LORTON, Va. — Amtrak has begun testing its Siemens Charger ALC42 long-distance locomotives in Auto Train service, with two of the diesels making their first appearance as part of a four-locomotive consist on the southbound train on Friday, June 21. Photographer Sol Tucker shot the locomotives putting the train together in Lorton; Nathan Richters photographed the train in Spotsylvania, Va.
Richters also noted the rare presence of heritage sleeper Pacific Bend, reportedly for use by a Siemens support team. The car was built for Union Pacific by Budd Co. in 1950 as a 10-roomette, six-double-bedroom sleeper; under Amtrak, it eventually became a crew dormitory and a communications car for Amtrak Police before being restored to sleeping-car use for the staff of Amtrak’s touring 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train.
