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North American diesel locomotive class From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The EMD F59PH is a four-axle 3,000 hp (2 MW) B-B diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division from 1988 to 1994. A variant, the F59PHI, was produced from 1994 to 2001. The F59PH was originally built for GO Transit commuter operation in the Toronto region. Metrolink in Southern California also purchased a fleet for its 1992 launch. The streamlined F59PHI was designed for Amtrak California intercity service. A total of 72 F59PH and 83 F59PHI locomotives were built.
EMD F59PH and F59PHI | |||||||||||||||||
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Two F59PH locomotives owned by GO Transit at Oakville station in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||
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Between May 1988 and May 1994, 72 F59PH locomotives were built for two commuter transit railroads: GO Transit of Toronto and Metrolink of Los Angeles.[1] Based on the GP59, the locomotives had a turbocharged EMD 12-710G3A, a 12-cylinder, two-stroke Diesel engine (prime mover).[5] Head end power was supplied by a separate diesel generator.[6]
GO Transit began retiring its F59PH locomotives in 2008 in favor of newer MPI MPXpress locomotives.[5] Most were purchased by other operators including Exo (10 locomotives),[7] Metra (3),[8][9] NCDOT (11) for use on the Piedmont,[10][11] and Trinity Railway Express (7).[12] Five of the NCDOT units were rebuilt into cab control units without prime movers.[13]
Seven Metrolink units were rebuilt as F59PHR. The non-rebuilt Metrolink locomotives were retired by 2020.[14] Five of those were purchased by NCDOT in 2018.[15]
Owner | Number | Year built | Unit numbers | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
GO Transit | 49 | 1988–1994 | 520–568 | [1] |
Metrolink | 23 | 1992–1993 | 851–873 | [14] |
The F59PHI is a variant with a fully enclosed streamlined carbody. The first nine units were purchased by Caltrans for use on Amtrak California services and entered service in 1994.[16] Like the F59PH, the F59PHI is equipped with a secondary electrical generator – rated between 500 and 750 kW (670 and 1,010 hp) – for HEP.[17] A total of 83 locomotives were built, most for commuter rail and Amtrak corridor services on the West Coast.[18]
Two F59PHI locomotives were built in 1995 for Philip Morris Companies to haul the Marlboro Unlimited, a custom built luxury train to carry winners of a Philip Morris sweepstakes around the country. After Philip Morris cancelled the train, the units were stored before being sold to Metrolink in 1998.[19][20]
Some units are still in service with the original owners, while others have been retired. The 21 ex-Amtrak units were sold to Metra in 2018.[21]
Owner | Number | Year built | Unit numbers | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amtrak (for Pacific Surfliner and Cascades) | 21 | 1998 | 450–470 | [21][4][22] |
Caltrans (for San Joaquin and Capitol Corridor) | 9 | 1994 | 2001–2009 | [22][23] |
6 | 2001 | 2010–2015 | ||
Exo | 11 | 2000–2001 | 1320–1330 | [18] |
Metrolink | 10 | 1995 | 874–883 | [14][19][20] |
4 | 2001 | 884–887 | ||
NCDOT (for Piedmont) | 2 | 1998 | 1755, 1797 | [18][24] |
North County Transit District (Coaster) | 2 | 2001 | 3001–3002 | [25][26] |
Sound Transit (Sounder Commuter Rail) | 11 | 1998–2001 | 901–911 | [27] |
Trinity Railway Express | 2 | 2001 | 569–570 | [12] |
West Coast Express | 5 | 1995 | 901–905 | [28][29] |