Whose engine is this?


I was watching the news this morning and saw a commercial for a teen driving program by Allstate. The thing that interested met was a shot similar to the one in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww8R1-FoOI8
Look closely as the engine goes by. It is not Amtrak as the cars would suggest. I think it is an E-series locomotive (I am not good with diesel classifications). I know there aren't too many around anymore so I am wondering whose it is? If anyone knows, please let me know. It is bothering me.
 
It's an E unit, probably E8 or E9. these were quite common in commuter runs all over. Most are gone, but these 50-60 year old engines are still earning their keep in various places. Most have been repowered with newer diesel prime movers but still a double engine.
 
Like so many businesses these days, they probably out-sourced the video to some other country. :rolleyes:
 
Looks like one of those Trains in California.
I was wondering if that might be the case. I know there are several short lines out there that do a lot of the movie stuff. I just found it odd that they would use an AB unit with what look like modern cars rather than use genesis engines. Wasn't expecting to see a couple of E series locos pulling an Amtrak consist in a new commercial.
 
I don't know about the train but the station is definitely on the San Francisco Peninsula corridor, most likely Menlo Park or Redwood City. No F units ever ran on those tracks in commuter service, and no cars in that color scheme. The gate appears to come down far too quickly compared to when the train arrives at the crossing. In addition, the train would be slowing for a station stop. I suspect the train was edited in from another source and the rest of the scene is a set-up shot.
 
Those are F's. The key to tell is the dual exhaust. E's have 4 exhausts, and not many E's have been rebuilt like the UP ones. It's two A units, if you watch closely, the cab on the 2nd one is visible when the camera zooms in.
 
Looks like we have Fillmore Railway F7A's 100 & 101.
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=730461
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1422897
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1863646

Judging by the railroad's history, and the few photos of Fillmore CA, I'd say it was filmed there.
It appears the red stipes were added after 2005, since they didn't have them in a picture dated 2005, but did in a photo dated 2009.

It doesn't have ditch lights? I thought that was a requirement.
I think the rule is if the locomotive doesn't have ditch lights, it's restricted to 25 mph. They can still run, and even lead.
 
To be exact on the location, it is in Santa Paula by the restored SP depot. And about the train speed, the background film of the train is playing back faster, as the track speed im sure is no faster than 15 MPH, and about the lack of ditchlights, the rule is ditchlights or another accepted warning light method which is a gyra light or mars light as those F units are both equipped with them, and the lights are still acceptable as a warning light.
 
Great find, Josh. I would have sworn the station was on the CalTrain line. It certainly looked to me like the trains was edited in somehow, so speeding it up makes sense. You can actually see the image change behind the guys head as the passenger cars go by if you look close.

Check the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Volume 4, Parts 200 to 399 for lighting regulations. It generally requires three lights, a headlight and two other lights mounted no more than 36 inches above the track, all forming a triangle. An exception is made for any locomotive that had a steadily burning white light producing at least 200,000 candela in a moving beam that depicts a circle or a horizontal figure "8" to the front, about the longitudinal centerline of the locomotive ...that were ordered for installation on that locomotive prior to January 1, 1996 is considered in compliance with the Locomotive Conspicuity requirements. I believe both of these locomotives are ex-C&NW F's used in commuter service out of Chicago so they had their Mars lights installed long before 1996. There's no evidence of a speed restriction using Mars lights that I can find. There is some debate about adding ditchlights if the engine is "substantially rebuilt", but that has never been fully defined by the FRA.
 
Thanks. I've seen the NS Executive F units, and they have ditch lights, so I thought that all F units had to have ditch lights.
 



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