原始标题
Amtrak’s New Long-Distance Chargers Continue to Struggle
新闻网址
https://reurl.cc/EXxglg
发表日期
2023/1/18
全文完整内容
CHICAGO — Nearly a year after they made their main line debut, Amtrak’s new Siemens Mobility ALC-42 “Chargers” are still having teething issues, especially in cold weather.
自从在美铁的中长程干线更换西门子ALC-42新型机车头“Chargers”近一年，仍然发生了一些原始问题，尤其是在寒冷的冬天。
This winter, the Empire Builder connecting Chicago with Portland and Seattle has been plagued by delays and even cancelations. Some of the delays have been caused by weather and freight train interference, but perhaps the biggest issue has been with the ALC-42 locomotives, which have been running on the route since last February. Issues with the locomotives losing power have resulted in hours of delays for passengers across the route. In some instances, BNSF Railway has even had to provide freight
locomotives to get the train over the road.
今年冬天，连结芝加哥与波特兰/西雅图的帝国建造号(路线偏北)一直被延迟或取消，除了天气因素或是货物列车导致，另一个最大原因或许就是去年二月才投入的ALC-42机车头了。原因是动力丧失所导致客运列车几个小时的延迟，更甚者需要BNSF的机车头来把该列车脱离。
Kara Evanko, a spokesperson for Siemens Mobility, has said the units have lost power during “unusually extreme circumstances where the locomotive experiences drastic changes in temperature.”
西门子发言人指出：这些车头的动力丧失是因为急剧的天气变化所造成的异常极端状况。
Siemens officials say that hardware and software issues are impacting the locomotives, but both are being addressed. New software is being installed and hardware — specifically a pipe — is being replaced. Siemens officials didn’t comment on what exactly the pipe in question did or why it needed to be replaced. However, they tell Railfan & Railroad that the work is happening on the locomotives that are already on Amtrak property and that it does not require them to go back to Siemens.
西门子公司则表示：不论软硬件的问题都已经在做调整，软件正在更新，硬件上尤其是帮浦也在做更换。虽然西门子并没有明确说明帮浦的什么问题所导致的，但他们表示这个更换计画正在进行，因此也不需再送回西门子处理。
This isn’t the first time that cold and snow have challenged Siemens products. The SC-44 locomotives used on Amtrak’s Midwest service have also had issues in winter, but when Amtrak announced it was purchasing Chargers for long-distance services, officials said those problems would be addressed.
其实风雪交加的寒冷日子并不是第一次对西门子机车头造成问题，另一款在美铁中部地区服务的SC-44机车头在冬天也同样的有类似的问题，但美铁自从说要为中长途客运购买Chargers时，表示这些问题都能被解决。
Presently, a number of ALC-42s are in service on the Empire Builder, usually paired up with P42 locomotives that they will eventually replace. Amtrak expects to acquire 125 ALC-42 locomotives as part of its current order.
目前，由部分ALC-42牵引的帝国建造号，还会再挂上原本要替代的P42机车头来共同牵引，而美铁总共采购了125辆的ALC-42机车头。
心得感想
当初机车头亮相时就有部分人士认为西门子机车头的换气窗有点太大 冬天可能造成引擎室过冷而运转不利 不过新车还没原本GE制造的旧车可靠 可能这几年疯狂买西门子新车的北美各铁路业者也想像不到吧~