Kato USA - 176-6051-S - ACL-42 - Amtrak - 300

Specific Item Information: w/ Soundtraxx DCC

Model Information: Kato’s new ALC-42 “Charger” model represents the Siemens Diesel-Electric engine as it has been ordered by Amtrak long distance service. This model differs from other regional variations of the “Charger” model with an extended nose section, larger fuel tank and sandfill tank, and other internal modifications to make it better fit Amtrak’s needs for cross country travel. All of these details have been carefully and lovingly replicated on the brand new Kato model, which features totally new molding and design from the ground up.
The smooth curves of the engine are precisely modeled to match the prototype, with a visible engine compartment beneath the engine’s distinctive large grill on the side. In order to duplicate the illuminated engine compartment from the prototype model, an interior lighting kit is capable of being installed into the rear of the engine, allowing modelers to enjoy this extra lighting feature!

DCC Information: Locomotives are DCC friendly with a pre-built speaker housing space in the fuel tank.
- Models suffixed with -DCC are factory-equipped with a Digitrax DCC silent decoder.
- Models suffixed with -S are factory-equipped with a Soundtraxx DCC sound decoder.
Prototypical see through venting on the side of the engine which can be illuminated with the installation of an optional Kato 11-211 Interior Lighting Kit.

This engine accepts the same drop-in decoders as the ACS-64 model:
- Digitrax DN163K4A: 1.25 Amp N Scale Board Replacement Decoder for Kato N Scale Glacier Express and 4-8-4 FEF Steam Locomotive.
- TCS K7D4: 4 Function Drop-In for Kato Glacier Express, SPD40F and ACS-64

Prototype History: The Siemens Charger is a family of diesel-electric passenger locomotives designed and manufactured by Siemens Mobility for the North American market.
There are five variants of the Charger: the SC-44 for Amtrak state-supported inter-city services, the SCB-40 for Brightline inter-city service, the SC-42 for VIA Rail inter-city service, the ALC-42 for Amtrak long-distance service, and the ALC-42E for Amtrak inter-city service.
The first production SC-44 was unveiled on March 26, 2016, and entered revenue service on August 24, 2017, followed by the SCB-40, which inaugurated Brightline service on January 13, 2018. The Siemens’ ALC-42 “Charger” is Amtrak’s newest addition to its roster of long distance diesel locomotives, intended to replace the GE P42 in general passenger service across all of its service area. The first ALC-42 was delivered to Amtrak on June 17, 2021 and entered revenue service on February 8, 2022 on the Empire Builder. The initial six engines from Amtrak were all designed with special paint schemes – with one receiving a “Day one” heritage paint scheme that mimes the very first Amtrak paint scheme applied to E8 #4316 in 1971.

From Wikipedia

Road Name History: The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak, is a passenger railroad service that provides medium- and long-distance intercity service in the contiguous United States. Founded in 1971 through the government-sponsored consolidation of most of the remaining U.S. passenger rail companies, it is partially government-funded yet operated and managed as a for-profit corporation.

Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day on 21,300 miles (34,000 km) of track with select segments having civil operating speeds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states in addition to three Canadian provinces. In fiscal year 2015, Amtrak served 30.8 million passengers and had $2.185 billion in revenue, while employing more than 20,000 people. Nearly two-thirds of passengers come from the 10 largest metropolitan areas; 83% of passengers travel on routes shorter than 400 miles. Its headquarters is at Union Station in Washington, D.C.

The name "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "trak", the latter itself a sensational spelling of "track".

Read more on Wikipedia.

Brand/Importer Information: KATO U.S.A. was established in 1986, with the first U.S. locomotive model (the GP38-2, in N-Scale) released in 1987. Since that time, KATO has come to be known as one of the leading manufacturers of precision railroad products for the modeling community. KATO's parent company, Sekisui Kinzoku Co., Ltd., is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

In addition to producing ready-to-run HO and N scale models that are universally hailed for their high level of detail, craftsmanship and operation, KATO also manufactures UNITRACK. UNITRACK is the finest rail & roadbed modular track system available to modelers today. With the track and roadbed integrated into a single piece, UNITRACK features a nickel-silver rail and a realistic-looking roadbed. Patented UNIJOINERS allow sections to be snapped together quickly and securely, time after time if necessary.

The Kato U.S.A. office and warehouse facility is located in Schaumburg, Illinois, approximately 30 miles northwest of Chicago. All research & development of new North American products is performed here, in addition to the sales and distribution of merchandise to a vast network of wholesale representatives and retail dealers. Models requiring service sent in by hobbyists are usually attended to at this location as well. The manufacturing of all KATO products is performed in Japan.

Supporters of KATO should note that there is currently no showroom or operating exhibit of models at the Schaumburg facility. Furthermore, model parts are the only merchandise sold directly to consumers. (Please view the Parts Catalog of this website for more specific information.)