Amtrak Photo Archive
an unofficial Amtrak site
the ACELA HHP-8 Locos


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The HHP-8 (High Horse Power 8000) is a type of twin-cab electric locomotive manufactured by a consortium of Bombardier Transportation and Alstom for use by Amtrak and the Maryland Area Regional Commuter system.

The locomotive's electrical drive technology is directly derived from the SNCF BB 36000 manufactured by Alstom.
A small class size and reliability problems with correspondingly high per capita maintenance and replacement costs caused Amtrak to seek service replacements for its fifteen units at the same time as the older EMD AEM7s after only a decade in service.

An order of 15 HHP-8s was made by Amtrak at the same time (about 1999) as the acquisition of the Acela Express trainsets; the locomotives have similar external styling as the Acela trainsets, but are designed to operate as true locomotives, hauling conventional passenger rolling stock. The units were ordered to replace Amtrak's GE E60s and supplement the aging EMD AEM-7.
Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) also acquired six HHP-8s.

The locomotives were designed for up to 135 mph operation but are actually limited in service to FRA Tier 1 standards, operating up to 125 mph.


In 2002 Amtrak's fleet of 15 units was temporarily withdrawn along with Acela express trains due to cracks in components of the bogies.

Amtrak's HHP-8's suffered from low reliability with the units requiring unscheduled maintenance on average every 12.6 days in 2009. As a result replacement of the fleet at the same time as the older AEM-7 locomotives became actively considered after only one decade in service, since a large order for a standardized fleet would have price economies, and the resultant fleet would have lower overall maintenance costs. A replacement fleet of 70 locomotives starting delivery in 2012 was planned, with HHP-8s kept as a reserve in the short term.
In 2009 Amtrak ordered a fleet of 70 Siemens Mobility Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64) locomotives to replace both the HHP-8 and the older AEM-7 locomotives, with deliveries beginning in early 2013.[11]

2012 - Replacements ordered - the end is near

 

Amtrak Cities Sprinter will be replacing the HHP-8
The Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 is the upcoming 4-axle motive power for the Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor.
Seventy of these
locomotives are on order from Siemens Mobility and they are to be assembled domestically in the United States.
The ACS-64 will replace all electric locomotives currently serving the Northeast, namely the ASEA/ElectroMotive AEM-7
(5,800 hp DC and 6,700 hp AC versions) and the Bombardier/Alstom 8,000 hp high horsepower HHP-8.
These locomotives are scheduled to begin service in 2013 with a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) on the Northeast
Corridor and 110 mph (177 km/h) on the Keystone Corridor. The maximum design speed of the ACS-64 is
135 mph (217 km/h).The ACS-64 belongs to the new Vectron family of locomotives developed by Siemens Mobility.
Vectron is the successor to the tried-and-true
EuroSprinter series (See ES64U4). They are designed to be modular and easily re-configurable through pre-designed mounting points to accommodate different service needs. As the name of the ACS-64 suggests, the locomotive packs
a total power output of 6,400 kW or 8,600 hp at wheel rim.
Like all modern electric locomotives, the ACS-64 is equipped with AC traction motors and regenerative breaking system.

 

Two are now testing as Cab Cars
 
 Information
 Date
 Photo Credit
  Philadelphia  PA
  June 21, 2001
 Jeff Lubchansky
 BWI Airport station MD
bringing up the markers of this extra move.
F-40 315 is in the lead
 October 18, 1999
 Bill Hakkarinen
 Philadelphia  PA
 June 11, 1999
 Jeff Lubchansky
Kingston RI
Jan 2008
Paul McGrane
 Boston MA
Southampton St Yard
Jan 19, 2002 
Ralph Carter 
652 Wilmington Shops Sept 2013 Thomas J Van Haag Jr
 Perry MD
the right place at the right time. This is a
test train for break-in runs of #653,
with only 3 cars.
 July 1, 2001
 Mike Martin
 653
  Philadelphia PA
 Sept 8, 2002
 Dick Leonhardt
   
