Amtrak is retiring the AEM-7 electric locomotives that have carried passengers along the Northeast Corridor for 37 years.
The trains have traveled more than 220 million miles between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Harrisburg and other points in between.
Together with the Acela Express, the AEM-7s have been the pillars of the Pennsylvania and New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroads along Amtrak’s busiest corridor.
The AEM-7s are being replaced by new, more advanced next-generation ACS-64 electric locomotives. Amtrak has ordered 70 ACS-64 locomotives with the final delivery of a unit expected this summer, says Amtrak spokesman Mike Tolbert.
On June 18, Amtrak will pay homage to the older machines with a special “Farewell to the AEM-7” excursion trip that will be open to the public.
"For nearly 40 years, the AEM-7 electric locomotive has been a workhorse for the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor," Tolbert says. "As we say goodbye to these iconic engines with a special excursion trip, we are proud to usher in new era with the Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64), a high-tech, reliable and energy-efficient locomotive that will serve our customers for decades to come."
Passengers will depart from Washington Union Station en route to Philadelphia. There, the train will travel on tracks not normally used by passenger trains, including the “New York and Pittsburgh Subway.”
The train will then reverse direction and head to Delaware for a tour of the Wilmington Shops, the maintenance home of the AEM-7. The facility has been integral to the servicing of the AEM-7s and other electric locomotives dating back to the legendary Pennsylvania Railroad.
Tickets are limited and can be purchased now on Amtrak.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. Tickets are $155 for adults. Children between 2 and 12 ride for half price with each adult ticket.
