Rail Photo of the Month: December 2018

AEM-7 2303

AEM-7 2303

Location: Temple University Station, Philadelphia, PA
Operator of Vehicle: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA)
Date of Photo: April 19, 2012

Yesterday, SEPTA ran a Farewell to the AEM-7s trip on its Paoli/Thorndale Line.  Since 1987, SEPTA has had a fleet of seven AEM-7 locomotives that have primarily operated push-pull express trains on its Regional Rail Lines. These seven AEM-7s were the last ones in service with any railroad, as Amtrak retired its AEM-7s in mid-2016 and MARC retired its AEM-7s last year.  SEPTA is replacing its AEM-7s with the ACS-64 locomotives, identical to those Amtrak has been operating in the Northeast Corridor since 2014.  With the exception of the refurbished HHP-8s that remain at MARC, all electric locomotives along the Northeast Corridor between Philadelphia and Washington will now be ACS-64s.  SEPTA’s retirement of its AEM-7 fleet is truly the end of an era within the Northeast Corridor.  

The SEPTA AEM-7 unit pictured here is departing from the Temple University Station in April of 2012.  At the time, the Silverliner II and Silverliner III cars were on their last legs.  It is hard to grasp how much of the equipment I photographed that day is no longer in service.

For more photos of SEPTA AEM-7 Locomotives, please click here.

Rail Photo of the Month: May 2018

AEM-7 2302

AEM-7 2302

Location: Temple University Station, Philadelphia, PA
Operator of Vehicle: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority
Date of Photo: April 19, 2012

The AEM-7 electric locomotive was a mainstay on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor as well as on SEPTA and MARC commuter rail trains for over 35 years.  Nowadays, SEPTA is the only agency that still operates these locomotives, and even in the Philadelphia area their days are numbered.  SEPTA is currently testing its first ACS-64 locomotive and upon the delivery and acceptance of all 15 of these locomotives, the AEM-7 locomotives will be retired.  Affectionately nicknamed “toasters”, these locomotives outlived the newer and more powerful HHP-8 locomotives that were introduced at the start of the 21st century, proving that in some circumstances, older can be better.

For more photos of SEPTA Regional Rail rolling stock, please click here

Amtrak to Operate AEM-7 Farewell Excursion

AEM-7 952 enters the New Carrollton, MD station on July 6, 2007

After 37 years of service, Amtrak is retiring its AEM-7 electric locomotives.  Since 2014, the railroad has been accepting delivery of its new ACS-64 “Cities Sprinter” locomotives, which are being built by Siemens.  As the ACS-64s have come on line, Amtrak has been removing the HHP-8 and AEM-7 locomotives from service.  On June 18, Amtrak will send off these workhouses of the Northeast Corridor with a special excursion trip.  The fantrip will leave from Washington’s Union Station at 9:10 AM and operate to Philadelphia and back.  A planned run-by photo opportunity and tour of the Wilmington shops are included, as is lunch.  The train returns to Washington at 5:40 PM.

If you wish to participate in this special excursion, you can purchase tickets directly from Amtrak.  If you wish to see my collection of AEM-7 photographs, you may click here.