Amtrak Today?

[Supermicha]

I just want to know, what for Amtrak trains are possible on my layout? Can i use for example an Acela Wavepaint AMD-103 with Phase 3 Superliners? Are the Pacific Parlour Cars alrady in use today? And the ex Santa Fe Coach Dorms?And what about the E60? The last slide on which i have seen one in service was from 2002, are the scrapped today?

[michaelstevens]

Q -- "I just want to know, what for Amtrak trains are possible on my layout?"
A -- You can do whatever you like, on your own layout.
Q -- "Can i use for example an Acela Wavepaint AMD-103 with Phase 3 Superliners?"
A -- If you are trying to be "prototypical" it probably is accurate to use an "Acela" diesel on a "western" Superliner train, because the diesels wander all over the system.
Note, however that Superliner equipment is not used on the electrified NE corridor (where the Acela express operates) -- because of the high level platforms. Superliners are designed only for low level platforms.
Q -- "Are the Pacific Parlour Cars alrady in use today?"
A -- I'm not sure about "Pacific Parlour Cars" -- but if they're painted for Amtrak they'll probably fit in with a train of Amfleet cars.
Q -- "And the ex Santa Fe Coach Dorms?"
A -- I'm pretty sure that those are still being used, in the "western" Superliner trains.
Q -- "And what about the E60?"
A -- The E60s are still active on the NE corridor "clockers" (commuter trains), in fact I rode behind one between Philadelphia and New York in June.

Do you have a model (HO ?) of an E60 ? That has to be a rare bird !

Enjoy and Happy Xmas !!

[Supermicha]

Yes, i have 3 E60 models, all from Bachmann. One is Phase II, one custompainted Phase III and a Custompainted NJT engine.

[michaelstevens]

Keep in mind that the real E60s run on overhead electric power -- and only between Washington DC and Boston, with a rare trip out to Harrisburg Pa.
Mind you that's not surprising to a German resident where almost everything is "under the wires" these days.

[Supermicha]

Yes, i know that the E60 runs only in the NEC. And you can not compare the railway in germany with Amtrak or other american rails i think. The just have the same kind of going: on 2 rails [:)]

I love the long american trains, but i also love to ride an german intercity express with 250 kilometers per hour. that makes fun too!

[corwinda]

QUOTE: Originally posted by michaelstevens
Q -- "Are the Pacific Parlour Cars alrady in use today?"

Yes; on the Coast Starlight. (LA to Seattle.) Have been for several years.

[Anonymous]

Greetings
The Acela is a complete train set, each car in the set is bolted (connected) together and is rarely taken apart.

And the power source is electricity so it's kinda stuck on the NE corridor.

I spent the day on one of these sets today while it was in the shop (over , under, and through).

Gordon

[espeefoamer]

According to a recent issie of Railpace Magazine,all of the E60s have been retired.One has been donated to a museum.

[kenneo]

The ATSF dorm-stepdown cars are showing up on the used market servicable. Probably out of service or nearly so. but you choose what you will operate, so if you have one and like to run it, --- run it.[^]