Think of a North American passenger train during the final decades of the 20th century, and more often than not, the blunt-nosed General Motors Electro-Motive Division F40PH will come to mind. Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing into the 1990s, the four-axle locomotive based on EMD’s popular GP40-2 series was synonymous with passenger railroads of all types, from long-distance operators like Amtrak to commuter agencies such as Metra and NJ Transit.
While huge numbers of the nearly 500 F40-type locomotives EMD built between 1975 and 1992 have been retired or are reaching the end of their serviceable life, many railroaders are still familiar with the iconic units. This is why the F40PH is the ideal locomotive to build a lease fleet for power-hungry commuter agencies, says Phil Puccia, CEO of Rolling Stock Solutions, founded in 2022.
“The F40PH was probably one of the most widely used locomotives in the country, and so we wanted to be able to provide a locomotive that the mechanical and operations people already knew,” Puccia said. “The F40PH is basically the Toyota Camry of locomotives.”
Rolling Stock Solutions has purchased 12 former Amtrak F40PH locomotives and is working with Metro East Industries in East St. Louis, Ill., to rebuild 10 of them. The first one was completed last year and entered service this month on the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Commuter Rail system. Five more units are expected to join it in the months ahead.
Puccia notes that the average age of a commuter rail locomotive in the U.S. is 28 years. But procuring new locomotives or rebuilding old ones can take upwards of a decade and cost millions of dollars, and that doesn’t often resolve an agency’s more immediate motive power needs. That’s why Puccia’s company is putting together a lease fleet to specifically serve commuter rail. “We are helping these agencies by filling the gaps,” he said.
While the F40PH units that Rolling Stock Solutions owns are decades old, they have been completely rebuilt from the frame up to modern standards and are considerably more efficient than before. Utilizing a Tier 0+ prime mover and an independent Tier 4 head-end power (HEP) engine, these rebuilt locomotives achieve a 45% reduction in NOx emissions; a 37% reduction in hydrocarbon and PM (particulate matter) emissions; and a 10% increase in fuel efficiency through the use of electronic fuel injection and AESS (automatic engine start/stop) systems. Chief Mechanical Officer Sean Kehoe said the locomotives are also quieter than un-rebuilt versions, as some F40PHs got a reputation for being “screamers” because the turbocharged prime-movers had to keep running at full RPM (typically 900) even when stopped at a station to maintain HEP. To accommodate the Tier 4 HEP, the locomotive carbody was extended, eliminating its rear platform while keeping the frame parameters the same.
The locomotives have also been upgraded with a crashworthy cab that follows current FRA standards. They’re outfitted with in-cab cameras, upgraded electronics and microprocessor control systems. Rolling Stock Solutions has also traded out the traditional control stand for a desktop control panel common on modern units. Depending on where the locomotives are being put into service, they can easily be outfitted with Positive Train Control or the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System version of PTC used in the Northeast. Perhaps most notably, the locomotives are 100% “Buy America” compliant.
When it is all said and done, Rolling Stock Solutions’ F40PHs are more than just a refurbished locomotive, but an almost-new one ready for another two decades of service. “This is not a standard overhaul; this is a complete remanufacture,” said Artura Subowo, Rolling Stock Solutions technical officer. “In essence, what we’re making is a like-new locomotive with a 20-year lifecycle.”
Puccia said now that the first locomotive has entered service, the company is focused on completing the other rebuilds and getting them into service. He’s optimistic that even more units will be needed in the future, especially in an era of tight budgets and increasing motive power needs. “Whenever I talk to a commuter agency, they always say, ‘How come someone didn’t think of this years ago?” he said.
