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THE OFFICIAL WEBPAGE OF ROBERT D. WEST |
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Amtrak's Pinch Hitters
Amtrak trains in the Pacific Northwest typically fall into two categories. First, there are the long-distance Coast Starlight and Empire Builder, which typically use General Electric P42DC locomotives and double-deck Superliner cars. Second are the Cascades trains, which typically use articulated Talgo trainsets with an Electro-Motive F59PHI on one end and a Non-Powered Cab Unit (NPCU) rebuilt from a retired F40PH locomotive on the other, all painted in the unique Cascades paint scheme. However, there are times when Amtrak has to occasionally substitute different equipment on these routes, due to maintenance issues or short-term increased demand. This page shows some examples of these "pinch hitters."
F59PHIs on the Coast Starlight
Amtrak's F59PHIs were delivered in 1998. Amtrak has two groups: #450-464 are assigned to Amtrak's Surfliner service between San Diego and San Luis Obispo on the Southern California coast. #465-470 are assigned to the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. The two groups of units have similar paint schemes but with different colors: silver and blue for the Surfliners and white and green for the Cascades. Sometimes the Surfliner units are seen in the Pacific Northwest on the Coast Starlight, either filling in for a P42DC, or deadheading to fill in for a Cascades F59PHI. Occasionally the Cascades units are seen filling on on the Coast Starlight as well.
B32-8WHs on the Coast Starlight
Amtrak's General Electric B32-8WH's #500-519 were built in 1991 and are Amtrak's oldest diesel locomotives still used on passenger trains, though usually as backup locomotives. They are more often used as switchers. They are sometimes used to replace a P42DC on the Coast Starlight, or are deadheading for use in Cascades service.
P42DCs on the Cascades
The most readily-available replacement locomotives for the Cascades trains are the General Electric P42DCs used on the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. Amtrak has a total of 207 of these locomotives, built between 1996 and 2001, and numbered from #1-207.
P42DC's #97 & #188 can also be seen on the Cascades at the end of the following video, which I filmed on August 17, 2008. (Non-Cacades NPCU #90278 is also in this video.)
Surfliner F59PHIs on the Cascades
The Surfliner F59PHIs #450-464 are identical to the Cascades F59PHIs #465-470 except for paint, so they are ideal replacement locomotives for Cascades service.
B32-8WHs on the Cascades
Occasionally a B32-8WH from the #500-519 group will fill in on the Cascades as well.
B32-8WH #507 on a Cascades train near Canby, Oregon on June 27, 2007.
Non-Cascades NPCUs on the Cascades
There are a total of six Non-Powered Cab Units (NPCUs) that were rebuilt from F40PH locomotives specifically for Cascades service: #90230, #90250, #90251, #90252, #90253 & #90340. Amtrak has other NPCUs in use in other parts of the country that wear standard Amtrak paint and have a roll-up door in the sides for baggage. In 2008, Cascades NPCU #90230 went back east and was replaced by standard NPCU #90278.
The following video includes several examples of Amtrak locomotives filling in, including P42DC #193 on the Cascades, Surfliner F59PHI #462 on the Coast Starlight and Non-Cacades NPCU #90278 on the Cascades.
Amfleet I & Horizon Cars Substituting for the Cascades Talgos
From August to October 2007, the Talgo trainsets assigned to the Cascades were taken out of service for emergency maintenance. During that time, trains consisting of Amtrak Amfleet I and Horizon Cars were used in their place. Three trains of five cars each were used between Portland & Seattle, with one of the three trains continuing south to Eugene. In addition, an additional two-car train was used between Portland and Eugene. Most of the cars were Amfleet I Coaches in the 82000-series plus #44706 and Cafe Cars #43363 and #48192. These cars were built by the Budd Company between 1975 and 1978. There were also a few Horizon cars: Food Service Cars #58106 & #58108, plus Coach #54532 which temporarily replaced Amfleet I Coach #82570, which deadheaded back to Seattle on September 8. The Horizon cars were built by Bombardier in 1989. The cars in the 5-car trains were labeled "CAR 1" to "CAR 5." The cars in the 2-car train were not labeled. The consists are listed below; locomotives and NPCUs varied.
Amfleet I Coach #82570 was briefly replaced by Horizon Coach #54532
Amtrak Cascades NPCU #90253 with Amfleet I cars instead of Talgo trainsets in Cascades service in Salem, Oregon on August 15, 2007.
Amtrak Cascades NPCU #90253 with Amfleet I cars instead of Talgo trainsets in Cascades service in Salem, Oregon on September 8, 2007.
Substitute Locomotives with Amfleet I & Horizon cars in Cascades Service
During the time when the Talgo trainsets were out of service and the Amfleet and Horizon cars were filling in, there were a number of instances where non-Cascades locomotives filled in as well.
Amfleet I & Horizon Cars on Holiday Specials - Thanksgiving 2008
Due to high demand during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Amtrak runs additional trains between Portland and Seattle during this time. In 2008, these trains used Amfleet I coaches and Horizon food service cars.
The following trains were added to the schedule, in addition to the regularly-scheduled Cascades trains using the Talgo cars:
Although I did not include them, these trains made all the intermediate stops made by the regular Cascades trains.
A total of eight cars were used, six Amfleet I coaches and two Horizon food service cars, labeled "CAR A" to "CAR H." I think on November 26, all the cars were coupled together and used as one train, but on the 27th, they had been split into two 4-car trains and remained that way through the weekend. The trains were powered by B32-8WHs 505 and 507, with an NPCU on the other end. The consists were as follows:
Locomotive 507's consist did not have an NPCU on the morning of the 27th, but by the next day it was running with NPCU #90251 and kept in through the weekend.
Also during this time, P42DCs #100 and #166 were substituting for Cascades F59PHIs on some regularly scheduled Cascades trains. They are pictured in the appropriate section further up this page.
The following video shows several Holiday Extras and regularly-scheduled Cascades trains during the 2008 Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Also See: TriMet Westside Express Service PORTLAND PLACES - Union Station PLACES - Kelso-Longview, Washington
All website content, including graphics and pictures are © Robert D. West unless otherwise noted. Content is not to be used out of the context of this webpage without expressed permission. Any opinions expressed herein are mine and are not necessarily shared by the Milwaukee School of Engineering, or anyone else.
Questions? Comments? Critiques? Corrections? Concerns? Email me at westr@msoe.edu. |
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