Amtrak History

[081552]

Try not to groan about the topic. I'm trying to find some additional information about the formation of Amtrak. I have "Journey to Amtrak" and I've read the Trains Magazines from the late 60s to early 70s. Any other suggestions on other sources and the back story to the formation of Amtrak?

Some general area of interest. How were the routes selected that formed the basis of Amtrak? How was the equipment selected from the railroads operating passenger service? 

 Thanks in advance!

  

 

[daveklepper]

You might post your request on the TRAINS passenger forum.   And there are several books on the Amtrak's early days, not just one/.   Richard Solomon is one author.  I believe Klauder was the consultant to Amtrak on selecting the cars to buy for their initial roster.   Charlie Smith is a railfan who still works for the successor company and you might find their website.   They generally looked for balanced roster of cars in good condition without rust damage, and did buy almost all the Budd stainless long-distance coaches and standard sleepers and slumbercoaches running.  They avoided specialty cars that would have limited use.  They did not buy enough cars to run the initial service and leased cars that they believed not worth owning but required to provide the service, like a lot a rebuilt Pennsy P-70's, never made it to the Amtrak roster but were widely still in service in the corridor, ditto the postwar New Haven 8600's.    Possibly the website for the successor firm is www.ltke.com or www.ltkengineering.com    ltk stands for Louis T. Klauder

From my own memory:      Amtrak bought from Penn Central its one Budd sleeping car, Silver Rapids, nearly all the Senator and Congressional diners and coaches and parlors (but not the obs), most of the NYC stainless steel coach fleet and the two stainless diners, the slumbercoaches built as such. and leased some modernized P-70's, the New Haven 8600's and companion diners and grill cars, but not the parlor-baggage cars, and leased the Broadway's standard non-Budd sleepers and similar NYC cars in good condition, and the slumbercoaches rebuilt from regular sleepers, and these were bought slumbercoaches were bought later.   Amtrak bought nearly all SCL & RF&P Budd equipment and leased some non-Budd sleepers.  Amtrak bought nearly all Burlington system Budd (non-articulated) equipment.   Amtrak bought nearly all Santa Fe and UP lightweight equipmentb (Budd and the other builders), other than non-standard like full-length domes and dome-diners, exept for equipment both systems kept for their own official us.  Amtrak leased some C&O, B&O, N&W, IC, Milwaukee, and non-Budd equipment from the SP, but did not buy any.   Did buy most SP stainless equipment.  Leased the C&NW gallery long distance cars (Penninsula 400) but didn't buy.         

[espeefoamer]

Amtrak also owned several ex SP 3/4 length dome lounges.