The GE Genesis (officially

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

ed GENESIS) is a series of passenger diesel

locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport, rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, Push–pull train, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for ...

s built by

GE Transportation GE Transportation is a division of Wabtec. It was known as GE Rail and owned by General Electric until sold to Wabtec on February 25, 2019. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generatio ...

for

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

, Metro-North, and

Via Rail Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via (stylized as VIA Rail), is a Canadian Crown corporation that operates intercity passenger rail service in Canada. As of December 2023, Via Rail operates 406 trains per week across eight ...

between 1992 and 2001. A total of 321 units were produced. Designed to meet Amtrak's specifications, the Genesis series is tall. This allows for easier travel through low-clearance tunnels in the

Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, Rhod ...

, especially compared to the earlier

EMD F40PH The EMD F40PH is a four-axle B-B diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in several variants from 1975 to 1992. Intended for use on Amtrak's short-haul passenger routes, it became the backbone of Amtrak's ...

which was taller.

Technical design

The GE Genesis series stands out for its unique, lightweight

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

carbody design, styled by industrial designer Cesar Vergara. This innovative approach translates to improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency compared to its predecessors. However, the complexity of the monocoque design results in slightly higher maintenance and repair costs. Notably, Amtrak equips its Genesis locomotives with bolt-on nose cones to facilitate rapid repairs in the event of a grade crossing collision. The Genesis represents a significant leap forward in performance. It boasts a 22% improvement in fuel efficiency and delivers 25% more power compared to the F40PH. Furthermore, all Genesis locomotives utilize modern,

four-stroke engine A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directi ...

s, surpassing the

two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston, one up and one down, in one revolution of the crankshaft in contrast to a four-stroke engine which re ...

technology employed in earlier EMD counterparts. Further enhancing reliability, the Genesis is a fully computerized locomotive. Its onboard computer systems automatically manage various functions, including real-time adjustments to engine output in response to overheating, low oil pressure, or reduced airflow intake. This ensures continued operation during minor operational deviations, streamlining maintenance requirements. All Genesis locomotives provide

head-end power In rail transport, head-end power (HEP), also known as electric train supply (ETS), is the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive (or a generator car) at the front or 'head' of a train, ...

(HEP) to the train via an

alternator An alternator (or synchronous generator) is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field wit ...

or inverter powered by the main engine. This system delivers a maximum output of , capable of powering up to 16 Superliner railcars. The P40DC and P42DC models offer two HEP configurations: normal mode with the engine speed locked at 900 rpm for providing both HEP and traction power, and standby mode with the engine speed locked at 720 rpm for HEP only (no traction power). The P32AC-DM offers greater operational flexibility with its HEP inverter. The engine can run at 1,047 rpm while delivering both traction power and HEP. Additionally, it can idle at 620 rpm (notch three) while still providing HEP for lighting and air conditioning when not in use for traction. The Genesis utilizes trucks manufactured by Krupp Verkehrstechnik e which has since been acquired by Siemens Mobility. Newer Genesis locomotives reflect this change and carry the Siemens name.

Models

Three models of Genesis were built by General Electric, the P40DC, P42DC, and P32AC-DM.

P40DC

The P40DC (''GENESIS Series I'') or Dash 8-40BP (originally known as the AMD-103 or Amtrak Monocoque Diesel - 103MPH) is the first model in the Genesis series, built in 1993. The locomotive operates in a diesel-electric configuration that uses DC to power the

traction motor A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric vehicle, electric or hydrogen vehicles, or electric multiple unit trains. Traction (engineering), Traction motors are used in electrically powe ...

s, producing at 1047 rpm. Power output to the traction motors is when running in HEP mode (900 rpm) with a 0 kW HEP load. Traction power in HEP mode decreases to when providing the maximum HEP load to the train. The P40DC is geared for a maximum speed of . The P40DC was succeeded in 1996 by the P42DC. A feature unique to the P40DC and P32AC-DM is a hostler stand at the rear of the locomotive providing increased visibility and reversing capabilities to the engineer while conducting reverse operations. When a unit is in operation from this stand it is limited to and a

dead man's switch A dead man's switch is a switch that is designed to be activated or deactivated if the human operator becomes incapacitated, such as through death, loss of consciousness, or being bodily removed from control. Originally applied to switches on a ...

protects against movement without an operator being present. Another unique feature to the original P40DC were the two strobes above the cab and an emergency flasher between the strobes. When they were overhauled, those features were removed. Both the P40DC and P42DC allowed Amtrak to operate heavy long-distance trains with fewer locomotives compared to the older

locomotives; two P40DCs could do the same work as three F40PHs. Additional deliveries of the P42DC ended up replacing the P40DCs. Three units were prematurely wrecked (819 in the 1993 Big Bayou Canot train wreck, 807 and 829 in the 1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois, train crash) and scrapped. Eight were leased and later sold to the Connecticut DOT for Shore Line East in 2005, and four were rebuilt and sold to

New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. It ...

in 2007; NJ Transit sold its units to ConnDOT in 2015. The remaining 28 units were placed out-of-service for many years. 15 of these units were rebuilt using 2009 ARRA stimulus funds and returned to service, now in the Phase V livery, except for 822, which is painted in Phase III

Heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset A heritage asset is an item which has value because of its contribution to a nation's society, knowledge and/or culture. Such items are usually physical assets, but some countries also ...

livery for Amtrak's 40th Anniversary. The units that were not rebuilt or sold have since been scrapped. In January 2018, ConnDOT awarded a contract to Amtrak to overhaul their twelve P40DC locomotives at the Beech Grove Shops. The first unit was completed in early 2021. With the introduction of M8 EMU trains for Shore Line East service, the rebuilt P40DCs will be exclusively used on the Hartford Line.

