ABB ALP-44

New Jersey Transit acquired 32 ALP-44s for use on its electric lines. The first fifteen, numbered 4400–4414 and designated ALP-44O (Original), were delivered in 1990 (prototypes 4400 and 4001 in late 1989). Five additional units, numbered 4415–4419 and designated ALP-44E (Extended), were delivered in 1995. The final 12 locomotives, numbered 4420–4431 and designated ALP-44M (Microprocessor), were delivered in 1996[2]^:45 for the new Midtown Direct service.

NJT's ALP-44's were to be overhauled for a cost of $2 million during a two-year period by Philadelphia-based Interfleet Technology. A car builder had not yet been selected to carry out the overhaul.[3] However, as of June 2009, NJT has decided that it would be more efficient (economically and physically) to replace the ALP-44's rather than overhaul them, and has exercised an option of 9 additional ALP-46A's to enable the replacement to take place.[4]

As of late 2011, all NJ Transit ALP-44 O, E, and M locomotives have been retired. All units were retired with the delivery of the remaining ALP-46A locomotives, except Nos. 4405, 4407 and 4409, which were assigned to the Atlantic City Express Service (ACES); however, these remaining units were also placed into retirement with the cancellation of ACES service in early 2012. Unit Nos. 4402, 4403, 4408 and 4410 were leased by Amtrak for work train service through the Hudson River tunnels for a period of time during summer 2011, but have since been returned.

During 2012, the ALP-44's were prepared for storage in groups of five at a time. This work includes the removal of pantographs and having the cab windows covered with steel plating. These units were then moved to Port Morris Yard and the Lackawanna Cut-Off stub track for storage in Stanhope, New Jersey, where they are now stored today.[5]

SEPTA received a single ALP-44M unit, #2308, from ABB, which was part of a damage settlement for a lawsuit stemming from the late delivery of N5 cars for the Norristown High Speed Line.[6] It was replaced along with the AEM-7s with the ACS-64 in October 2018, with a farewell trip on December 1, 2018.[7][8][9]

After the farewell, 2308, as well as seven AEM-7's, were leased to NJ Transit to help alleviate a locomotive shortage due to positive train control installation on their locomotives. However, they were never used for New Jersey Transit and returned to SEPTA in May 2019. The AEM-7s and the ALP-44 are now used exclusively in SEPTA work service.

The ALP-44M is a variant of the original ALP-44 design. It included a microprocessor control for functions such as braking and the then new EPIC brake control stand. These locomotives were notorious for their faulty software, which frequently caused problems and kept them out of service for maintenance.