High-speed locomotive testing in Pueblo
A new high-speed train is being tested right here in southern Colorado.
It’s the first passenger train to be both high-speed and have the highest rating in clean emissions.
In the works since early 2014, the 125 mile per hour locomotive can “run” a marathon in about 12 minutes.
“We’re talking about moving people a lot faster, a lot more comfortably,” Siemens Rolling Stock President Michael Cahill said.
Cahill was out to see the Charger diesel electric locomotive running at full force.
“It’s what we call a clean diesel, it’s got a massive reduction in emissions from previous locomotives,” Cahill said.
It runs 25-45 miles per hour faster than the average passenger train in the U.S. It also is running 90 percent cleaner than other locomotives currently on U.S. railways.
“You can break using the motors then as generators and that generates electricity that can be… used in the train to run the air conditioners in the coaches, run the lights, charge the batteries,” Cahill said.
The high-speed clean diesel locomotive costs about $6 million. It’s also equipped with the best safety technology.
“If there is a crash or any kind of accident these locomotives are equipped to deal with it in the best way possible,” Cahill said.
“Reliability is a huge factor when you’re trying to run a passenger rail service,” Ron Pate said. “You know if our customers know our service is reliable, they’re gonna ride the service more.”
Pate works with the Washington State Department of Transportation, which will be be using these locomotives after testing is finished.
“We’re seeing growth in the service right now with these new locomotives,” Pate said. “People in Washington State are really excited to ride this service.”
For passengers, the Charger locomotive will be a significantly smoother ride.
“Quiet, smooth, the acceleration is just phenomenal and we’re very excited,” Pate said.
After testing is finished, the new locomotive will take to the railways in Illinois by the end of the year, and throughout Maryland, California, and Washington in 2017.
