BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will spend about $253 million to overhaul 40 commuter-rail diesel locomotives following approval of the expense Thursday, Dec. 18, by the agency’s board.
The overhaul will cover HSP46 locomotives built by Motive Power Inc. of Boise, Idaho, in three orders placed between 2010 and 2013. The first of those locomotives entered service in 2014. MPI subsequently was purchased by Wabtec, which will receive $222.7 million to perform the overhauls. Wabtec was selected through a competitive Request for Proposal process. The remainder of the overhaul figure will cover in-house work and other expense.
MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan told the Boston Globe the midlife overhaul “is 100% expected.”
The project timeline calls for a pilot locomotive to be delivered in December 2028, with the first production unit in the process due by February 2029 and completion of the project by March 2032. A presentation to the board says the work will include modifications to address identified deficiencies with the units, replace obsolete components, and integrate modernized technologies, ensuring parts and technology availability to support at least 15 years of service life.
The MBTA is the only operator of the HSP46, a 4,600-hp, B-B, AC locomotive powered by GE GEVO 12-cylinder prime movers.
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Let’s recall that the powerful MPI HSP46 was styled by industrial designer Cesar Vergara, who also designed the GE Genesis.
What is the cost of a NEW locomotive? About $3.5 million?
MBTA is going to pay over $5.5 million to REBUILD these machines.
Something doesn’t add up.
The last number I heard for a new freight locomotive was 6-8 million, and that was several years ago. Looking at a press release, NCTD (San Diego) spent about $57 million for five Chargers recently, which is more than $10 million per engine (bigger order might have reduced costs?). $5.5 million sounds like a lot, but not near as much as a new engine. And this is something of a boutique fleet unique to MBTA, which probably also hurts costs.
This is all well & good, but let me beat Charles to the punch–where is the plan to convert the corridor runs (south to Rhode Island) to electric operation? Just need a bit of cat strung over the route (mainly at the stations) and a deal to purchase electric power from Amtrak.
The presentation given to the board implies that the overhaul is to buy time to allow for electric operation and calls for a 15 year service life after overhaul. So, 15 years will become 30 years, and that should only be about five years short of the time needed to string a little catenary. Maybe ten years short if you include negotiating with Amtrak.
Steven — I take it as a compliment you remember my posts on the subject. My second question to MBTA is this: how’s the ridership on the South Coast extensions?
By my calculation Amtrak catenary has been in place on the Providence Line (plus or minus MBTA layover tracks and so forth) at least 24 years, as it was 2001 I rode Acela Boston to Providence. Add 24+15 gives 39. A lot longer than it took the B&P to build the Canton Viaduct with hand tools and horse haulage.
Let me clarify my position. I don’t have an opinion, one way or the other, if MBTA should buy electric locos for the Providence Line. That’s not my call.
However let’s look at the record of Massachusetts politicos.
(1) It is required by legislation that if Stoughton – Taunton is to be resurrected from the wetland. it is required to be electrified. Which would mean electrifying Canton Junction to Stoughton as well as on to Taunton. Where if course the line doesn’t end, trains continue on to the South Coast.
(2) The Commonwealth is on record as favoring electrification of all suburban lines.
So that’s their policy, not mine. I don’t vote in Massachusetts, haven’t since 1970. Massachusetts horses-rear-end politicos want electrification, so why is it that MBTA runs diesels where there have been wires for two and a half decades and counting.