NEW Coaster Trains and Charger Locomotives

San Diego County’s Coaster commuter train just got a fresh new look. On February 8th, 2021, North County Transit District began running its brand new SC-44 “Charger” locomotives on all Coaster trains. The Chargers are among the most advanced diesel-electric locomotives on the rails today. They offer significantly improved acceleration over the older equipment as well as quieter running engines and lower exhaust emissions, making the locomotives some of the only passenger diesels currently available that meet strict EPA Tier 4 standards. February 8th also marked the debut of four recently overhauled Bombardier bilevel coach cars, originally built in 1997. The cars received all new interiors with redesigned seat configurations, new seating material, charging outlets, new LED interior lighting, and more. The cars were given improvements to their suspension systems for a better ride quality as well as a brand new scheme. Let’s take a visit to coastal San Diego County to see the newly refreshed train set and brand new Charger locomotives in Coaster commuter train service.
Music from the KZbin audio library.
CoasterFan2105 is the home of all sorts of train and railroad related video content. Stop by every Friday at 9 AM Pacific time for an all new railroading adventure and be sure to check out all of my social media pages @coasterfan2105 for even more great railroad content. Thanks, and I'll see you down the line!

[@RXMattCARailfan]

Great video! Sad to see the F40s go. The Cabcars in the new scheme is a Wrap as you can see the Faded blue coaster paint on the top. But they just testing with it and will put the real paint later on. new seats and other details.

[@trainzguy2472]

Oh, so that's why. I thought someone at the factory forgot to do their job.

[@CoasterFan2105]

You are correct, the 2301 has a wrap. I believe 2302 will be the next one to get a wrap. Thanks for watching!

[@kl6361]

@@CoasterFan2105 Coaster fan I’ve got an idea the Amtrak Capitol corridor and San Joaquin is the Pacific Surfliner In Southern California I want you to send the coaster trains to Northern California and the ace train to Southern California and the Metrolink train in Northern California

[@kl6361]

@@CoasterFan2105 Even the Pacific surfliner to Northern California

[@kl6361]

@@CoasterFan2105 Hey coasterfan can you replace the old cars of the coaster train and the new cars north county transit district

[@ethanmitchell6687]

We will all miss the F40PH and the F59PHI

[@amtrakandmetrolinkbnsfprod604]

I know

[@jjxtwo1]

Not all of us. The SC-44 is such a big improvement.

[@Zackman217]

Those guys were great.

[@sebastianfloyd372]

Coaster Sold Their F40s To The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum

[@amtrakandmetrolinkbnsfprod604]

@@sebastianfloyd372 where is that at

[@spencerhughes2255]

Great work, Mike! So many great shots in this one.

[@thealmightydoge5653]

Hey spencer!!! Large fan of your work, keep it up!

[@ronwong6102]

I got my new coaster sc-44 charger

[@pharoahhooks6179]

You have great videos spencer

[@DianREGIOasis]

Hi, Spencer Hugues👋, it's very okay?

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks, Spencer!

[@CosmicGaming_1234]

Sad to see the oldies go, but let’s give the future a chance and see what it holds for Coaster in a few years :)

[@fortworthemergencyresponse5305]

The new coaster scheme is on point. The charger is looking good along with the bi-level cars. Good catches and good video. 👍👌

[@Railviation]

Awesome video CF! I was railfanning yesterday for the Coaster Chargers and the horn was really powerful that made the ground shake!

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thank you! Yes, the horns are very loud!

[@ryansrailfanning]

@@LJRailfan-Gamer_07. LOL, agreed

[@TrainsDirectVictoria]

To be honest it looks really nice! I’m happy coaster is finally upgrading. Yes it’s sad to see the old locos go but eventually it has to happen. Anyway great video as usual mike 👍

[@CoasterFan2105]

I agree! Thanks for watching!

[@nolantherailfan5048]

@@CoasterFan2105 people say the SC44 is ugly but I like the look of it

[@kl6361]

@@CoasterFan2105 I felt sad because the F40 is gone 😥😥😥😭😭😭😭😭

[@gnnascarfan2410]

@@nolantherailfan5048 Trust me, by the time the 2040s come along and the SC-44's get replaced everyone is going to miss them.

[@railwaysfan92]

Thanks Mike. The new paint scheme looks beautiful and the charger locomotive seems to be a good efficient one.

[@CRtrain]

Never thought I’d say this but I’m actually loving the new chargers. Great video as usual!

[@pacificostudios]

NCTD just started its Winter 2021 schedule, and in the process greatly INCREASED the frequencies of Coasters. More than 30 trains a day on weekdays, and more than 20 trains a day on weekends. All this because NCTD finally has enough locos to pull all these trains, and so much of the line is double track now.

