The new Amtrak Midwest Charger locomotives manufactured by Siemens will be in the lead on the Missouri River Runner service in time for the Thanksgiving holiday rush.

The new clean, efficient and higher performing locomotives are expected to begin operations on Nov. 16 or 17.

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Siemens was awarded a $225 million contract in 2014 to build diesel-electric Charger locomotives for a consortium of four Midwestern States: Missouri, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. The funding is 100 percent federal..

The state of Illinois led the procurement. The new fleet of 33 locomotives is branded as Amtrak Midwest.

There will not be an official media event in Missouri, as a news conference was already hosted in Chicago on August 28, 2017, to unveil the new equipment and marketing brand.  However, information will be shared on the Missouri River Runner’s social media sites.

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