Amtrak Help

[willy6]

I am currently building a modern era, smalltown,NS/CSX,mid-state south carolina layout.I decided to add a small passenger station.I want to run a short Amtrak train.I looked through Walthers catalog to get some ideas on Amtrak locomotives and cars.I'm confused on the "phases" of cars and locos.What types of Amtrak locos and cars would you recommend to use on my layout that would be prototypical?

[Anonymous]

Phases III and IV would be the best for modern formations - the Phases are referring to livery versions, frequently the same locos and cars have been around since Phase I through to Phase V. I'd suggest a Phase III or IV F40PH (Walthers) along with three or four of their Amfleet 2s, one of them a Food Service car (The Amfleet 2 is a more detailed model than the Amfleet 1, at least, judging by the examples in my LHS). I recall seeing an article a few months ago in MR about passenger trains that featured this formation on a USA-Canada train. They also suggested that Heritage cars (old streamliners) or Horizon fleet cars could be found in the train, so it's really up to you - run what you think looks right!

If you'd rather run the bilevel superliner cars, then a possible formation (also in the article) would be Phase III F40PH, Coach/Baggage, Coach, Lounge, Diner and Sleeper cars, followed by an MHC (Material Handling Car) in a mix of Phase III and IV paint schemes. These may not be suitable for your layout depending on where it's set - Superliners aren't able to go everywhere as some lines (mainly in the east) have insufficient clearances for their height.

Hope this is of some use, I can't find the article right now but will try to find out which issue it was in if that's of any help!

[willy6]

Matt, Thank you very much for that info. Now If I can just add that stuff to my wife's christmas list ,I'll be good to go.

[GerFust]

Can anyone provide a little more detail. In particular, what year did Amtrak adopt Phase I, then what year switch to Phase II, etc...

Thanks,
Jer

[RMax1]

Here's a very good AMTRAK photo site. It has plenty of dated photos.

http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/

RMax

[Anonymous]

Update: The article was in the May 2003 Model Railroader - Pages 52 and 53. I also made a mistake with the Superliner formation - the Diner shouldn't be in there! This formation would be the Portland section of the Empire Builder. Having said that, if you kept the formation I described, added a few more MHCs and Express Boxcars and another F40PH, you'd have a convincing looking long-haul train.

[techguy57]

Great question! I was actually about to post a similar one. How modern are you going to be. I ask because I am planning from lates 90's to present myself and what research and recent photos I've seen my suggest using a model of the P42 Genesis instead of the F40. Amtrak seems to be predominantly using the P42 as of late.

If anyone can verify this for me that would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

[THayman]

Amtrack currently uses the P42 Genesis locos, as nearly all, if not all of the F40PH's have been retired. I think there are still some 'Cabbage cars', unpowered F40's with a cab and baggage space, but all the others were retired when VIA got it's first P42's. That way, when Amtrack provided power for an international train, the VIA crews could still run it as they were now trained on the P42's. At least that's what I read in Trains magasine (I forget which issue).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim H.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't beat Canadian Railroads!

[THayman]

Sorry anout the end of that last reply. I've been having some trouble with my signature, but I think I've got it now.

[Anonymous]

Reply to techguy57: Aside from cabbages, F40's have almost disappeared from anywhere public. There are probably a few in Indiana at Beach Grove shops. I have carefully noted P42 to F40 ratios and have found the following (briefly) in the past say 5 years or so:
A few years ago loads of F40's could be found all over. Slowly this diminished to a few 'strongholds' you might say. Chicago slowly cut down their number of Amtrak engines sitting in the yards at any one time by about half...(942's have about twice the power of F40's). In Summer 2002, no sign of F40's in Chicago, around twenty in Albany. Summer 2004 one or two only in Albany. If I think of more from my "studies" I'll post more. Does that help?

[RMax1]

The Heartland Flyer had a Cabbage and some F40's a few years ago but were being replaced. If I remember there were a few in primer grey used by the TRE that were Amtrak's. Cabbage's are really strange. Looks like a rollup garage type door in the sides.