[@adianchowdhury9016]

it gets even better when you consider the rail-to-rail program with the Surfliner; with a day/month pass, you get an additional 22 trains daily, albeit with service only to Solana Beach and Oceanside from San Diego

[@WesternOregonRailfan]

Like the new paint scheme really like the new inside We’re all gonna miss the F40’s

[@lucastherailfanningferret6910]

:(

[@TheAustinSubRailfan]

I’m gonna miss them too :( especially the k5la’s on the f40’s

[@CoasterFan2105]

New scheme looks good, but I will miss the old. I’m just happy the F40s are going to a good home.

[@WesternOregonRailfan]

@@CoasterFan2105 where are they being sold to

[@TheAustinSubRailfan]

It’s good to know that f40’s are not all gonna get scraped

[@TripleMofficial15]

The chargers are now my type of locomotives, the future is coming :)

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks for watching!

[@dannywilliamson3340]

I would sure like to hear a Charger idling up close. That huge Cummins has got to be different.

[@IronHorsefan1869]

I love the Coaster's new look, hopefully I'll be able to see them next month, great video as always!

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thank you!

[@TranscontinentalRailfan]

Thank you for making this video, Mike. Happy to see new Charger locomotives in service. Glad the Coaster F40s will be preserved. I can't wait for more passenger rail services to order Charger locomotives. Maybe my local commuter railroad VRE will get some in the future, we'll see.

[@RandomRailfan828]

The paint schemes on the cars look amazing I’m going to miss the older locomotives and paint schemes but the new chargers and the new paint schemes look amazing

[@BenjiCollier]

Wow, so much has changed! I remember riding this as a little kid. It’s what started my love of trains! I used to go with my grandpa to Oceanside TC and watch them when I was as young as 2 years old! Those F40PH-2C engines are still my favorite! The sounds, the horns, the smell, all are what made my childhood so amazing! You will be missed F59PHIs and F40s!

[@strasburgsteamproductions3302]

Wow! That’s so cool! The new charger locomotives and coaches look amazing!

[@WaynoGur]

When I lived in San Diego I would regularly take the coaster to Encinitas. I loved it.

[@Zackman217]

I love the new look Coster is taking. The coach cars look more cleaner both the interior and exterior. And as much as I’m liking the new SC-44’s I still miss the F40PH’s and F59PHI’s.

[@davidng2336]

Thank god they chose to refurbish some of the older cab cars instead of completely replacing them with the incoming CEM ones.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

Some will be replaced, but I'm not sure how many. 2301 has only been wrapped, so they might all be replaced eventually

[@CoasterFan2105]

I’m glad we get to see what the old cab cars look like in the new scheme. In terms of what will happen to them in the long term, that’s unknown at the time. I think NCTD wants to replace all cab cars with the newer CEM ones, butbthat will laregely be dependent on securing fundin for them. Three are currently on order.

[@davidng2336]

@@CoasterFan2105 Correct. So that most likely means some of the older cab cars will be refurbished for continued service as well. I know some railfans really hate CEM cab cars but in my honest opinion I'm not that picky about it.

[@Railfanner2019]

Those locomotives are beautiful. I love the new paint!

[@moredenmark_life1867]

I've traveled across USA twice by Amtrak. Great experiences. Nice to ser your videos here. Great jobs.

[@curtisdaniel9294]

The Siemens Engines ARE much quieter! Impressed. The wheels on the tracks seem to "outnoise" the engine. That's base on the sound quality of my speakers!

[@CoasterFan2105]

I noticed that too! The rest of the train is louder than the engine noise.

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

I love how the charger is almost the perfect size for those cars. Its so satisfying to see the rooflines meet up.

[@6armsplay]

Mike, thank you so much for providing these videos. My son loves trains, but due to the pandemic, we haven't able to ride trains for more than a year now. And I love he still keeps his love for trains by watching your videos daily. Again, thank you for putting out these high quality train videos!

[@J-rock-moto8230]

Wow future trains are here.👍

[@NotJeremy_]

Cab car: not bad Coach: meh Charger: cool

[@outcoredragraces8656]

Amtrak and St. Louis metrolink meet EVEN BETTER

[@SpotterCrazyperson]

Awesome new locomotive! Beautiful train!

[@MistuhKayTrains]

R.I.P F40PH and F59PHI You will be missed 😢

[@CoasterFan2105]

The F40s will get a special video this Friday!

[@MistuhKayTrains]

@@CoasterFan2105 😀

[@W4RR3N-AX]

Coaster SC-44 are stupid

[@Handlesarestoopid]

@@W4RR3N-AX but its progress so stop being so much of a foamer and accept changes

[@BJB3694]

​@@Handlesarestoopidnah word

[@Handlesarestoopid]

Let's leave a salute to the F40PHM-2c and F59PHIS

[@peterprice6898]

Those new coaster trains look really nice but They look even much better in the inside I think I would like to ride those shiny new lookin trains.

