatha/Borealis before going dark and then to New Orleans. The ninth of this group, #125, has gone to Beech Grove for maintenance (likely to be repainted into 4G). Only one of the group (#128) has been retired. These engines do slip south from Philadelphia once and a while, to work south of Ivy City, as has #122 in March-June and #120 in June as well. Otherwise, the primary assignments are out of Rensselaer, New Haven, and Boston, sometimes doing Lake Shore shuttles as well as commuters. As with all Yankee engines, these do sometimes use the Lake Shore route to slip back and forth between shops in Chicago, Rensselaer, and Boston. In late May #127 was working Downeaster. Engine #122 swapped the lead with #18 in North Carolina after the Silver Star ran into down trees. It is currently working Virginia regionals, Palmetto (which usually has a Charger), and Carolinian. Updated June 16, 2024 by 4rr.com feedback at 4rr.com