Upgraded and "Stimulus" P40DCs

By 2007, New Jersey Transit had upgraded their P40DC units with updated prime movers to match the of the successor P42DC. This was done by readjusting the position of the lay shafts within the prime mover. Amtrak returned 15 of their P40DC units to service as part of a project funded through the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a Stimulus (economics), stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed ...

. The first of the units were returned to service in March 2010 after being overhauled at the Beech Grove Shops. They were upgraded like NJT's units had been a few years before to have and match the P42DC's maximum speed of . They also received updated cab signaling systems. The upgraded locomotives still have mechanical air brakes, which makes them most suitable for trains that only require a single locomotive. This differs from the electronic air brakes on the P42DC and P32AC-DM. They also feature a

builder's plate A builder's plate is usually a metal plate that is attached to railway locomotives and rolling stock, bogies, construction equipment, trucks, automobiles, large household appliances, bridges, ships and more. It gives such information as the nam ...

indicating that they were rebuilt under the auspices of the

TIGER The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...

stimulus program.

P42DC

The P42DC (''GENESIS Series I'') is the successor model to the P40DC. It has an engine output of at 1,047 rpm, or when running in HEP mode (900 rpm) with a 0 kW HEP load. As with the P40DC, traction horsepower in HEP mode decreases to when providing the full 800 kW HEP load to the train. The P42DC has a maximum speed of compared to the 103 mph (166 km/h) maximum speed of the P40DC. Tractive effort is rated at of starting effort and of continuous effort at given wheel power of . P42DCs are used primarily on most of

's long-haul and higher-speed rail service outside the Northeast and lower

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

Corridors. They will be replaced on long-distance service by 125 Siemens ALC-42 Charger locomotives between 2021 and 2024, but will remain in service on shorter corridor trains.

Canada has utilized P42DC locomotives since 2001, when they replaced the LRC locomotives that year. They are currently on services with speeds up to , mainly on the Quebec City-Windsor rail corridor.

P42C

The P42C is a Non-Powered Control Unit (cab car) converted by Amtrak from retired P42DC locomotives, with the first one converted in 2024. These retain their internal components for weight purposes. Amtrak plans to eventually convert 20 Genesis locomotives into P42Cs.

P32AC-DM

The P32AC-DM (''GENESIS Series II'', short for "Passenger, , Alternating Current, Dual Mode") was developed for both

and Metro-North. They can operate on power generated either by the on-board diesel prime mover or power collected from a

third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...

electrification system at 750 volts

direct current Direct current (DC) is one-directional electric current, flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor (material), conductor such as a wire, but can also flow throug ...

; the third-rail shoes are used on the over-running third-rail into Penn Station for Amtrak units and the under-running third-rail into Grand Central Terminal for Metro-North. The P32AC-DM is rated at , when supplying HEP, and is geared for a maximum speed of . Tractive effort is rated at of starting effort from zero to and of continuous effort at given wheel power of . The P32AC-DM is unique as it is equipped with GE's GEB15 AC (alternating current)

s, rather than DC (direct current) motors as used in the other subtypes. It is also only one of two modern American electro-diesel locomotives with third-rail capability, along with the EMD DM30AC operated by the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , or LIRR, is a Rail transport, railroad in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County on Long Islan ...

. This excludes the NJ Transit and Exo's Bombardier ALP-45DP electro-diesel locomotives, as they can only operate from overhead catenary electrification. The P32AC-DM is only used on services operating north from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where diesel emissions through its two fully enclosed main terminal stations are prohibited. Amtrak rosters 18 P32AC-DM locomotives and uses them for its '' Empire Service'', ''

Ethan Allen Express The ''Ethan Allen Express'' is a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak in the United States between New York City and Burlington, Vermont, via Albany, New York. One daily round trip is operated on a north–south route with a 7-hour 35 mi ...

'', '' Lake Shore Limited'' (New York section), '' Adirondack'', and ''

Maple Leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is most widely recognized as the national symbols of Canada, national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by ...

'' services, all of which travel to New York Penn Station. Metro-North rosters 31 P32AC-DM locomotives on push-pull trains to

Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal station, terminal located at 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York Ci ...

; four are owned by the

Connecticut Department of Transportation The Connecticut Department of Transportation (officially referred to as CTDOT, occasionally ConnDOT, and CDOT in rare instances) is responsible for the development and operation of highways, Rail transport, railroads, mass transit systems, por ...

. The Metro-North and ConnDOT fleet of P32AC-DM locomotives will be replaced in 2025–2027 by new Siemens SC-42DM Charger locomotives.

Original owners

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ge Genesis B-B locomotives Amtrak locomotives P32AC-DM Metro-North Railroad Via Rail locomotives NJ Transit Rail Operations Genesis Passenger locomotives Diesel–electric locomotives of the United States Railway locomotives introduced in 1992 Standard-gauge locomotives of the United States Bo-Bo locomotives Standard-gauge locomotives of Canada American Passenger Locomotives