Queston RE: Amtrak in 1991

[Beal99]

I'll place the pic on this thread tonight, but after scanning some slides from Porter, IN in 1991, there is a quite long (maybe 9-10 cars, including a baggage car) taking the MI line to Detroit, it has one of those am-can push pulls on the back.

What is this train? Seems much longer than the normal Wolvies nowadays.

[Buster Manning]

Could be a holiday traffic Wolverine train; don't know if you have seen any Amtrak trains lately, but we have been running btw 6-8 car normally and going as high as 10 cars during the holiday rush----without a bag car of course

[SD80MAC]

Twilight Limited maybe?

[Beal99]

could be that I suppose, its in the evening in May, 1991.

[conrail767596]

Before they went to the "fixed consist" idea and all-reserved trains with "fare buckets", the trains would be very long on weekends and holidays. Have a shot of 352 in 1997 at Battle Creek with 16 cars. Those days are looooong gone.

In spring 1994, there was a 354 with the coaches, transition sleeper, and bag car off of train 6 tied onto the rear to accomodate a large ski group and their bags and skis. Smart move. No extra equipment for something like that these days.

In October 1990, there was a PX 354 to accomodate a group of 120 pax from CHI to DER off train 6 who missed 354. It came along about 2 1/2 hours behind 354, no stops except for a BTL crew change.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

353 arriving in Dearborn sometime in the early 90s. 2 Amfleets and 2 Horizons.

I heard when Amtrak would use the Michigan Central Station they would back out of the station and wye the train at Bay City Jct before cab cars. Then when the Horizons came out in the late 80's some Amfleet coaches where converted to Cab cars and no wyeing was needed like today. Then in the late 90's when the F40's where turned to Cabbage Cars the Amfleet Cab cars were sent elsewhere.

[willardgarrett]

Is demanded ridership high enough to add cars to the wolverines? If so, I have a major bone to pick with whoever appropriates the funding to Amtrak.

[J T]

I'll place the pic on this thread tonight...

(sorry, couldn't resist. tRCMB rubs off on me too much. )

[GP30M4216]

I heard when Amtrak would use the Michigan Central Station they would back out of the station and wye the train at Bay City Jct before cab cars. Then when the Horizons came out in the late 80's some Amfleet coaches where converted to Cab cars and no wyeing was needed like today. Then in the late 90's when the F40's where turned to Cabbage Cars the Amfleet Cab cars were sent elsewhere.

Cool photo of that Lake Cities arriving at Dearborn from the 90s. That's probably among the best memories from the childhood, going down to the Dearborn station with my mom to watch the Amtrak come in. I have lots of photos of F40s and cab cars coming into and out of Dearborn throughout the 90s, from when I was in pre-school through late Middle School. Brings back good memories!

Amtrak did not convert any Amfleets into cab cars. All of the "Am-cabs" as I call them, are old PRR Metroliner cab cars from the NEC which have had pass-through doors added to the cab end. I originally thought they were Amfleets too, but not so. The Metroliners were designed by Budd, and the cylinder shaped fluted stainless exteriors were repeated on later Amfleet orders. You'll note on the Am-cabs that they have different truck sets than the Amfleets, and they still have roof platforms for the pantographs. Amtrak still runs most of the "Am-cabs" they inherited....they hold down push-pull operations on the Connecticut Shuttle trains and also on the Keystone trains.

Is demanded ridership high enough to add cars to the wolverines? If so, I have a major bone to pick with whoever appropriates the funding to Amtrak.

Amtrak has been running 6-8 car trains on the Michigan Line recently and I've heard that even they sell out sometimes. Ridership is up across the Amtrak system, and yes, 6-8 cars is much more than the standdard 5 or 4 car consists from previous years. The fact is, Amtrak has no more cars to bring out of retirement. Stimulus money paid for the wreck-damaged Amfleets and Superliners that could be repairs to be returned to service. More equipment (baggage cars, dorm-baggage cars, diners and sleepers) has been ordered but won't arrive till 2012 at the earliest. I believe they plan to order more coaches in a future order. Till then they have to make do, but yes, the ridership is there, and the trains are longer than before. Bet someone wishes they hadn't stripped all those heritage coaches down into baggage cars in the 90s......

[TrainWatcher]

I remember the Am-Cabs. I rode behind one as a toddler. I have a VHS of the trip somewhere. They were the coolest looking piece of Amtrak equipment that was used in Michigan Service, behind the F40's.

[GP30M4216]

To accompany the earlier photo, I dug one out and cleaned it up a little (mostly because my old scanner had a focus problem): F40PH #208, from Amtrak's first order of this venerable class of locomotives, leads what is likely train 350, the eastbound Wolverine, into the station at Dearborn, MI for its early afternoon arrival. Five Chime K5LA hornset and strobe lights are prominent over the cab. No Am-Cab here. This is August 1993.



Looking forward to your photo Nate.

[nssd70m-2]

To accompany the earlier photo, I dug one out and cleaned it up a little (mostly because my old scanner had a focus problem): F40PH #208, from Amtrak's first order of this venerable class of locomotives, leads what is likely train 350, the eastbound Wolverine, into the station at Dearborn, MI for its early afternoon arrival. Five Chime K5LA hornset and strobe lights are prominent over the cab. No Am-Cab here. This is August 1993.



Looking forward to your photo Nate.

........

[Beal99]

hahah, whoops, ill get them up tonight

[GP30M4216]

Here's a photo of a Metroliner in its original form (1977)


Compare to an image of a modern "Am Cab"

[Beal99]

Gentelmen!

All taken at Porter, IN 5-91

[conrail767596]

The cab coaches were common throughout the 90s. There were the 800 series cab coaches with everything on the roof but the pantograph. They didn't have the diaphragm at the control end- doors were sealed shut by rubber, and prone to popping open. Also had the 9800 up here too from 1994-1996. That was a neat one.