JUST WONDERING (Santa Fe question)

[al-in-chgo]

I was reading a site not too long ago that discussed the original fleet of Santa Fe hi-rise passenger rolling stock the company put in service starting in 1956 thru, IIRC, the early Sixties. 

Did all that rolling stock last until Amtrak in 1971?  If so, what happened to them?  All knds of possiblities:  Amtrak used for a few years, then retired; they were sold to a rail system abroad; they were rehabbed/refurbished for Chicagoland commuter service (not by the ATSF--they never had commuter trains); the company kept them, etc., etc.   I'm probably missing what actually happened!

Who would like to comment on this?  -  a.s.

 

[AltonFan]

I rode one of ATSF's highrise cars on Amtrak's "Southwest Limited" in 1986, where it served beside Superliner cars.  I must say the superliners were more comfortable, and seemed to be in better shape.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

All of the Hi-Levels were transferred to Amtrak.  There are a few left in service as baggage-dorms on various long-distance runs and some coaches and lounges equip the "Heartland Flyer".

[al-in-chgo]

Thanks, guys!   -  a.s.

 

[cnwfan51]

Didnt the Auto train operation the that ran up and down the east coast aquire some of them? I know they got a couple of ex Milwaukee and Santa Fe super domes   Larry  

[passengerfan]

cnwfan51

Didnt the Auto train operation the that ran up and down the east coast aquire some of them? I know they got a couple of ex Milwaukee and Santa Fe super domes   Larry  

The AutoTrain operated ex Santa Fe Super Domes and purchased some UP and WP short domes. I never saw any of the ex Milwaukee Road domes operate in Auto-train service. Six of the Milwaukee Super Domes were sold to Canadian National and were operated in Western Canada in the Super Continentals and Panoramas. The other four ended up in Alaska as Princess tour cars and later Princess cruises operated a couple I believe in California.

The Santa Fe Hi-Levels were all transferred to Amtrak and several of the former Hi-Level lounges operate in todays Coast Starlight. In this service they are operated as first class cars.

Al - in - Stockton 

[espeefoamer]

Amtrak used the Hi-levels on other trains besides the Coast Starlight. I have ridden the Hi-levels on the Sunset,and several times on the Sqan Diegans.

[Moon]

They were also used on the San Joaquins for a time. Currently 5 recently refurbished Hi-level lounges are assigned to the Coast Starlight for first class "Pacific Parlour Car" service. The upstairs serves as a lounge and alternative dining area for first class passengers, and the lower level is a movie theater I don't know if any of the HI-level coaches are still in use by Amtrak. Recently they were running on the Heartland Flyer. Merritt

[MP36er]

The HiLevels are no longer used on any long distance trains except for the lounges on the Coast Starlight, and they were also taken out of Heartland Flyer service about a year ago. There's 25+ sitting in Madison, IL (near St Louis) at Gateway Rail Services/Mid America Railcar Leasing. If you want to buy and refurbish one, there's plenty to choose from!

[Anonymous]

Some of the El Capitan cars ended up on the McKinley Explorer train in Alaska.

 http://www.alaskarails.org/fp/me/BPS/index.html

The above site has a history of the cars.

Art

[Fireflite]

Two of the former El Capitan hi-levels are in, of all places, New Hampshire.  The Hobo Railroad purchased Amtrak coach dorm 39906 and 39907, both built in 1956, after they were retired in the late 1990s.  They are in storage at the railroad HQ in Lincoln, NH.  I'll try to post a photo I took this past July.  Plans are apparently to restore them, presumably for Hobo RR or Winnepesake Scenic RR trains, though they would have to add an HEP car to the train.  Info at http://www.hoborr.com/equip.html 

 <a href="http://s382.photobucket.com/albums/oo262/RedRam331/?action=view&current=HoboRR252.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo262/RedRam331/HoboRR252.jpg" border="0" alt="Hobo RR former ATSF hi-level cars"></a>

[al-in-chgo]

El Cap rolling stock winding up in Alaska and central New Hampshire!   Is this a great country, or what?