One Last Selfie. On June 18, 2016, Amtrak operated a "Farewell to The AEM-7" excursion round trip from Washington DC to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AEM-7s 942 and 946 led a 9-car train of railfans and Amtrak executives to bid adieu to the most successful electric locomotive in the United States of the late 20th Century. When the Amtrak was formed in 1971, there was a variety of of electric power on the Northeast Corridor, from Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1s for New Haven EP-5s, all of it beyond its useful service life. With the less than successful adaptation of the GE E60 to passenger service, the EMD/ASEA AEM-7 stepped into the void for the next several decades. They were nicknamed “Swedish Meatballs” by some due to their Swedish origins and “toasters” due to their appearance. This unit was one of 54 produced for Amtrak and one of 29 rebuilt to AEM-7AC standards. The train is seen at Washington DC's Union Station at the end of the day, where passenger disembarked and some took advantage of one final photo opportunity.
