BusTalk

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2460 Location: South Florida

Very nostalgic shots, thanks for posting the links. I may be wrong, but I don't think Amtrak purchased any heavy weight cars for passenger service. The ones on that GM&O train were either before Amtrak, or perhaps borrowed by Amtrak for a while, but still owned by GM&O. Not sure...

One of the mission's of early Amtrak management, was for better or worse, depending on where you lived, was to "homogenize" the service, nationally...
By that, I mean, distribute the good and not so good cars all around the system, so that the northeast which was "deprived" of nice equipment (except the Metroliners and Turbo Train), got some of those wonderful, legrest equipped western chair cars. And some of the eastern cars were sent west.

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:23 am Post subject:

traildriver:

Regarding the heavyweight cars; I believe you are correct.

What I meant to say was that, when AMTRAK took the helm, there were still heavyweight cars in use, owned by the newly "fallen flag" (passenger train-wise) roads.

Back in the early days, it had to be interesting, to say the least, having cars still wearing their old liveries (especially cars from the Midwest and West) clattering long on Eastern routes.

That AMTRAK is now poised to hit 50, still amazes me.,.......where did five decades go? Rolling Eyes

Coming back on the "BROADWAY" from Chicago, back in 1986, I struck up a lively conversation with a most congenial sleeping car attendant, who was then nearing retirement, and had been a PRR porter for 30 years prior; he told me that my sleeper was ex-NYC.....TRUE heritage! Wink

The AMFLEET cars have weather AMTRAK's ups and downs quite reliably, over the past forty-plus years; I always thought that their distinctive tubular design assured a "perfect fit" to the ex-PRR Hudson River tubes.

Back in the 1990's, on vacations to Boston, I used to enjoy getting off the train at New Haven, to watch the engine changes.

Ditto DC, when riding on the SILVER METEOR to Orlando from Newark; all that ex-PRR catenary above indeed added to the overall excitement...... Very Happy

"NYO"

BTW: You are most welcome for the photos! Wink

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:32 am Post subject:

Kankakee, Illinois, 1972; this "Rainbow-era" AMTRAK train is clearly still all IC; this photo also reminds us of the waning days of any sort of mail service on the rails........

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-trn09dca.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:38 am Post subject:

Denver, 1973; note ex-SCL engine on the left, a long, long, long way from "home rails"........

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk424cca.jpg

(coutesy: Fallen Flag Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:43 am Post subject:

Often, many of us forget that AMTRAK once operated the once-commonplace RDC; this distinctive ex-NH unit was snapped at Bridgeport, back in 1974.

Your's Truly grew up with CNJ units, back in the the 60's...... Wink

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-r047dla.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:50 am Post subject:

One of the most distinctive units ever operated by AMTRAK was the ex-NH "ROGER WILLIAMS", basically a "souped up" RDC set; this photo shows one of the cab units, after retirement.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-r0028aga.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flag Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:58 am Post subject:

Trenton, 1975; those legendary mastadons, the famed "GG-1's" are still on the job (one simply could not help by being impressed by these hulking machines of another age)..........

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-e0904ags.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:53 am Post subject:

From 1980, this view of the "all Heritage" BROADWAY LIMITED (Altoona) is indeed timeless.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-altbwy-u28.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:58 am Post subject:

"EMPIRE BUILDER" fact sheet (from an "EMPIRE BUILDER" menu).......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-eb-1.gif

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 12:01 pm Post subject:

Here's an interesting layout diagram for the coach yards at Washington DC, dating from 1978.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-wash-cy.gif

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:19 pm Post subject:

These two 1973 photos show ex-SP and SCL equipment, now AMTRAK cars.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/sp-dl3602dca.jpg

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/scl-S6201dca.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:25 pm Post subject:

The "E60"*; not one of AMTRAK's more "celebrated" electrics, but, nonetheless, very much a common sight back in the day, and, also, a "working class" engine that did manage to get the job done.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk952abm.jpg

*Photo was taken at New Haven, in 1989.

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:30 pm Post subject:

Assorted "rainbow cars" at Chicago, 1972.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/milw-coayd-dca.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:38 pm Post subject:

This (frigid!) scene at E. Palestine (1979) recalls the long-ago days of steam-heated Heritage equipment.......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-T40EPOg.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2020 9:44 pm Post subject:

Train No. 6 (at an unidentified location), 1972; note UP car bringing up the rear......

www.rr-fallenflags.org/amtk/amtk-trn06cca.jpg

(courtesy: Fallen Flags Railroads)