GE P32AC-DM - Sound and DCC -- Amtrak #715 (Phase III, silver, red, white, blue, black, Empire Service)

The Rapido Trains HO Scale GE P32AC-DM is based on the locomotives that have the ability to operate as diesel-electric locos or as electric locos using third-rail pickups. Dual-powered locomotives are nothing new to New York commuter operations. Since the early 1900s, the main concern was diesel emissions inside the tunnels that led to Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station. Metro-North and Amtrak were looking to replace their aging fleet of EMD FL9s with a modern dual-mode diesel. Enter the GE P32AC-DM Genesis Series II locomotive in the late 1990s, which saw Amtrak order 18 of these units. The P32AC-DM designation may be a mouthful, but it is an acronym for: Passenger, 3,200 horsepower, Alternating Current, Dual-Mode. The P32AC-DM is the dual-mode cousin to the similar diesel-only P40 and P42DC passenger locomotives. In the 2020s, P32AC-DMs make their living on Empire Service trains out of Penn Station to Albany-Rensselear, as well as services to Toronto and Montreal. These locomotives have worn a number of paint schemes throughout their careers: Phase III, Phase IV, Phase V and the current Phase III Empire Service scheme. One of the most notable spotting features of the current day fleet are the emergency nose doors. These were applied around 2018, when Amtrak temporarily rerouted services to Grand Central Terminal during work inside of Penn Station. This Rapido model features, appropriate lighting packages and Rapido semi-scale knuckle couplers on both ends. The smooth-running drive features a five-pole motor with dual flywheels, backed up with the MoPower capacitor system for uninterrupted operation. This locomotive is equipped with a full-featured ESU LokSound V5 decoder for realistic sound and DCC control. The P32AC-DM is part of the line of Rapido Trains HO Scale locomotives.