F59PH: 3,000 hp (2.24 MW) F59PHI: 3,200
hp (2.4 MW)
Career
Locale
Canada, United States
The EMD F59PH is a four-axle 3,000 hp (2 MW)
B-Bdiesel-electriclocomotive built by General Motors
Electro-Motive Division from 1988 to 1994. A variant, the F59PHI, was produced from 1994 to 2001. The F59PH was originally built for
GO Transit commuter operation in the
Toronto region.
Metrolink in
Southern California also purchased a fleet for its 1992 launch. The streamlined F59PHI was designed for
Amtrak California intercity service. A total of 72 F59PH and 83 F59PHI locomotives were built.
Seven Metrolink units were rebuilt as F59PHR. The non-rebuilt Metrolink locomotives were retired by 2020.[14] Five of those were purchased by NCDOT in 2018.[15]
The F59PHI is a variant with a fully enclosed streamlined
carbody. The first nine units were purchased by
Caltrans for use on
Amtrak California services and entered service in 1994.[16] Like the F59PH, the F59PHI is equipped with a secondary electrical generator – rated between 500 and 750
kW (670 and 1,010
hp) – for HEP.[17] A total of 83 locomotives were built, most for commuter rail and Amtrak corridor services on the West Coast.[18]
Two F59PHI locomotives were built in 1995 for
Philip Morris Companies to haul the Marlboro Unlimited, a custom built luxury train to carry winners of a Philip Morris sweepstakes around the country. After Philip Morris cancelled the train, the units were stored before being sold to Metrolink in 1998.[19][20]
Some units are still in service with the original owners, while others have been retired. The 21 ex-Amtrak units were sold to Metra in 2018.[21]
McDonnell, Greg (2015). Locomotives: The Modern Diesel and Electric Reference (2nd ed.). Richmond Hill, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
ISBN978-1-77085-609-7.