Where was it built?
Sacramento, California, in the United States.
Siemens builds the ALC-42 locomotive there for Amtrak. The passenger coaches behind it can have different builders and birthdays.
United States · Diesel trains
Amtrak ALC-42 Charger
America’s long-distance locomotive
Amtrak’s Charger pulls passenger trains across the United States. Siemens builds these locomotives in California. Inside, a diesel engine generates electricity, which powers motors at the wheels.
- Speed
- 125mph201 km/hTechnical maximum · 125 mph
- Year
- 2022Service debut
- Maker
- Siemens Mobility · Sacramento, California
- Job
- Long-distance passenger journeys
Turn it. Take it apart. Discover.
Explore your train
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3D modelDrag to turn · Pinch to zoom · Tap a number to explore
What powers a diesel train?
An onboard diesel engine provides power. Some locomotives use a gearbox; others generate electricity for traction motors.
- 1The engine hood and frontOutside the locomotive
The long hood usually covers a diesel engine and its supporting equipment. Passenger railcars can carry their engines below the floor.
Look deeper
The ALC-42 entered service on Amtrak’s Empire Builder in February 2022. Its diesel engine generates electricity for traction motors. The published 125 mph figure is locomotive capability, not the speed permitted on every Amtrak route. The model shows a representative train with passenger coaches.
- 2The driver’s cabInside the body
The driver controls the locomotive from this cab. The engine hood is not a passenger area.
Look deeper
Separate locomotives haul coaches or wagons. A self-propelled railcar combines propulsion and passenger accommodation.
- 3Cooling and exhaustOn and inside the roof
Cooling fans help remove engine heat. Exhaust gases leave through an exhaust outlet.
Look deeper
These are diesel engine systems, not electric pantographs. Fan positions and sizes in the model are representative.
- 4How power reaches the wheelsUnder the frame
Many diesels generate electricity onboard to run traction motors. Other types use mechanical or hydraulic transmissions.
Look deeper
Diesel-electric does not mean the locomotive needs overhead wires. Its diesel engine drives the generator.
- 5The fuel tankUsually beneath or within the frame
The locomotive carries diesel fuel onboard. Fuel feeds the engine, which produces the power needed to move.
Look deeper
The tank shown is a simplified storage zone. Passenger railcars and different locomotive types arrange their tanks differently.
Get to know Amtrak ALC-42 Charger
How does it move — and what is its job?
A diesel engine supplies the power.
Some diesel trains send power through a gearbox or hydraulic transmission. Diesel-electric trains first make electricity for wheel motors. Read this train’s story above for its arrangement; not every diesel works the same way.
When was it built?
The ALC-42 began Amtrak passenger service in February 2022.
That is its service debut, not the manufacturing date of every locomotive. The first service was on the Empire Builder.
Where does it run — or where did it run?
Amtrak’s long-distance network in the United States.
Its first assignment was the Empire Builder, linking Chicago with the Pacific Northwest. The 125 mph figure is a locomotive capability, not the speed of every route.
What are we still researching?
We leave gaps visible instead of guessing. The original catalogue and our learning model do not establish every real-world specification.
What is it made from?
A train uses different materials for different jobs: metals for strength, glass for windows and insulating materials around wires. Paint colour cannot tell us whether the body underneath is steel or aluminium.
Is it still running today?
Old photographs and launch announcements do not prove that a train still runs. A whole class may still work even after one member retires. We need a recent operator or museum source.
How power reaches the wheels
Follow these steps, then find the matching sections in the model above.
- 1
Diesel fuel
Energy travels in the fuel tank.
- 2
Engine
Burning fuel makes the engine turn.
- 3
Generator & motors
The engine makes electricity for wheel motors.
- 4
Wheels
Grip between wheels and rails moves the train.
Read the wheels
Look underneath: wheelsets support the train and carry the forces used to accelerate and brake. The model simplifies the real running gear.
What does its speed really mean?
Technical maximum · 125 mph. A maximum speed describes particular conditions; station stops, curves, signals and track limits make an actual journey slower.
A fast train is a whole system: vehicle, track, electricity or fuel, brakes, signalling and trained people. A race in the game is a simplified comparison.
What curious kids ask
Can a diesel train be electric too?
Yes! A diesel-electric locomotive uses a diesel engine to turn a generator. That makes electricity for motors at the wheels. It carries its energy as fuel, so it does not need overhead power wires.
Does the driver steer like a car?
No steering wheel is needed to choose a direction. The rails guide the wheelsets. At a junction, movable sections of rail called points or switches guide the train onto another track. The driver controls speed and braking.
Why can’t it stop straight away?
A moving train has energy. Brakes must remove that energy to slow it down. A heavy train travelling fast needs room to stop, so railway signals help keep trains safely separated.
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Compare how they look, what they carry and where their power comes from.
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B&O F7 / MARC 7100 Little railway dictionary
Bogie / truck
A frame holding wheelsets beneath a vehicle. It can turn relative to the body to help the train follow curves.
Gauge
The distance between the inside faces of the two running rails. Narrow gauge means closer rails; loading gauge describes the space a train may occupy.
Pantograph
A folding roof collector that stays in contact with an overhead power wire.
Traction
The force used to pull or propel the train. Grip between wheels and rails limits how much force can be used.
Multiple unit
A train with propulsion equipment within its passenger vehicles, operated together from one cab.
Locomotive
A powered vehicle whose main job is to move other railway vehicles.
Shunting / switching
Moving and arranging vehicles in a yard, often at low speed.
Livery
The colours, stripes, logos and other markings painted or applied to a train.
Service speed
The permitted speed for passenger or freight operation on a suitable section. It is not the journey average.
Record speed
A speed achieved on a particular test or record attempt, sometimes with special equipment and conditions.
Tender
A vehicle coupled to a steam locomotive to carry extra water and fuel. A tank engine carries water on the locomotive itself.
Prototype
An early vehicle built to develop and test a design before a production fleet.
Sources & reading
Follow the operator, builder and museum references below for more detail. Links beside an answer show which source supports that answer.
Edition 2026-09-27. Catalogue background is carried forward from the original collection; it is not a new independent verification. Engineering explanations describe principles. Portraits and 3D models are illustrations, with simplified parts and proportions. This is an independent learning guide, not an operator’s timetable.