RMax

[FThunder11]

When it comes to running the Amtrak, I'd put a P42 on the head and 3 or 4 Amfleet coaches. If you want ti to look more like this "ultra-modern" era make sure the P42 is in Phase V scheme, that means it has the blue wave along the top.

[Anonymous]

I live in Oklahoma. The last time I saw the Heartland flyer, a couple weeks ago, it was still running a P42 Genesis Phase V in the lead southbound, trailing a F40PH Phase IV behind three Superliner cars, three coaches, one with a lower-level snack bar. Onthe return trip, the F40PH leads with the P42 trailing.
This thread leads me to wonder, is the F40 a "Cabbage" = Cab+baggage? Thus controls and no power? If so the Genesis is doing all the work while the engineer is up front going either way. Interesting solution that avoids turning the train around.
Edwin = speople

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by thefox

Reply to techguy57: Aside from cabbages, F40's have almost disappeared from anywhere public. There are probably a few in Indiana at Beach Grove shops. I have carefully noted P42 to F40 ratios and have found the following (briefly) in the past say 5 years or so:
A few years ago loads of F40's could be found all over. Slowly this diminished to a few 'strongholds' you might say. Chicago slowly cut down their number of Amtrak engines sitting in the yards at any one time by about half...(942's have about twice the power of F40's). In Summer 2002, no sign of F40's in Chicago, around twenty in Albany. Summer 2004 one or two only in Albany. If I think of more from my "studies" I'll post more. Does that help?

This one is an unofficial site that has Amtrak rosters and yes the F40s have disappeared.
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtk-roster-engines.shtml

Matt

[willy6]

I was watching a Train video the other day and it showed what looked like an Amtrak GE dash 8 locomotive.not sure though.

[Wdlgln005]

In the last Trains issue, only 2 F40 are lefti in Amtrak roster. I don't know if any are in the dead line at Beech Grove waiting to be sold. At least 3 units have been sold for our new Music City Star commuter line.

THe remark about Cabbage cars shows there is also a shortage of cab-equipped Amcoaches. I saw a few on Michigan line trains.

You may have space for only a few cars, so you will want a baggage-coach-food service combination. A viewliner sleeper would indicate a connection with a long distance train. A MHC/Roadrailer at the end would carry the mail for your pike. Perhaps down the way, there's a printing plant that ships magazines by rail.

[Medina1128]

One way to deal with the phase and year issue, is to model as current as you'd like and then make up special transition trains as railfan runs. This way, I was able to model, modern, transition diesel and steam and old heavyweights. My railfan excursions were financed by an old eccentric that loved train travel. So, whenever he felt the urge, he would make up a consist of passenger equipment and since he only leased local rail, he didn't have to worry about mainline traffic. There is some local freight service for local industries and an interchange siding for the coal fired power plant nearby. And he schedules his railfans excursions around those. Sure, it's not prototypical, but like I've seen in some MR articles, "It is MY railroad...".... Model what YOU enjoy and enjoy it!!

[Anonymous]

Reply to speople: When I rode the Heartland Flyer it was a superliner and two Santa Fe highlevels (not 3 superliners as you said). There are some minor differences, although the superliners are based on the highlevels. If they still are running it the way I saw it, look closely at the outside and you'll notice the highlevels are SLIGHTLY shorter than the superliner(s) by say a few inches. If you do go inside you may notice some floor level differences too. The SF highlevels also will not have SUPERLINER painted on the side. Then again I went a few years ago, so I don't know if they are using all superliners now. And, in case your wondering Amtrak has highlevels, because when they started they had no cars or engines so the government told the railroads that they either had to contriubute either money or equipment unless they continued to have passenger service. So SF contributed mainly highlevels.

[Anonymous]

To thefox: Thanks, I knew that only the middle car had the name "Superliner" on it, and I recdognized that there were the kind of differences you noted, especially the difference in height, but I did not know what to call the other two cars. I'm glad to know that they are ex-Santa Fe highlevels. I plan to model the Heartland Flyer as accurately as possible. Knowing that these cars are SF hiughlevels tells me that I need to buy these cars and redecorate them rather than wondering why the AMTRAK cars don't look right. thanks again.
Edwin = speople