EMD F59PH

EMD F59PH The EMD F59PH is a four-axle diesel-electric passenger locomotive built by Electro-Motive Division for commuter and regional rail services. Designed during the late 1980s, it served agencies across North America and influenced later designs by General Motors and Electro-Motive Diesel. The model bridged technologies used in locomotives for agencies such as Amtrak, Metrolink (California), GO Transit, VIA Rail and municipal authorities including Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and British Columbia operators.

Design and development

EMD developed the F59PH amid procurement programs by Southern California Regional Rail Authority, Metra, GO Transit, Caltrain, and VIA Rail Canada seeking modernization after fleets like those from General Electric and earlier EMD models aged. The design incorporated lessons from high-speed projects linked to Amtrak initiatives and research at institutions such as Transportation Research Board and Federal Railroad Administration. Aerodynamic considerations referenced developments from EMD F40PH and regulatory influences from agencies including Federal Transit Administration and regional authorities such as Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metrolink (California). Contracts often involved multinational suppliers like Alstom and component standards influenced by Association of American Railroads practices.

Technical specifications

The F59PH used the two-stroke V12 EMD 12-710G3A prime mover producing 3,000 horsepower, employing a boost in turbocharger design derived from earlier EMD 645 series work and engineering collaborations with General Motors Research Laboratories. Electrical transmission used traction alternators and inverter controls following conventions set by Siemens and GE Transportation on comparable models. Trucks were standard Blomberg B designs with braking systems compatible with Westinghouse Air Brake Company equipment and safety systems interoperable with cab signaling standards used by Amtrak and commuter networks like Metrolink (California). Fuel capacity, dynamic braking arrangements, and head-end power installations adhered to specifications promoted by agencies including GO Transit and Caltrans. Structural engineering drew on finite-element techniques used in projects at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign rail programs.

Service history

Units entered service with operators such as Metrolink (California), GO Transit, VIA Rail, Caltrain, North County Transit District, and Oregon Department of Transportation correspondent services. Deployment patterns were influenced by operational models from Amtrak corridor services and commuter planning frameworks used by San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and Southern California Regional Rail Authority. Over time, fleets were overhauled through shop programs at facilities like Progress Rail, Bombardier Transportation yards, and agency shops modeled after those at Kansas City Southern. Retirement and replacement decisions often referenced newer locomotives from EMD F59PHI derivations and units by Siemens and Bombardier used by urban networks such as Bay Area Rapid Transit planners. Incident reports and operational evaluations were compiled in studies by Federal Railroad Administration and provincial bodies like Transport Canada.

Variants and modifications

Several batches received modifications including head-end power upgrades, emissions retrofits complying with standards influenced by Environmental Protection Agency regulations and California rules enforced by the California Air Resources Board. Some locomotives were rebuilt into freight-capable units, re-engined following programs similar to rebuilds undertaken by Progress Rail and GEC-Alsthom maintenance schemes, or modified cosmetically under contracts with firms like Morrison-Knudsen. Specialized conversions paralleled efforts seen in other fleets such as those by VIA Rail and GO Transit, and adaptations borrowed technology components from vendors like ABB and Wabtec for traction control and auxiliary systems.

Operators and preservation

Initial and notable operators included Metrolink (California), GO Transit, VIA Rail, Caltrain, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, TriMet, and regional authorities in British Columbia and Ontario. Preservation efforts involved railway museums and heritage operators such as California State Railroad Museum, Southern California Railway Museum, Canadian Railway Museum, and local historical societies affiliated with institutions like Smithsonian Institution partner programs. Several units were sold to short lines and tourist operators similar to transactions tracked by Railinc and brokerages like RailPower Technologies. Documentation and archival material reside in collections at Library of Congress, provincial archives operated by Archives of Ontario, and university transportation libraries at University of California, Berkeley and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Category:Passenger locomotives Category:Electro-Motive Division locomotives