Genesis Photos
By Frank English and Pete Piszczek

Frank English is the official photographer for Metro-North. To take the photos below, he was in charge of the movement of the train and was wearing proper safety gear. He also had protection from the Rail Traffic Controller from trains moving at 90 mph on the adjacent track. Do not try to duplicate these pictures. If you trespass in this area, you will risk arrest by the MTA police, or being struck by a train moving at high speed. You can take pictures at the Breakneck Ridge station, which is located off Route 9D, just north of Cold Spring, NY but don't stand on the tracks. The two photos at the bottom were taken by Pete Piszczek of Amtrak unit 800, which was the first Genesis engine produced by GE in April, 1993. It was not a dual mode unit and had DC traction motors and 4,000 horsepower. The dual mode units used by Amtrak and Metro-North, have AC traction motors and a higher top speed (110 vs 103 mph) with a smaller 3,200 horsepower diesel. The carbody of the 800 was manufactured in Germany and flown to the US on a Russian cargo plane. GE workers convinced the company that they could produce the units in Erie at a lower cost to GE, so later units were all produced in Erie, PA.

219 at Bannerman's Island Shot with a Hasselblad Superwide using Fuji NPS 160 film.	Northbound on 2 The 219 pauses on track 2 near Bannerman's Island. Shot with a Contax 645 and Fuji NPS 160 film
Wide Hudson View Another Hasselblad Superwide shot (cropped) using Fuji NPS 160 film	Old and New An FL9 consist passing on track one at 79 mph
Coming and Going Genesis power north and south	By the Riverside The afternoon sun shines on the 219, shot with a Contax 645 using Fuji NPS 160 film
Metro-North 219 A close-up view of a new Genesis shot with a Contax 645 using Fuji 160 film	Bannerman's Castle Another shot with a Hasselblad Superwide using Fuji NPS 160 film. Bannerman's Castle is visible at right.
The Original Amtrak Genesis Unit 800, the first one produced by GE in 1993 - Photos by Pete Piszczek	From Germany The first Genesis frame was manufactured in Germany and flown to the US on a Russian cargo plane. Later units were made in Erie, PA by GE. Photo by Pete Piszczek

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Last updated November 10, 2010