Amtrak Creates Another Heritage Unit

Amtrak has created yet another heritage unit but you’ll need to travel to East Coast to see it.

ACS-64 No. 662 was given a Phase III heritage wrap with a livery similar to what the passenger carrier’s AEM-7 units wore in the 1980s.

No. 662 will be assigned to revenue service in the electrified portions of the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington.

The wrap is sponsored by Dovetail Games, which is using the Amtrak 50^th anniversary herald in its Train Sim World 2.

The wrap is intended to be short term and expected to remain in place through next May, Amtrak officials said.

To see a photo of No. 662 and to read more visit https://railfan.com/new-amtrak-heritage-unit-will-be-short-lived/

Tracking the Amtrak Phase II Heritage Units

With the demise of Amtrak No. 66, the Phase II livery heritage unit, its replacement, P42DC No. 130 debuted late in 2018.

The only time I photographed it was on Nov. 11, 2018, trailing at Painesville on the eastbound Lake Shore Limited.

Looking through older photos, though, I found I did photograph it leading on Train No. 48 at Lloyd Road in Wickliffe on June 28, 2010.

Here it is splitting two coal trains for the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company coal-fired power plant in Eastlake when it was still in operation.

This is one of the many photos that I can say I’m glad I got it when I got it.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Paying Tribute to Amtrak P42DC 66 and 156

With Amtrak’s 50th anniversary approaching and the upcoming paint schemes to be applied to six locomotives, I looked back to remember P42DC No. 66, which was lost to the scrappers in 2016 due to a bent frame suffered in the last accident it was involved in.

That locomotive was painted in the Phase II scheme to commemorate the 40th anniversary in 2011.

P42DC No. 190 has since had the Phase II livery applied to it to replace No. 66.

I first saw both Nos. 66 and 156 (Phase I livery) on an early outing with a private car excursion to the Rock Island (Illinois) train festival in July 2011.

At the festival it was on many of the excursions with No. 156 and one of the visiting steam locomotives.

No. 156 is also sidelined after being in a collision. With  another P42DC getting the Phase 1 scheme for the 50^th anniversary it’s possible that Nickel Plate No. 765 will be the survivor of the three locomotives highlighted in these photos.

The 66 and 156 are shown together at Moline, Illinois, on July 21, 2011, and at Colona, Illinois, on July 22.

No. 66 is shown on the point of the eastbound Lake Shore Limited at Bort Road in North East, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 2011.

Finally, we see No. 66 leading the eastbound Lake Shore at 7:52 a.m. in Painesville on July 11, 2013.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

20th Century, Whoops, I Mean Lake Shore Limited

Penny always gets me up between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. On Friday morning I checked to see if Amtrak P42DC No. 145, a Phase III heritage unit, was on Train 48. Since it was I figured I would get it at 6:20 a.m. at the Painesville station. With this pandemic 48 is very consistent on being on time.

It reminds me of stories from adults from the past telling stories of the New York Central’s 20th Century Limited. Many said you could set your clocks to its passing their homes. Just about every morning I hear 48 at exactly 6:20 a.m.

Note that the eastbound Lake Shore Limited on this day had two Phase III heritage units in the motive power consist.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian in Altoona

Amtrak’s New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian passes through Altoona, Pennsylvania, in late morning eastbound and late afternoon westbound.

The usual consist of Nos. 42 and 43 is a single P42DC locomotive and six Amfleet cars, one of them a food service car that offers business class service.

The westbound Pennsylvanian is shown on Horseshoe Curve west of Altoona and passing the former Alto Tower in downtown Altoona.

In mid-October the train was running with one of Amtrak’s Phase III livery heritage units.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

At Last, I ‘Landed’ Amtrak P42DC No. 156

Amtrak No. 156, the Phase I heritage locomotive, led a train of a Viewliner baggage car, an Amfleet II coach, an Amfleet cafe car and a Viewliner sleeper.

Until early this month, I had seen Amtrak P42DC just once. That occurred as I was leaving Chicago Union Station aboard the eastbound Capitol Limited and I got a glimpse of the 156 sitting in the coach yard south of the depot.

My memory is that it went out later that night on the point of the eastbound Lake Shore Limited.

I’m one to think that Amtrak’s Phase I livery was its best. In particular, I liked how it looked on the SDP40F locomotives, but the E and F units looked nice in the “pointless arrow” scheme, too.

The Phase I livery did not look so good on GG1 electric motors, but I never saw any of those other than in photographs.

No. 156 has been all over the country, but our paths have never crossed. I’ve seen scores of photographs of it, including some made in Cleveland.

Some guys I know in the Akron Railroad Club have caught No. 156 more than once. I, though, never even had as much as a near miss with the 156.

I didn’t know that it would be in Toledo for this year’s National Train Day event until Friday afternoon before the event when I saw a posting about it on Facebook. Needless to say, that had me quite excited.

My friend Adam and I arrived in Toledo just after 8 a.m. and there was, at long last, the 156.

Yes, I took a lot of photographs of it. To be sure, it was just sitting there, providing hotel power for an Amtrak display train.

But that didn’t matter. It’s nose was open and it looked like it was pulling a train.

Now that I finally have it, the next challenge is to catch it actually leading a train on the road. That might take some time and a little bit of luck as well.

Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders

Of course I made a roster shot of Amtrak 156.

The nose needs a little touch-up painting to cover some scratches and dings from life on the road.

The passenger side of the platform with the display train.

If the fuel outlet is where the edge of the “pointless arrow” is supposed to go, no problem. Just paint over it.

Sights at Toledo National Train Day

The NS 9-1-1 and Watco No. 3879 sit on display at Toledo Central Union Terminal.

Honing in on the Ann Arbor heritage GP38, which is now operated by Watco.

Getting “nosey” with NS 9-1-1, an SD60E that honors the nation’s first responders.

Amtrak No. 156, the Phase I heritage locomotive, led a train of a Viewliner baggage car, an Amfleet II coach, an Amfleet cafe car and a Viewliner sleeper.

Toledo held its annual National Train Day festival on Saturday (May 7) at Central Union Terminal. Among the exhibits were Norfolk Southern Southern 9-1-1, the first responders tribute locomotive; Watco GP38 No. 3879, which is painted in an Ann Arbor Railroad heritage livery; Amtrak P42DC No. 156, which is painted in the Phase I heritage livery; and an Amtrak display train that was a miniature version of the Lake Shore Limited.

There also were speeder rides; model train layouts; vendors selling videos, books and other railroad related items; and informational displays by various organizations.

Several Akron Railroad club members were on hand as either visitors or vendors.

Here is look at the major prototypes that were on display.

Photographs by Craig Sanders

Pair of Good Catches in Lake County

Here are a couple of catches I’ve been able to make recently out in Lake County.

I was able to get Erie heritage locomotive No. 1068 last Saturday on 22K just moments before I left for work. The location is at Madison Avenue in Painesville.

On Wednesday morning I was able to get double heritage on a 45-minute late Amtrak No. 48.

I saw last night that the Amtrak exhibit train was going to be combined with the eastbound Lake Shore Limited.

No. 48 being slightly late helped Jeff Troutman and myself get excellent lighting at the new Shamrock Boulevard overpass just west of the Ohio Route 44 overpass.

Leading No. 48 was Phase IV heritage locomotive P42DC No. 184 followed by P40 N o. 822 and NPCU 406, a former F40PH. The latter two units wear the Phase III heritage livery.

The consist of the exhibit train was cars 10020, 10093, 10094, 10095 and 85999, followed by baggage 61032, Viewliner sleepers 62029,62035,62031, Heritage diner 8524, Amfleet lounge car 28004 and Amfleet II coaches 25065, 25117, 25107, 25008 and 25120.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Following Amtrak’s Gulf Coast Special

Amtrak’s Gulf Coast Special inspection train rolls along through the Florida panhandle at Bonifay.

Since there is a big interest in passenger trains in the Akron Railroad Club, here are some photos of the Amtrak Gulf Coast Special that I made on Feb. 19.

I started out with the train in De Funiak Springs and broke off the chase after Chipley. There were crowds everywhere as you can see. The train didn’t stop in De Funiak Springs but did stop in Chipley.

As I had to be in Atlanta that evening, Chipley was as far as I could take it. There hasn’t been regular passenger service through the Florida panhandle since Hurricane Katrina.

For more information click on one of the following links

http://www.southernrailcommission.org/2016-gulf-coast-passenger-rail-trip/

2016 Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Trip — Southern Rail Commission

www.southernrailcommission.org

Article and Photographs by Roger Durfee

A pair of heritage units lead the train into De Funiak Springs, Florida.

The welcome mat was out in De Funiak Springs, Florida, even if the Gulf Coast Special did not stop there.

Come back again, Amtrak.

Waving to the crowd as the train just passes through town.

The inspection train was scheduled to make a stop in Chipley.

Another view of the train, this time, departing from Chipley, Florida. Note the older style signals in the distance.

Getting a royal welcome from the fire department.

A show of patriotism at Chipley.

Leaving town to head for Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

CSX Executive Train Visits Northeast Ohio

Thursday morning was a good time to be in Berea. In about a half-hour’s time, the CSX executive train went east while just before that Amtrak’s late westbound Lake Shore Limited went past with Phase I heritage locomotive No. 156 on the point.

The Amtrak train went through about 8:35 a.m. with the CSX executive train showing up at 8:43 a.m.

Operating as train P902, the CSX train had left the St. Louis area on Wednesday and spent the night in Crestline. It left for, reportedly, Rochester, New York, on Thursday morning. Its eventual destination is Selkirk, New York.

Online reports had it passing Lagrange at 8:26 a.m., Willoughby at 9:30 a.m. and Fairview, Pennsylvania, at 10:25 a.m.

Leading the train was F40PH No. 9998 with the 9998 and 9999 trailing.  The train had eight cars with a theater car trailing.

Amtrak No. 156 had left Chicago on Tuesday as the trailing unit on the eastbound Lake Shore Limited.

No. 49 on Thursday did not arrive in Chicago until 3:11 p.m., making it nearly 5.5 hours late. It had arrived in Cleveland at 8:03 a.m., 4 hours, 36 minutes late.

No. 156 returned to Northeast Ohio on Friday, this time leading the eastbound Lake Shore Limited.  No. 48 was reported past Berea at 6 a.m. The Amtrak website reported that the train arrived in Cleveland at 6:16 a.m., 41 minutes late.