[@CoasterFan2105]

The ride quality of the refurbished cars is really nice!

[@peterprice6898]

Yeah!

[@offensivebias1898]

Trying to get myself to like the Chargers..... but I can't. I am going to miss the hell out the P42. I saw one today and man it was a treat.

[@IronHorsefan1869]

To each their own, Im ready for the 42s to be retired as they're old and outdated and the phase 5 on most of them is the most barf worthy scheme I've ever seen, the phase 7 looks 1000 times better

[@alexisvaldez1819]

I enjoyed the Coaster chargers for over 2 years!! I ❤ it!

[@pacificostudios]

You picked up many beautiful shots of one of the most beautiful commuter rail journeys in North America.

[@pacificostudios]

BTW, I had a chance to take a good look at a Charger this weekend, and they are a lot longer than the F59PHI that they replaced. About 13 feet, as it turns out. An SC-44 is more than a foot longer than an EMD E-8, despite having two less axles.

[@Survivor1547]

The new Coaster SC-44 locomotive looks Awesome.

[@geofferywickline4846]

I love the teal front end of the Chargers.

[@dominicc1981]

The coaster paint looks really nice now I see why you have it as your picture

[@denault3985]

Great photography of course, loving the new color scheme...so San Diego!

[@jamesthomas2163]

Thanks, good job. I have seen at lot of things come and go over the years, but seeing new things keep me interested.

[@UPProductions-kk6bg]

I love charger locomotives 😀 also ❤️IT

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks for watching!

[@UPProductions-kk6bg]

No problem I’ve been watching since your channel started

[@araelguillen8764]

Cool....... Note: it's the best day ever! 🎵🎤🙋👍🚂🚃🚃

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks for watching!

[@araelguillen8764]

@@CoasterFan2105 happy weekend! 🙋👍🚂🚃🚃🏠🎊🎆

[@geofferywickline4846]

I love the teal front end of the SC-44 Chargers F40PH-3C's and F59PHI's.

[@felixthetrainfan4819]

I can't wait for these new paint coaster :D

[@mattfilms29]

Felix great catch

[@TM-bk3ok]

Great! Finally nice to see a paint scheme between the chargers and coaches that wasn’t botched.

[@mariosonicaviationrailroad6703]

As Prince Charming said in Shrek The Third: “A new era finally begins”.

[@auricom8472]

Best comment for the video.

[@Xander-m1w]

@@thomascunningham5013 Ah yes, Prince Charming in a train video.

[@kevp9601]

Congratulations, Mike Armstrong! And Happy Friday, By The Way! :-D

[@jamesross8266]

Those train shots near the beach is the best

[@Xander-m1w]

They look so beautiful, I want to go to San Diego!

[@CoasterFan2105]

They sure do! Thanks for watching!

[@Xander-m1w]

@@CoasterFan2105 your welcome!

[@thealmightydoge5653]

Sure the scheme might look cool... But god the F40s will always be my favorite. I miss those workhorses. Long live the F40s!!!

[@RockvilleTrainFan]

Nice K5LA on the cab cars!

[@trainfan2255]

Love the new cars and locos! I always check every Friday for your video. I sorta call Friday's coaster day!

[@bertcresta6685]

Excellent video! Congrats!

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks!

[@RailwayTV]

The video is so beautiful, it makes sense to me.

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thank you!

[@menguardingtheirownwallets6791]

Those locomotives are amazing! They are so quiet!

[@justinjrailfanproductions1164]

I'm glad you got an chance to see them

[@amtrakandcsxrailfanning164]

great catches and video of these new coaster engines first day runs

[@dannywilliamson3340]

I like how you don't attempt those shaky, nauseating zoom-outs that seem to be that other guy's signature move. Good job.

[@geofferywickline4846]

The East River Railroad in Princeton West Virginia uses Bombardier Horizons and Budd Amfleet I cars with 50th Anniversary P43DC's and P40DC's.

[@CoastalOCRailfan]

They don't look half-bad, IMO. After all, all good things must come to an end, and new things begin. Great video!

[@sergiokodemo6925]

I'm from Argentina and not knowing much about the area, really liked and enjoyed your video. Chargers were love at first sight. Had some doubts about how these locomotives would perform in Amtrak demanding long distance services but seems like the ALC-42 model may prove up to the task. Will be sad about the GEs gradually going. Just subscribed and will be a nice experience watching your videos!

[@southerntransconYT]

I Hope these Chargers will Make better improvement as F40 are gone now :( Cool Video!!

