Amtrak’s retired HHP8 electric locomotives — nicknamed “Hippos” during their relatively short operating life — are nearing their return to service as cab cars. The company operated crew-familiarization specials between New York and Wilmington, Del., on April 7-8, and will reportedly operate more this week. On April 8, cab cars Nos. 9751 and 9750 sandwiched an extra powered by ACS64 No. 623.
Fifteen of the Bombardier-Alstom locomotives were delivered in 2001 and retired by 2015 after a career marked by reliability issues. Amtrak began testing the depowered locomotives in a cab-car role in 2023 [see “News photo: Amtrak HHP8 tests …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 3, 2023]. The converted locomotives will allow Amtrak to retire or bolster its fleet of ex-Metroliner cab cars for the increased use of push-pull service on the corridor [see “Fixed forward and backward seating …,” News Wire, Feb. 28, 2024].
