SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Well, you won’t find this on Amazon.com.
Currently on the front page of the online store for California commuter operator Caltrain, between the ugly Holiday Sweater, and the limited-edition HO gauge Stadler electric train (sorry, sold out) is … an F40PH-2 locomotive. Not a model, an actual locomotive.
Click through, and the blurb with the photo of the locomotive notes you can “own a piece of Caltrain history” and that the 1985 F40 comes with 40 years of service and more than 1 million miles traveled. After some lighthearted copy (“perfect for your model trainset, train-themed diners …”), the item gets down to the realities of the situation: its engine will be disabled per the terms of a state grant agreement; the buyer is responsible for storage and shipping, and this is not a eBay “buy it now” situation: you’ll have to bid for it through an Invitation for bids procurement process. And there’s some legalese about indemnifying Caltrain. The locomotives (Caltrain has 20 EMD-built F40PH-2s and three Boise-built F40PH-2Cs) are expected to be available in October once the switch to electrification is complete.
If you’re still interested, there’s a “contact us” link on that page.
Caltrain began operating the first of its Stadler electric trainsets on Sunday, Aug. 11 [see “News photos: Electrified service begins …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 12, 2024]. Full electric service is set to begin Sept. 21.
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