Untitled Document Home
Chef & Hotel Profile
Publisher's Page
Gift Guide
Travel Adventures
Epicurean Events
Health Minded
Spa Baby Secrets
Sips
Book Bites
Culinary Coup
Sense of Style
Kids Kaleidoscope
Tinsletown Tidbits
Wheels
Radio Show & Links
Contact Us


WHEELS    .    .    .

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Caltrans Introduce New, Cleaner Locomotives at Los Angeles Union Station
More reliable, greener Siemens Charger locomotives will power passenger trains along
southern California coast between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo
 
Ribbon cutting ceremony in honor of new Charger locomotives with (left) Shirley Choate, Interim District Director Caltrans District 7; Jennifer L. Bergener, Managing Director LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency; Tony Kranz, Board Member LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency; Brian C. Annis, Secretary of California State Transportation Agency; Armin Kick, Vice President, Locomotives and High-Speed Trainsets, Siemens.


With a blast of the locomotive’s horn and a shower of biodegradable confetti, the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) introduced new, cleaner locomotives to the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service today at Los Angeles Union Station.

State and local officials in attendance had an opportunity to step aboard one of 14 new Charger locomotives that will begin operating starting this fall. The Charger locomotives, manufactured by Siemens, will power the next generation of Pacific Surfliner trains between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.

“The production and delivery of new locomotives and railcars does more than provide an environmentally-friendly way to travel around the state,” said Brian Annis, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). “It also directly employs more Californians in well-paid jobs, while indirectly generating more jobs throughout the state’s economy.”

The Charger is the first passenger locomotive to receive the stringent Tier IV emissions certification from the Environmental Protection Agency, making the Charger one of the cleanest diesel-electric passenger locomotives currently in operation. California is leading the charge and is at the forefront of low-emission rail vehicles.

“These locomotives were proudly produced by the 1,300 Siemens employees who work in our solar-powered plant in Sacramento, California, one of the most well-established, comprehensive manufacturing facilities of its kind in the country,” said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rolling Stock in the U.S.  “Siemens is grateful for the opportunity to work with Caltrans and is proud to be a part of their efforts to provide clean and efficient transportation for the state of California.”

The 14 locomotives were funded by Caltrans with approximately $100 million in state, federal and local funds, and will replace Amtrak-owned locomotives which are nearly 20 years old.

“I’m excited for these new locomotives, which will provide safe, clean and reliable passenger rail service in Southern California,” said Caltrans Director Laurie Berman. “I’m very proud of partnerships like this – working together helps Caltrans do more for the mobility of Californians.”

With 24 daily trains providing service along the Southern California coast, the Pacific Surfliner offers an attractive and environmentally-friendly transportation alternative that helps relieve congestion on adjacent freeways like Interstate 5 and U.S. 101.

“The Charger locomotives are almost 90 percent cleaner than the locomotives they will be replacing, and their 4,400 horsepower engines are more powerful and reliable too,” said Bryan MacDonald, chairman of the LOSSAN Agency, which oversees the Pacific Surfliner service. “These locomotives will allow us to expand Pacific Surfliner service to meet growing ridership demand while also significantly reducing emissions in the communities we serve.”

For photos and video from the unveiling of the new locomotives, and to stay up to date on the latest announcements, breaking news, and information from Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, visit news.pacificsurfliner.com/.

# # #

About the Pacific Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States with 24 daily trains and annual ridership of nearly 3 million. To learn more and plan a trip, visit PacificSurfliner.com, like Pacific Surfliner on Facebook, or @PacSurfliners on Twitter.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority composed of rail owners, operators and planning agencies along the entire LOSSAN rail corridor. In addition to working to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on-time performance, operational flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015, following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the state of California. For more information, visit lossan.org.

About Caltrans
Caltrans manages more than 50,000 miles of California's highway and freeway lanes, provides inter-city rail services, permits more than 400 public-use airports and special-use hospital heliports, and works with local agencies. Caltrans carries out its mission of providing a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system to enhance California’s economy and livability.

____________________________________
Complete the Mission: New Land Rover Defender Edition

1

FORTNIGHT D110 is cloaked in darkness inside and out. It includes Santorini Black bodywork with matching KBX Signature grille, wing top vents and a Satin Black Front Runner® roof rack. Internally, FORTNIGHT includes Elite style seats clad in elegant Ruskin Inside™ Black Napa leather, complemented by chequer plate flooring throughout. With BFGoodrich® AT KO2 tyres and WARN® Zeon 12-S winch, this station wagon is sure to be the last one standing when it comes to completing any mission.

PR-Template

 

1) Exterior: KAHN® Defend 1983 18" alloy wheels


2008
March 08 | April 08 | May 08 | June 08 | July 08 | August 08 | September 08 | October 08 | November 08 | December 08 | January 09 | March 09 | February 09 | April 09 | May 09 | June 09 | July 09 | August 09 | September 09 | October 09 | October 10 | November 09 | December 09 | January 10 | February 10 | March 10 | April 10 | May 10 | June 10 | July 10 | August 10 | September 10 | November 10 | December 10 | January 11 | February 11 | March 11 | April 11 | May 11 | June 11 | July 11 | August 11 | September 11 | October 11 | November 11 | December 11 | January 12 | February 12 | March 12 | March 12 | April 12 | May 12 | June 12 | July 12 | August 12 | September 12 | October 12 | November 12 | December 12 | January 13 | February 13 | March 13 | April 13 | May 13 | June 13 | July 13 | August 13 | September 13 | October 13 | October | November 13 | December 13 | January 14 | February 14 | July 14 | March 14 | April 14 | May 14 | June 14 | August 14 | September 14 | October 14 | November 14 | December 14 | January 15 | February 15 | March 15 | April 15 | May 15 | June 15 | July 15 | August 15 | September 15 | October 15 | November 15 | December 15 | January 16 | February 16 | March 16 | April 16 | May 16 | June 16 | July 16 | August 16 | September 16 | October 16 | November 16 | December 16 | January 17 | February 17 | March 17 | April 17 | May 17 | June 17 | July 17 | August 17 | September 17 | October 17 | December 17 | January 18 | September 18 | February 18 | March 18 | April 18 | May 18 | June 18 | July 18 | August 18 | October 18 | November 18 | December 18 | January 19 | February 19 | July 20 | February 19 | March 19 | March | April 19 | May 19 | June 19 | July 19 | August 19 | September 19 | October 19 | November 19 | December 19 | January 20 | February 20 | March 20 | April 20 | May 20 | June 20 | August 20 | September 20 | October 20 | November 20 | December 20 | January 21 | February 21 | March 21 | April 21 | May 21 | June 21 | July 21 | August 21 | September 21 | October 21 | November 21 | December 21 | January 22 | February 22 | March 22 | April 22 | May 22 | June 22 | July 22 | August 22 | September 22 | October 22 | November 22 | December 22 | January 23 | February 23 | March 23 | April 23 | May 23 | June 23 | July 23 | September 23 | October 23 | November 23 | December 23 | January 24 | February 24 | February 08

© 2008 Bonnie Carroll, All Rights Reserved