[@mattfilms29]

What?

[@Handlesarestoopid]

They will

[@kansasstatealerting717]

I love the way the K5LAs sound on the chargers

[@californiadentalcertificat205]

Yesterday I was hoping to see one of the test strains so great work Mike : )

[@Elginoof]

That looks cool it looks like the new Amtrak

[@jensuwe.ossmann]

Beautiful work. The Coaster with new trains. 😊🤗👍

[@nikkiiv9259]

I like how Siemens and Cummins both worked on this locomotive

[@PrincessAmtrakMinamoto]

Great video. I still can’t believe Five Coaster F40ph locomotives has been retired. ):

[@Handlesarestoopid]

It was probably for the best. They were getting quite old and weren't meeting new EPA standards anymore

[@alpharailroadproductions]

Awesome video documentary Mike god bless you and keep making awesome content

[@CoasterFan2105]

I will! Thanks for watching!

[@tonykarasek4816]

Enjoyed every minute. Thank you !

[@ClearTrackSpeed]

It's gonna be interesting trying to recognise the new paint scheme but time marches on; thanks for sharing

[@svtrains4773]

Great collection! Super! Thanks!

[@ksmash2816]

Love coasters new setup, thanks for the vid

[@christiel7439]

Oh wowie the new carrige scheme is awesome!

[@ciello___8307]

the paint scheme is awesome

[@Pensyfan19]

Great footage! Glad to hear that coaster is refurbishing their coaches instead or replacing and retiring them.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

They've placed that option on the Alstom Bi-Levels…

[@Pensyfan19]

@Acerailfan3303 Trackside I thought so, with the announcement of the new CEM cab cars.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

They're probably refurbishing them so they can expand service

[@Pensyfan19]

@Acerailfan3303 Trackside That's what I thought.

[@Pensyfan19]

@Acerailfan3303 Trackside w h y ?

[@valeriebassett3107]

Beautiful train. I really like the color scheme. Thanks for sharing.

[@luisurbieta8924]

Love the Video I do wanna see more of these videos!

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

I love how 2301 has the last good K5LA on the roster. I made a comment in on a video years ago about it wouldnt shock me if 2301 was the only cabcar that sounds good in the future, and here we are in 2021.

[@brandonaviation6010]

Awesome video!

[@metro-northrailroadproduct5043]

Nice video Mike

[@kevp9601]

We'll Keep Up The Good Work! I Love Your New KZbin Video!! :-D

[@rhettrossalbert]

Nice Video Mike! :) ❤️👍

[@CoasterFan2105]

Thanks, Rhett! :D

[@Fatal_Inertia]

I would've liked to see them keep the F59 shape but the new pain scheme is pretty cool.

[@Fatal_Inertia]

It's taken some time but the SC has grown on me, its nice to see a perfect consist again.

[@thomasmatteson9284]

This is a wonderful video, especially for those of us who love the Coaster and can't get out there to see it. I would buy a DVD of this if you have one available. I have four models of the SC-44 Chargers and have the Coaster one on order. I hope Athearn will make some Bombardier cars in the new paint scheme. Thank you for making this presentation. Tom

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Plus excellent commentary from you mike

[@chrisylink]

Great looking consist those interiors are much imporoved

[@KJW-Transit]

These trains look so good

[@csxchicagoline5523]

Great video! A lot of really nice catches and some really cool locations! 👍🏻

[@railfantrainsofsandiegopro2101]

Nice catches! I love the new interiors😀

[@FlamerSmasherMBXCar]

Amtrak Missouri River Runner trains use new Siemens Charger locomotives too. But I do miss the GE Genesis locomotives that Amtrak Missouri River train used to have.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Sorrento valley looks like a magnificent location

[@xaviertrktechnicianwarrior1972]

Black always mix with other colors, so it fit perfectly on new coaster livery

[@NortheastCorridorFilms]

Im gonna miss the good ol F40PHs... The locomotive that started YOUR channel! MBTA is also getting rid of The 2Cats... I will miss you F40s, it was wonderful working with yall. But everything has to end at some point. It was fun, it was RIP

[@MrBnsftrain]

A complete train of the new livery! Something other commuter lines have yet to achieve. The cab cars do look odd without any diagonal striping on the front

[@Noodle_Train]

Awesome! Couldn’t wait for this video

[@geofferywickline4846]

Princeton West Virginia's East River Railroad uses all locomotives and passenger cars.

[@amtrakboy4155]

Love the new intro, nice video I’ll for sure miss the F40s

[@isabelaandaj]

5:02 Nice horn on Coaster cab car 2309. The new trains are running well. (Sorry about my grammar. It just corrected me)

[@gogofuntime_yt]

Amazing footage!