A few months ago i saw a CP Rail passenger train, it had a GP-38-2 with a boxcar behind it and two PRR Style Brown Heavyweight cars, I think a Diner/Sleeper and a lounge. Just now, I just saw another train that was almost the same, Geep, Boxcar, and now what apeared to be four passenger cars that might have been Amtrack, Via rail, or some cars off the Canadian. Can anyone tell me what these are? The only explation I can come up with is that these are rockstar trains. What do they do? And any modeling opertunities these presents. These two trains were spotted on the D,L,&W cutoff between Scranton and Binghamton. Any help is appreciated!
Are there any railfan railroads or railroad museums etc. in your area?? Just a guess, but maybe CP is moving cars to/from the museum / tourist railroad to a shop for repairs. Could be CP themselves contracted to do the work and it's going to their shops?? I know there is a private shop here in the Twin Cities (which CP serves) that specializes in restoring private-owner passenger cars, the cars could be going there (or someplace similar).
No, not really, i have a museam that runs excursions, but the use antchent D,L,&W coaches and do thier own work, but I have seen Amtrack cars and locomotives in diffrent states of disrepair, many on flats, tacked on the end of frights.
It's CP's track evaluation train. They travel across the country checking out the rails for alignment, defects, etc. One of the passenger cars is outfitted with electronic sensors that hang down by the rail. Other cars are for crew accommodation, supplies, etc. I think one of the boxcars may have a generator. I've seen the train locally several times and have photos somewhere on my computer. The equipment is lettered "track evaluation" and such.
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
Huh, I didn't see the markings though, and these cars looked pretty normal, but why passenger cars to mount the equment on? Would it be cheaper to grab a M.O.W boxcar or two and mount the equipment in them and use the locomotive's electricity to drive the equpment? Very puzzling...... Oh well,,, Back to Ballasting...............
nik .n Huh, I didn't see the markings though, and these cars looked pretty normal, but why passenger cars to mount the equment on? Would it be cheaper to grab a M.O.W boxcar or two and mount the equipment in them and use the locomotive's electricity to drive the equpment? Very puzzling...... Oh well,,, Back to Ballasting...............
The track evaluation train I've referred to is a permanent train that covers the CP system. This isn't something they throw together once and a while. The crew live on board, and their electronic monitoring equipment in the passenger cars probably requires a lot of space on desks and requires plenty of electrical power. I'll have to assume the railway does know what they are doing, and have assembled this train for a specific purpose.
WEIRD is right ! Imagine the C.P.R. hauling around PASSENGER cars? and in the United States? We Canadians are still waiting for the C.P.R. to continue passenger service we were promised in exchange for all the land we gave to the railway, and all the other grants we handed them, hmmmmmm let me read that contract again eh?