NJ TRANSIT® ALP-46

Technical Data
Total Produced: 29
Weight: 90t
Length: 19.51m (64ft 0.11in)
Engine Power: 5,300kW (7,108hp)
Max Speed: 99mph (160km/h)

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.