They Laughed At His 'Toaster' On Wheels - Then It Saved America's Passenger Rail

It looked like a kitchen appliance on wheels. It was tiny, boxy, and weighed half as much as the massive diesel engines of the 1970s.

American engineers laughed at it. They nicknamed it "The Toaster" and predicted it would crumble under the rough tracks of the Northeast Corridor.

But while the "tough" American-made locomotives were derailing and tearing up the rails, this little Swedish import was busy saving Amtrak from total collapse. Packing an incredible 7,000 horsepower into a lightweight frame, the AEM-7 didn't just survive—it became the single most successful locomotive in modern American history.

This is the story of how a "toy" train humiliated the heavyweights and ruled the rails for 40 years.

👇 The Verdict: Was this the best investment the US government ever made? Let us know in the comments.

Copyright Fair Use Disclaimer: The material presented in this video is not exclusively owned by us. It belongs to individuals or organizations that we deeply respect. Its use follows the guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, which permits "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, academic research, and study. Fair use is a principle established by copyright law that allows limited use of protected materials without infringing on rights. This video was created to enhance understanding and appreciation of the original content without causing any harm to the rights holders. It has an educational purpose and uses only small excerpts from the original material.