Yes the Inter-American did run F40's. I found that they started in 1978-81 after the E8.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Amtrak Lone Star was renamed in May 1974 after the Santa Fe forced them to change their name Texas Chief.
So your timeline is set in May 1974 to October 1979.
Most of the photos of the Lone Star were early SDP40F (the first 40 units.) With 2 locomotives wearing Phase I (1974-1976) and Phase II (1979).
A baggage car, step down hi-level coach (or 2 to let passenger thru the dining/lounge car), 2 hi-level coach, 2 10-6 sleeper, dining car and observation car. The equipment were all Santa Fe except for the observation car being a CB&Q CZ. Everything is painted in Phase I.
The Dallas connection had a E8 with a baggage, hi-level coach or single level coach and sleeper.
Although I'm not an Amtrak enthusiast, I did see SDP40Fs in Oklahoma City in 1974, and on the Sunset Ltd in late 1978-very early 1979 with steam heated equipment. Seeing as how Amtrak was formed in 1971 and the time it took to assemble its car fleet, not too much was repainted/relettered the first two or three years. A web site that has a lot of photos of early Amtrak is www.bcoolidge.com. A lot of it is eastern stuff but it shows trains around Boston MA with cars still in UP, BN, SCL etc. in the 1973-4 timeframe.
Flickr is another good source for vintage Amtrak photos:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/909201@N24/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/amtrak/pool/
You can further refine your search once you are at Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=amtrak%20sdp40f
Desert Winds Meet in February 1981 by Marty Bernard, on Flickr
Public Domain: Photo by Roger P u t a
Good Luck, Ed
This site has a very nice search:
http://www.railpictures.net
You can enter "Amtrak" and any year you want. And other search terms, too.
Ed
Mike,
On most western runs, yes. However, SDP40F's continued running on east coast trains thru 1981.
mlehman 1977 will be your cut-off year, as that's when the SDP40F was withdrawn from Amtrak service. How that coincided with the repaints of legacy cars I don't know.
1977 will be your cut-off year, as that's when the SDP40F was withdrawn from Amtrak service. How that coincided with the repaints of legacy cars I don't know.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I know that the Phase I scheme was introduced in 1972, and that picture was taken in 1973-74 ish. And the Rainbow Era ended around 1973...
My best guess would be late 1974-1975.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
To get you started in your search, check out this from Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Star_(Amtrak_train)
It tells about the Chief being renamed the Lone Star, when Amtrak took over. The article has a photo of the Lone Star, from the air, in 1974.
Do a lot of searching around for early Amtrak, etc., I'm sure you'll find a lot of info.
There are also a couple of members in here that know a lot about Amtrak.
I just did a quick search and came up with the Wiki link.
Mike.
My You Tube
I know Amtrak in the beginning used the best of the stainless cars that were available. The question I have been wondering is how long did it take Amtrak to repaint everything that was out there that they needed into the Phase 1 scheme?
I have seen pictures of SDP40F's with a couple of cars still in all stainless but could not find a date. I also cannot tell if the original roads lettering is still in the letterboards. That would place them at least 1973-74.
I am trying to put an early Lone Star or Texas Chief together with an SDP40F. I think the Inter-American only ran with F40Ph's but I could be wrong.
Any advice?
Thanks,
SB