Amtrak Phase II Heritage Engine Pulling 5 Private Passenger Cars

1 year ago
454

First train is a long westbound empty coal train CSX E750 and the second train is the Amtrak Capitol Limited passenger train heading east (south) through Point of Rocks Station in Frederick County, Maryland, with the #130 Phase II Heritage engine and several privately owned historic passenger cars (listed below). Third train is CSX L153 carrying blue ash cars out of the PEPCO spur, followed by the westbound empty autorack train CSX Q217. Fifth train is the eastbound loaded rock train CSX B548, and the last train is the local CSX L128 headed back west to Brunswick Yard. The private cars are:
🚃Gateway Rail Services "Hollywood Beach RPCX800129" - (Five double bedrooms, shower, buffet kitchen for beverage and full meal service, Sun Lounge with space for dining. Diesel generator, retention toilets, TV/CD/DVD/VCR, stereo. The largest windows of any solarium car on the rails! Car is based across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Illinois. Built at Pullman in 1956 as HOLLYWOOD BEACH for service on Seaboard Air Line’s New York-Florida Silver Meteor. Later owned by Seaboard Coast Line and renamed SUN RAY. Sold to Amtrak in 1971 and sold again in 1989. Acquired by current owner Keith R. White in 2016.)
🚃Northern Sky Rail Charters "Northern Dreams" - (Built by Pullman-Standard in 1955 as 5 double bedroom-buffet-Redwood Lounge car North Platte for the Union Pacific Railroad. Rebuilt by UP to an 11 bedroom car in 1956 and renamed Star Scene. Number 1705 added in 1969. Sold to Amtrak in 1971. Number changed to 2254, later to 2230 when modified for Amtrak's Virginia-Florida "Auto Train." Retired in 1997. Sold to current owner in 1999 and renamed Northern Dreams. Upgraded and refurbished in 2003).
🚃Northern Sky Rail Charters "Northern Sky" - (The Northern Sky is a former Union Pacific 9003 dome car. In his book, THE UNION PACIFIC STREAMLINERS author Bill Kratville records that in 1955 the UP became the last of the transcontinentals to invest in dome cars, labeled Astro-Domes by the UP's Passenger Traffic Department. Rebuilt from the wheels up to reflect the ultimate in both equipment and amenities, the Northern Sky is a completely self-contained luxury environment. It carries complete air conditioning and heating as well as its own power generators and water supply. There is a complete built-in CD/stereo system, television, and VCR. The Northern Sky accommodates eight overnight guests in supreme comfort in its four double bedrooms. The interior appointments offer all the details of a fine hotel, from hand-crafted custom woodwork, to the luxurious carpeting. The upper level dome provides a stunning 360 degree panorama of the landscape as it glides by. The spacious observation lounge offers scenic views from the comfort of lushly upholstered seating).
🚃Meteor Rail "Cimarron River PPCX 800069" - (Privately owned 1948 Pullman sleeping car which has been renovated with modern heating, electrical and air conditioning systems while retaining the charm and ambiance of 1940's railroad travel. It sleeps 20 people. The car is certified and inspected to run on Amtrak trains and has its own 30KW diesel generator for trips off the Amtrak system. CIMARRON RIVER (original #1466) was built by Pullman Standard in 1948 as a 14 roomette-4 double bedroom sleeper for the Frisco Railway's streamlined "Meteor". The Frisco substantially reduced their passenger system 1965 and the CIMARRON RIVER and other sleepers were sold to the Canadian National Railway. The Canadian National rebuilt the car, removed the stainless steel fluted siding and renamed the car RAINBOW FALLS. VIA Rail Canada assumed ownership of the car in the late 1970's and repainted it blue. In 1981, VIA discontinued many trains and RAINBOW FALLS was surplus to their needs. In June 1983, two brothers, Andy and Tony Marchiando, bought the car from VIA. The car was returned home to St. Louis and renovation work began. The exterior is now repainted in the original colors and lettering. The first trip of the renovated CIMARRON RIVER was in October 1986. Since then, the car has traveled over 500,000 miles, in 48 states, and behind a variety of diesel, steam and electric locomotives. It has traveled north to Canada's Northwest Territories, to the southern border of Mexico and into Guatemala-the extreme north and south ends of the continuous standard gauge North American rail network. The car is available for charter behind Amtrak trains or in special trains off the Amtrak system).
🚃Friends of the 261 "Caritas" -(This beautiful railcar started life as a 14-4 sleeper on the Frisco, and today it’s one of the premiere railcars in operation in the nation. Fully renovated in 1985).
🚂 Locomotives: CSX 3012(GE ES44AH, Built 2012), CSX 821(GE ES44AH, Built 2008), CSX 3177(GE ES44AH, Built 2015), CSX 950(GE ES44AH, Built 2011), & CSX 3040(ES44AH, Built 2012); and AMTK 40(GE P42DC, Built 1996), AMTK 130(GE P42DC, Built 2000), & AMTK 28(GE P42DC, Built 1996); and CSX 520(GE AC44CW, Built 2001) & CSX 943(GE ES44AH, Built 2008); and CSX 726(GE ES44AH, Built 2007) & CSX 570(GE AC44CW, Built 2002); and CSX 952(GE ES44AH, Built 2011), CSX 831(GE ES44AH, Built 2008), & CSX 927(GE ES44AH, Built 2008); and CSX 923(GE ES44AH, Built 2008) & CSX 854(GE ES44AH, Built 2008).
4 20 22 © BaltimoreAndOhioRR

Loading 8 comments...