Atlas N Master® Modern Commuter Train

 

The ALP-45DP is a “dual mode” locomotive, capable of drawing power from either overhead electrical wires or its own pair of 12-cylinder Caterpillar diesel engines. These flexible locomotives were designed to provide a one-seat commute from NJ TRANSIT’s various diesel-only lines into the electrified territory that leads to New York City’s Penn Station. This fulfills the requirement of not operating diesels through the North River Tunnels and within the subterranean Penn Station complex.  Produced by Bombardier Transportation in Kassel, Germany, the first ALP-45DP locomotive entered service on NJ TRANSIT on May 30, 2012. 

NJ TRANSIT’s 35 ALP-45DP locomotives are commonly seen on commuter trains traversing the Morristown Line, Montclair-Boonton Line, Raritan Valley Line, and North Jersey Coast Line. These lines do not have overhead electrical wires for their entire length, necessitating a change of power source somewhere en-route. Previously, locomotives or entire trainsets would have to be changed, inconveniencing riders. The ALP-45DP alleviates this need, performing the switch from diesel to electric power (or vice versa) in just under two minutes during a routine station stop.

Concurrent with its purchase of ALP-45DP locomotives, NJ TRANSIT also purchased 62 multi-level cab cars from Bombardier Transportation. These cab cars are used on the opposite end of the train from the ALP-45DP locomotive to facilitate “push-pull” operations, where the engineer in the cab car can control the locomotive pushing from the other end of the train. A cab car provides an engineer with all of the same controls as a locomotive cab, allowing the train to reverse direction without turning around. Cab cars also include all standard locomotive safety features, such as a horn and bell.

The multi-levels’ fixed 2-2 seating arrangement provides ample legroom and maximizes passenger comfort while increasing capacity. All of NJ TRANSIT’s cab cars also include toilets. NJ TRANSIT’s multi-level cab cars have a capacity of 127 commuters (approximately 17% more than its single-level counterpart, the Comet V). These cars routinely operate over most routes on both the Hoboken and Newark Divisions of NJ TRANSIT, carrying over 300,000 commuters daily to and from destinations all over New Jersey and into New York’s busy Penn Station.

In addition to its multi-level cab cars, NJ TRANSIT operates an additional 367 multi-level trailer coaches without cabs. Ninety-nine of these cars include a toilet and have a passenger seating capacity of 132 commuters. The remaining 268 trailer cars do not have a toilet, and feature seating for 142 passengers. The multi-level trailer cars are always operated in matching sets (with a multi-level cab car on one end and a locomotive on the other), and these cars carry commuters over 2.2 billion miles every year.

Approximately 20 multi-level trailer cars on NJ TRANSIT are adorned with one of four vinyl wraps promoting railroad safety. These models feature crisp lettering and designs created directly from the prototype’s original artwork.

ALP-45DP Features:

  • Designed from prototype drawings and field research with the cooperation of NJ TRANSIT
  • Illuminated directional LED headlight/ditchlights and red marker lights
  • Pantograph (non-functioning) can be positioned up or down
  • Five pole skewed armature motor with dual flywheels for optimum performance at all speeds
  • Factory-applied railings, air horn, and antenna details
  • Grab irons packed separately for customer application (includes drilling template)

Silver version features:

  • DCC Ready

Gold version features:

  • ESU LokSound decoder, supporting all DCC programming modes
  • Flexible mapping of function keys F0 to F28
  • A total of six DCC function outputs
  • Follows all NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices
Multi-level Cab Car Features:
  • Designed from prototype drawings and field research with the cooperation of NJ TRANSIT
  • Illuminated directional LED headlight/ditchlights and red marker lights
  • Interior includes seat details and LED illumination
  • Provision for mounting a speaker
  • Separately applied air horn, antenna, lift lugs, end barriers, and rubber diaphragms
  • Free-rolling metal wheels
Multi-level Trailer Cars Features:
  • Designed from prototype drawings and field research with the cooperation of NJ TRANSIT
  • Interior includes seat details and LED illumination
  • Separately applied lift lugs, end barriers, and rubber diaphragms
  • Free-rolling metal wheels

Check availability of the commuter cars on the Atlas Online Store

Check availability of ALP45DP on the Atlas Online Store

Silver Item# Road Name Road Number Gold Item#
June 2018
ALP-45DP Gold MSRP: $259.95 ALP-45DP Silver MSRP: $149.95
N ALP-45DP Locomotive
40 004 228 AMT 1350 40 004 255
40 004 229 AMT 1355 40 004 256
40 004 230 AMT 1362 40 004 257
40 004 231 AMT 1364 40 004 258
40 004 232 Bombardier Demonstrator 4500 40 004 259
Item# Road Name Road Number
June 2018
Multi-level Cab Car MSRP: $69.95 Multi-level Trailer MSRP: $54.95
Modern Commuter Cab & Trailer 3-Pack MSRP: $179.85
Modern Commuter Train Set MSRP: $274.85
N Multi-level Cab Car
50 004 385 AMT 3000
50 004 386 AMT 3007
50 004 387 AMT 3014
50 004 388 AMT 3018
N Multi-level Trailer
50 004 389 AMT 3030
50 004 390 AMT 3044
50 004 391 AMT 3058
50 004 392 AMT 3073
50 004 393 AMT 3077
50 004 394 AMT 3091
50 004 395 AMT 3101
50 004 396 AMT 3111
50 004 397 AMT 3122
50 004 398 AMT 3135
50 004 399 AMT 3149
50 004 400 AMT 3163
50 004 401 AMT 3096
50 004 402 AMT 3108
50 004 403 AMT 3120
50 004 404 AMT 3151
N Modern Commuter Cab Car & Trailer 3-Pack
50 004 405 AMT (Cab Car 3022, Coach (trailer)303 , Coach (trailer) 3087)
N Modern Commuter Train Set
50 004 406 AMT (ALP-45DP Loco 1368, Cab Car 3025, Coach (trailer)3066)