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Technical Data |
The ALP-46 was based on the design of the Deutsche Bahn BR101 and was envisioned to be able to power trains that consisted of up to ten of NJ TRANSIT’s then-new Bombardier multilevel Comet VI coaches.
After testing, the first of the ALP-46 units formally entered NJ TRANSIT service in April 2002.
Based upon the success of the ALP-46, NJ TRANSIT in 2009-2011 acquired 36 (NJ TRANSIT 4629-4664) ALP-46A electric locomotives. Slightly heavier and more powerful, and with a top speed of 124 mph, the ALP-46As represented a refinement of the previous model.To some degree, the ALP-46 and ALP-46A locomotives are interchangeable on NJ TRANSIT assigned services, but with its higher tractive effort and top speed, the ALP-46A tends to be assigned most frequently to heavy trains on the Amtrak® owned Northeast Corridor while the ALP-46s handle assignments throughout the electrified sections of NJ TRANSIT. This fact makes the choice of the ALP-46 (rather than the ALP-46A) most appropriate for use on the North Jersey Coast Line route.