The weak point of the Cooper-Bessemer engine is that the high pressure injection line from the injector pump to the injector goes over the top of the valve cover (Bosch jerk-pump system, no distributing valve). Injections pressures reach 9,000-12,000 psi, and after a certain amount of time, hairline cracks develop in the convex areas of the bends on these lines because of the repetitive flexing caused by the injection cycle(s) while the engine is running (i.e. metal fatigue). Cracks in the large bend above the injector itself can spray finely atomized fuel onto the exhaust manifold, where it catches on fire.

The fix has been 1) to replace old lines with new ones after a certain service life and/or 2) to re-route this line inside the valve cover where fuel leaks go into the crank case (Alco-251 McIntosh & Seymore engines were built this way). The failure has been on the part of Amtrak to recognize this issue and take timely corrective action. Freight-owned GEs have had the very same problem for several years. The low pressure lines from the fuel tank to the jerk pumps run at only 120 psi or so, which doesn't cause the problem.

With EMD's Winton uniflow engine, the high injection pressures are accomplished inside the injector itself, so there is no high pressure piping. Hence, EMDs don't suffer from this particular flambee problem, and the low pressure fuel line runs at about the same pressure as on a GE.

The drawback with aluminum wiring is that bare aluminum always has a layer of oxide, no matter how freshly you clean the surface. For this reason, soldering of aluminum is very difficult. It must be done under a puddle of solder using a fiberglass brush to scrub the surface to be soldered while that surface is underneath the puddle of solder. Last I heard there were no fluxes available. When aluminum terminals are crimped onto aluminum cables, this creates a double layer of of oxide between the two pieces of aluminim. This combined layer acts as a resistor, which generates excess heat, which tends to create more oxide, which makes more resistor, which makes more heat, and on and on. After a while, poof, flambee of electrical cabinet. With house wiring, it's the same problem. Many states have banned the use of aluminum wiring in homes because of all the flambees of house which resulted.