A favorite Amtrak train

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My #1 Amtrak trip in coach would have to be the time that I took the Broadway Limited from Philadelphia to Chicago in June 1985. It was the first time that I had ever been over that stretch of railroad. It was getting dark when we rounded Horseshoe Curve, so I couldn't see it as well as I would have liked, but even so I could tell it was impressive. I had dinner in the diner that night; grilled red snapper, perfectly seasoned...one of the best meals I can remember in any setting. West of Pittsburgh we combined with the Capitol Limited, which at that time was single level and had Heritage dome cars. I watched the sun come up from inside the dome. Great trip!

ETA: Oh, and I managed to snag the window seat beside the single 120V outlet for my "luggable" Commodore SX-64 computer (remember those?)! Spent much of the trip playing Activision's "Ghostbusters" game!
 
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Love the brochure pics, like the one where the boy is wearing a tie and the grandfather is tie less and has is collar open.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
Love the brochure pics, like the one where the boy is wearing a tie and the grandfather is tie less and has is collar open.
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And the side burns and mustachoes on the guys with turtlenecks. Love those 70's styles.
 
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Joeker said:
AmtrakBlue said:
Love the brochure pics, like the one where the boy is wearing a tie and the grandfather is tie less and has is collar open.
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And the side burns and mustachoes on the guys with turtlenecks. Love those 70's styles.
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Saturday Night Fever Redux! :help: Remember when Disco was King?? :rolleyes: As one who was around then and got to ride these Trains, Guess the Real Trains of the 21st Century are the Ones we're Riding Now! <_<
 
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The last car even included a Drum-Head. Yes.......the D&H treated the Adirondack with Class!

75-10Scan10006%2520-%2520Copy1.jpg
 
I nominate two trains of the past, the Floridian and the Pioneer. I rode the Floridian extensively and never had a bad experience on it, all the bad press and reputation notwithstanding. I also rode the Pioneer in the late 1970s from Ogden to Seattle. Unfortunately neither of these routes -- at least not end-to-end -- is likely to see a regularly scheduled passenger train ever again.
 
The SPIRIT OF CALIFORNIA was a fun train. I liked the overnight ride between L.A. and the Bay Area almost as much as the COAST STARLIGHT in daylight.
 
the_traveler said:
Swadian Hardcore said:
This brings up to mind: What happened to the D&H Sharknoses?
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At least 1 (I think #16) was sold to Mexico and destroyed. Another I think was scrapped. There may be one saved and in private hands!
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I think you're talking about the Alco PAs. I mean the Baldwin RF-16 Sharknoses.

NS VIA Fan said:
the_traveler said:
NS: I'm racking the little bit of brain that I have left to place the station in your post. Could it be the old Saratoga station? (BTW: those extra tracks are where they stored the Circus train dorm cars when they played in Glens Falls, NY.)
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It's Whitehall......here's a couple of other shots taken there in 1974:

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What's that hood unit doing on a pax train?
 
Swadian Hardcore said:
What's that hood unit doing on a pax train?
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Delaware & Hudson used hood units on their passenger trains until the PA's were acquired in 1967.

When the Adirondack was inaugurated in 1974, hood units were common until all the PAs were rebuilt. In the photo above #5004, an RS11 leads the southbound train at Whitehall. The second unit is an ex B&M RS-3 #1508 which is equipped with a steam boiler for train heating.

I was on the northbound train on that day and we also had a hood unit leading......the second unit was PA #17.

 

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Back in 1975 I was working for a summer in Harrisburg, and would visit my girlfriend in the New York area on the weekends. When I quit work, I would head for the station and tale a silverliner to Philly. According to www.timetables.org, that would be #610, departing Harrisburg at 3:00 PM. (I'm not sure how I got off work so early) arriving at 30th st. at 4:41 PM. Then I would connect to the Merchants Limited (#178) departing 30th St at 6:15, arriving NYP at 7:45. They had a dining car on that train, so I would get dinner. On Sunday, I would take the Valley Forge (#47) departing NYP at 6:36 PM, arriving in Harrisburg at 9:55 PM. The Valley Forge didn't stop at 30th St., North Philly, only. The Merchants and the Valley Forge were all Heritage coaches, the next summer I rode from NYP to PHL and it was Amfleets.

I have good memories of those trips, I don't think I had any serious delays, and the Sunday night trip was always very relaxing as the rain rumpled trough the night, altough, of course, I was sad that I was leaving my girlfriend.
 
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A favorite trip memory: California Zephyr from EMY, first Tuesday of November, 2008. You'd better believe there was some celebrating in the cafe car that night.
 
MARC Rider said:
Back in 1975 I was working for a summer in Harrisburg, and would visit my girlfriend in the New York area on the weekends. When I quit work, I would head for the station and tale a silverliner to Philly. According to www.timetables.org, that would be #610, departing Harrisburg at 3:00 PM. (I'm not sure how I got off work so early) arriving at 30th st. at 4:41 PM. Then I would connect to the Merchants Limited (#178) departing 30th St at 6:15, arriving NYP at 7:45. They had a dining car on that train, so I would get dinner. On Sunday, I would take the Valley Forge (#47) departing NYP at 6:36 PM, arriving in Harrisburg at 9:55 PM. The Valley Forge didn't stop at 30th St., North Philly, only. The Merchants and the Valley Forge were all Heritage coaches, the next summer I rode from NYP to PHL and it was Amfleets.

I have good memories of those trips, I don't think I had any serious delays, and the Sunday night trip was always very relaxing as the rain rumpled trough the night, altough, of course, I was sad that I was leaving my girlfriend.
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Silverliners operated all the way to HAR for Amtrak?
 
Yes, indeed! Silverliners operated to Harrisburg. I rode one in 1974 from Harrisburg to Philadelphia. I thought that route was the main use of Silverliner equipment.
 
My favorite train is the Coast Starlight. The scenery is beautiful especially between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. I've taken it beyond there to Chico, CA. My next trip would be from L.A. to Seattle, and get a sleeper car. Ideal!
 
Yes, it was a Silverliner train in Amtrak service in 1974. I don't recall buying a ticket from another transit agency to get from Harrisburg to Philadelphia. Did SEPTA also serve Harrisburg then? Does it now?
 
Twin Star Rocket said:
Yes, it was a Silverliner train in Amtrak service in 1974. I don't recall buying a ticket from another transit agency to get from Harrisburg to Philadelphia. Did SEPTA also serve Harrisburg then? Does it now?
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I, too, used the Harrisburg service back then. As I recall, the trains used SEPTA Silverliners, but were operated by Amtrak. The service originated at Suburban Station in Philadelphia (and, of course, used the upper level at 30th Street). Amtrak had a ticket window at Suburban. When Amtrak converted the NEC Metroliner service from the Penn Central Metroliner MU's to AEM7 hauled Amfleet cars, the Metroliner cars were reassigned to the Harrisburg service ending the use of Silverliners. I'm not sure when Amtrak ended service at Suburban Station. I'm guessing sometime in the late 1970's or so.

SEPTA does not serve Harrisburg now. SEPTA service on the Harrisburg line ends at Thorndale (between Downingtown and Coatesville). At one time SEPTA went as far west as Parkesburg, but the logistics for reversing directions and train storage there was difficult and not worth the incremental revenue.
 
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