Amtrak Southwest Chief

[Anonymous]

My son recently rode Amtrak from Washington, D. C. to Kansas City. On the final leg home he rode the Southwest Chief. Can anyone out there tell me about the consist for this train? What engine is usually pulling it, what type of passenger cars and markings?
I try to model, in O guage, all of the passenger trains that my family and I have traveled on. Thanks for the help.
Bob

[jeaton]

Genesis Locomotives, a "heritage" baggage car, Highliners, vis; Transition car, 2 Sleepers, Diner, Sightseer Lounge, 3 coaches.

Jay

[mudchicken]

and still 4-6 high speed boxcars (the roadrailers are now gone).........2-4 locomotives dependent on the consist that day. (Anything shipped to or from Beech Grove/ Indianapolis to the west coast commuter operations can be found on here too)

[eolafan]

Two Genesis units seems to be the normal power these days, changed from the typical three or four units about a year ago when the rear end traffic was very much heavier.

[Anonymous]

In my experience there are usually three sleepers (sometimes maybe even four), and four or five coaches. Then again, I usually ride in the "on" season. There are almost always either two or three locomotives (P40's and P42's probably) as far as I have seen.

I hope this helps,
Daniel Parks

[eastside]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

and still 4-6 high speed boxcars (the roadrailers are now gone)

So in the strictest sense Amtrak doesn't run passenger trains, it runs mixed trains, right? I don't think I've recently seen any long-distance Amtraks without boxcars.

[jeaton]

The only reason there are still express boxes on any of the Amtrak trains is that there are contracts for carriage that have not yet expired. Amtrak has dropped most of that business and it will be gone when the contracts end.

Jay

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eastside

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

and still 4-6 high speed boxcars (the roadrailers are now gone)

So in the strictest sense Amtrak doesn't run passenger trains, it runs mixed trains, right? I don't think I've recently seen any long-distance Amtraks without boxcars.

In Amtrak's defense, even the Super Chief had an express boxcar or two on its head end in its later years.
-Daniel Parks