Amtrak No. X995 test locomotive, late 1970s.
Color photograph of No. X995, a Swedish electric locomotive tested by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor as a possible replacement for the GG-1. Photograph most likely dates to mid-1970s.
- Photograph Details
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- Date Archived:
- June 13, 2013
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
In 1976, Amtrak tested French and Swedish locomotives on the Northeast Corridor in an attempt to find a replacement for the aging GG-1 locomotives originally built for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Swedish model, a Rc4 locomotive designed by Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (ASEA), was designated the x995 during its testing phase. The x995 wears the Amtrak Phase II livery introduced in 1975. The Rc4's lightweight design won out and became the basis for the Amtrak dual cab AEM-7. Amtrak contracted with the General Motors Corporation's Electro-Motive Division (EMD) to manufacture the AEM-7, which was produced from 1978 to 1988 and could reach top speeds of 125 mph.
