Help needed on Ex Santa Fe Hi-level Transition car

[Anonymous]

[:)] Hi from England, I have bought a Hi-Country Brass Santa Fe Hi-level transition car and I am looking for some pictures of them in service with Amtrak between 1990 and 1995.

Would I be right in saying that they were withdrawn from service after the Superliner II Transition/Sleepers were introduced.

Any help would be most welcome[?]

[jimrice4449]

no, They were used by Amtrak as crew dormitory cars at the head end of the trains. I haven't check out the current Amtrak trains (they come through here in the middle of the night) but I know that Amtrak used them at least through the nineties and I would guess they still do. Check photos of current Superliner trains and note the first high profile car, they come real close but don't quite match the Superliners.

[dacort]

Does anyone know if the "Pacific Parlour" cars currently in use on the Coast Starlight are ex-ATSF cars? They are not quite as tall as the regular Superliners, and usually appear mid-train from what I've seen. I saw the Starlight last week and it had a regular Superliner transition sleeper after the baggage car (just like the Walthers HO model).

[Anonymous]

Yes they are as I saw one last year and 5 are still in use. I believe a plastic version is coming out later on this year.

http://adsl-69-213-240-177.dsl.dytnoh.ameritech.net/amtrak/amtHILEV.html

[dacort]

Thanks for the info and the link.

[Anonymous]

Overland have also announced that the Pacific Parlours in Phase IV livery will be produced in brass this year

[Anonymous]

It's interesting to note the the ex-ATSF Hi-Levels were converted to HEP at the Former ATSF coach shops in my home town of Topeka KS. Some hi-levels are still used by Amtrak on the Heartland Flyer btwn Ok City and FT Worth
Ch