Joseph Guendert
New London CT
Feb 2012
Joseph Guendert
 Martin Airport near Chase MD
 November 22, 2000
 Choa-Hwa Chen
 654
Wilmington, Delaware
NEC double header!
March 18, 2001
 Bruce Friedman
 654
Boston MA
Southampton St Yard
 July 2, 2001.
 Ralph Carter
  655
Wilmington DE
The photo's came out a bit noisy. Bruce is trying to nail these shots. The trains are traveling at 110mph, so it is a bit of a challenge.
 March 11, 2001
 Bruce Friedman
 
Washington Union Station
 July 1, 2001
 Pete Piszczek
 
  Washington Union Station pan
July 1 , 2001
 Pete Piszczek
 656
Wilmington, Delaware
NEC
March 18, 2001
 Bruce Friedman
 
 656
 Ivy City Terminal
Washington DC
 November 11, 2001
 Jim Hebner
  656
Washington DC
Union Station 
May 25, 2001 
Pete Piszczek 
 
 656
  Baltimore MD
leaving the station on Acela Regional #155
 Feb 24, 2002
 Bill Hakkarinen
HHP-8 657 nose
 February 2001
Ran Baton 
Washington DC
Union Station 
Washington DC
Union Station 
Pete Piszczek 
 Washington DC
Union Station 
 Sept 2001
 Pete Piszczek 
 
 Kingston RI
with snow
 Jan 8, 2002
  Paul McGrane
on Metroliner
 Herman R Silbger
Penn Station NY
on the Vermonter
train 56
April 8, 2008
Steve Kessler
 659
Washington DC
Union Station 
May 25, 2001 
Pete Piszczek 
 659
Washington DC
Union Station 
May 25, 2001 
Pete Piszczek
 659
Washington DC
Union Station 
May 25, 2001 
Pete Piszczek
  Westwood MA
Dec 16, 2001
 Adrian Turner
 659
 Metro Park NJ
Glenn L Rowe
 Glenn L Rowe
Kingston RI
June 2012
Joseph Guendert
 660
Metro Park NJ
Nov 2, 2001
 Glenn L Rowe
 Washington DC
Union Station 
 Bob Redden
660 Perryville NJ June 2005 from the
collection of
Albert Phleep
(LA)
   

Edison NJ
Train 98 - Northbound Silver Meteor

 July 5, 2014 from the
collection of
Albert Phleep
(EL)
 661
Wilmington DE
NEC
 March 18, 2001
 Bruce Friedman
Perryman MD
is on the point of #145
June 13, 2001
 Bill Hakkarinen  
 Boston MA
 Sept 20, 2002
 Dick Leonhardt
 Boston MA 
Jan 28, 2005
Andru Valpy 
New London CT
April 2009
Joseph Guendert
 Boston MA
South Station
 Bob Redden
 
 Boston MA
South Station
 Bob Redden
Wilmington DE
The photo's came out a bit noisy. Bruce was trying to nail these shots. The trains are traveling at 110 mph, so it is a bit of a challenge. Bruce was experimented with ISO 800 film.
 March 11, 2001
 Bruce Friedman
New Haven CT
crew change
Bob Redden
       
New London CT
April 2009
Joseph Guendert
  HHP-8 664 on left, with HST #8 (2019/2014) near
and HST #9 behind (2039/2035)		  February 2001 Ran Baton 
  HHP-8 664 near and 657 far (657 coupled to 9641,
an EMU Metroliner Cab car)		  February 2001 Ran Baton 
HHP8-C Cab Units
    661 became 691, became 90691, was initially not successful, but in Sept 2023 it became 9750, and 692 became 9751.    
9750      





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Contributions welcome and credited.

Most of the photos on this site are from original photos/slides or submissions.
Some photos are from the web - I have tried to get permission to use on all of them, but a few may have slipped through.
Please, let me know if that has happened.

This archive was first accessed Aug 1996