Amtrak no 285 Hudson line

[Anonymous]

on Sunday 09/05 I observed a north bound from here in Poughkeepsie NY Amtrak train - I think it was #285 had dining car and heavy psngr. coaches (not Metroliner coaches) with an old Pullman? obv. car - the kind with a "back porch" at the end painted and lettered for New York Central - no campaign banners

what was this - a special train? or the "normal" summer consist?
anybody knows let me know

[Anonymous]

[#welcome]

I'd say more than likely this was a special movement.

[Anonymous]

Agreed, sounds like a special. Never saw an observation car or heavyweights on those tracks while living near the Rhinecliff Station.

Wayne

[jeaton]

kenewnam-

Welcome to the forum.

Amtrak offers a charter service, which is refered to as Special Train Service. Anyone with big enough bucks can get this service either with all Amtrak equipment or with privately owned rail cars. Needless to say, privately owned cars must be in condition to meet Amtrak's safety and operating requirements. Obviously, the train you saw was made up of privately owned cars. By the way, many of those cars are available for trip lease, and seeing one or more in a regular Amtrak consist is not that unusual.

You can read more about private cars at http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues04/sep04/poi.html

Jay

[Anonymous]

thanks everyone for the replies - to Wayne in Rhinecliff - while not recently,I have seen an Amtrak train or two come through Pok. with heavy psngr. cars - I think this may be the "Adirondack" train - I have also seen the special BICYCLE baggage car train - this is of interest to me as I am an avid cyclist (I have a MTA MNCRR BICYCLE permit)

to jeaton:
yes I agree probaly a special chrter train - I had forgoten to note precise time - may have come just before/ahead of the normal Sa. and Su. "Empire Service" train
I had thought at first might be a "campaign" train - but Kerry was in Penn RR country - in Pitsburgh