Hi everyone. I'm an old Amtrak fan from way back but have never really thought about what year the Superliner cars came out. I always figured they used old Santa Fe ElCapitan cars until they eventually replaced them with modern cars. I'm sure someone out there knows the answer to this. Thanks in advance.
If you Google "Amtrak SUperliner Cars", you should be able to find an interesting article in Wikipedia. Amtrak began using its first Superliner Cars in 1979 according to the article.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Hi,
For some interesting background on the Hi-Level El Capitan and the design transition to the Amtrak Superliner cars you would do well to find a copy of the Winter, 2016, issue of Classic Trains.
The article bt Karl Zimmerman states that on July 3, 1973, Amtrak's Roger Lewis sent a request to thirteen various companies for proposals for new rail cars.
Louis T. Klauder & Associates had the winning designs for the cars with Pullman-Standard chosen to build the first group of 284 cars, which began to roll out of the South Side Chicago Pullman Works in late 1979.
http://ctr.trains.com/galleries/magazine-galleries/santa-fe-hi-level-car-plans
Good Luck, Ed
When Amtrak inherited the El Capitan Hi-Levels they continued to service (1971-1996) on the Super Chief- Southwest Limited- Southwest Chief.
Superliner I- Arrived on October 28 1979 on the Empire Builder (for testing 2 coaches, 1 diner and sleeper. The lounge car wasn't ready). Which started mixing cars with Hi- Levels and Superliners.
Trains you will see were California Zephyr, Texas Eagle, Coast Starlight, City of New Orleans, Capitol Limited, (and the two I listed above).
Most of all were retired around 1996 with the new delivery of the Superliner II.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
From the supplement to Craig T. Anderson's "Amtrak 1978-1979 Annual":
October 27 [1978] First Superliner coach is accepted by Amtrak (Coach 34013).
February 26 [1979] First Superliners enter revenue service on train 337 to Milwaukee from Chicago.
March 8 [1979] ILLINOIS ZEPHYR receives Superliner consist.
(freebie):
May 1 [1979] In a case of DC-10 jitters, all superliners are sidetracked and shopped to check a malfunctioning bolt.
June 13 [1979] Superliners enter revenue service in the Northwest on Seattle-Portland trains.
Much of the above is also stated in the Wikipedia article.
Additional SUPER BONUS FREEBIE;
July 20 [1978] Fifteen P30CH engines , idle due to lack of Superliner deliveries, are leased to the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. for that company's commuter train service south of San Francisco.
Ed
7j43kAdditional SUPER BONUS FREEBIE;
One good Bonus Freebie deserves another!
7j43k idle due to lack of Superliner deliveries,
...and here's the Superliners at the Pullman erecting floor. Maybe they were delayed because of trying to figure out how to get the wrinkles out of the roof-sheets? Budd got it right.
Pullman: Chicago: Amtrak by Edmund, on Flickr
Great Stuff...
gmpullman Hi, For some interesting background on the Hi-Level El Capitan and the design transition to the Amtrak Superliner cars you would do well to find a copy of the Winter, 2016, issue of Classic Trains. The article bt Karl Zimmerman states that on July 3, 1973, Amtrak's Roger Lewis sent a request to thirteen various companies for proposals for new rail cars. Louis T. Klauder & Associates had the winning designs for the cars with Pullman-Standard chosen to build the first group of 284 cars, which began to roll out of the South Side Chicago Pullman Works in late 1979. http://ctr.trains.com/galleries/magazine-galleries/santa-fe-hi-level-car-plans Good Luck, Ed
gmpullmanLouis T. Klauder & Associates had the winning designs for the cars with Pullman-Standard chosen to build the first group of 284 cars, which began to roll out of the South Side Chicago Pullman Works in late 1979.
Hi Ed,
Actually, the first Superliners were manufactured in nearby Hammond, IN as seen in photos. The plant was located on 165th street between Columbia Ave. and Indianapolis Blvd. I worked there to earn college tuition money from late 1976 to 1977 while the plant was just getting started in production. I remember the celebrating when the first car finally passed the "leak test" when a car was drenched in water.
From what I have heard from Amtrak personnel the Superliners were not as structually as strong as the SF Bi-Levels.