The TALGO in Arizona: 4 - 6 May 2000
Amtrak
Cascades TALGO Train and F59PHI Locomotives (Washington State, article and
photos)
Yes, the TALGO cars can be uncoupled and
rearranged!Source: Amtrak
Contacts:PUEBLO, COLO. -- Three days of performance testing begins today on new Amtrak Cascades passenger train equipment at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo. The tests are in preparation for the launch of Amtrak Cascades service scheduled for December 1 in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
The European-style custom-built trainsets, purchased by Washington state and Amtrak, will be tested at speeds up to 115 mph and observed for speed acceleration, ride quality and stopping distance. When the trainsets begin the new service, travel speed will not exceed 79 mph (125 kph) along the 466-mile Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC) from Vancouver, BC to Eugene, Ore. Amtrak Cascades feature advanced tilt technology by Talgo, Inc., that allows the equipment to approach curves without reducing speed. The trains are powered by new General Motors Electro-Motive Division F59PHI locomotives.
When planned track and signal improvements are completed during the coming years, the trains will travel at speeds exceeding 110 mph (in rural areas) and will reduce the travel time between Seattle and Portland from three and a half hours to two and a half hours. The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration has designated the PNWRC one of five high-speed rail corridors in the country.
In addition to the train's quick acceleration, tilt-technology and high speed capability, the Amtrak Cascades feature a futuristic design. Seven-foot tall tail fins and custom colors, including evergreen and cappuccino hues, make the trainset unique in the passenger rail industry. The coach, bistro, lounge and utility cars were assembled in the U.S. by Pacifica Marine, an International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Company based in Seattle.
The Pacific Northwest corridor is enjoying the renewed popularity of rail travel, with ridership increasing 10 percent during the third quarter of 1998 (July-September) compared with the same period last year. Pacific Northwest travelers took a total of 159,749 trips on Amtrak during this period, setting a new third quarter ridership record.
"Amtrak Cascades will offer a comfortable and convenient mode of travel featuring new on-board amenities," said Kurt Laird, general manager of Amtrak's PNWRC, one of the country's fastest growing passenger rail corridors.
Services and features include such amenities as laptop outlets, footrests, fresh local foods, bike racks and recycling bins. Amtrak Cascades trains are the first European-style trains to operate in regular service in North America. The current operating schedule will not change when the new equipment begins service.
The Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), a subsidiary of the Associated of American Railroads, operates the world's leading railroad technology development and test facility with 48 miles of track. TTCI also provides safety consulting, emergency response training and technology design and development. For more information about the Amtrak Cascades, contact an authorized travel agency, call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak's world wide web site at www.amtrak.com.
Trainweb.com has photos of this new Talgo under construction. Right below the photos on that page you will find a link to another site that shows this new Talgo consist in the Amtrak Cascades color scheme going through the San Francisco Bay Area on its way to the test facilities.
