Amtrak Heritage Coach Cars.

[Amtrak Railfan]

Hello can you give me infomation on the Amtrak Heritage Coach Cars please. My first thing to ask is How many Heritage Coach Cars are runing?

 

[Amfleet]

Only 5, and they are found on the Clocker service between New York and Philadelphia.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Are there some in mothballs,in storage. Or is it just that---five, no more, no less.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Ooops--guess I found my own answer. I looked at an Amtrak website for equipment and saw only those five heritage cars listed.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

When was all Heritage Coach Cars was out of service?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Im sure it must have been a gradual process.

 

[P40Power]

Most Heritage coaches were gone from eastern long-distance trains by 1996. Like mentioned before they were still used on a few trains like the Clocker and Andirondack. The Andirondack has since lost its fleet of specially painted Heritage cars and have had them replaced with ex-Metroliner Amfleet Cars. One operation does still run all Heritage though, the Piedmont. Their cars and locomotives are not owned by Amtrak though, they are owned by NCDOT.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

So I can see the ex Metroliner Amfleet Cars on the Adirondack?

 

[P40Power]

Yes, but they arent the original Metroliner MUs that the Amfleets were based upon. The cars are the ones that were refurbished and used in Metroliner Service behind AEM-7 Electrics. These ex-metroliner 21700 and 44700 series Amfleets have been bumped from Metroliner service by the Acela Express trains. These cars are very nice inside, and roomier then the average Amfleet Coach or even the Capstone rebuild coaches. A wise choice for the Andirondack.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

Do you the photo of this Car?

 

[P40Power]

Well I found a picture of an Ex-Metroliner service first class club car. The Ex-Metroliner cars have now mostly had their Metroliner markings removed and look like every other phase IV Amfleet I car out there pretty much. Id imagine some of them have also been painted into phase IVb by now as well. So other then number and interior configuration, there is no difference between them and regular Amfleets.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

Do you like this Ex Metroliner Passager Car? B)

 

[Amfleet]

It's interesting. I found the seats in the ex-Metroliner coach somewhat hard and unconfortable. I prefer the Regional coaches I think. The club seating however is very comfortable.

 

[P40Power]

Ive walked through Metroliner Amfleet cars before, I must say the interior decor is nice. I didnt sit on the seats though. The Regional business class car I was in was VERY comfortable and I really enjoyed it alot. Ive never been in an Amclub before so I dont know how they would be. From the pictures Ive seen of the Amclubs, they look really comfortable even unrefurbished.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

Is the Empire Service Trains still runing the Heritage Cars or just all Amfleet Passager Cars?

 

[P40Power]

All Amfleet, with an Turboliner or two thrown into the mix for Empire Serivce. Up till about 4-5 years ago It was still quite common to see a Heritage car thrown into an average Empire Service consist. I remember railfaning back in 97 at the Albany station and seeing a Albany-New York train with a Heritage coach in the consist!

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

In the past was the Heritage coach Cars was runing on the Long Distance Trains?

 

[Viewliner]

In the past was the Heritage coach Cars was runing on the Long Distance Trains?

Yes, as well as heritage lounges.

 

[P40Power]

The Lake Shore Limited has been known to run solid Heritage consists right up till about 94! Im not sure about other eastern trains, but up till the mid 90s or so, Heritage cars, including coaches and lounges, were quite common across the whole eastern system.

 

[Amfleet]

Up until 1995 the following were commonly found on most every Long Distance train in the east. Amfleet II Coaches and Lounges were mixed in.

Heritage Coach

Heritage Dome Coach (Capitol Limited and City of New Orleans only)

Heritage Lounge

Heritage Dome Lounge (Auto Train only)

Heritage Diner

Heritage Dome Diner (Auto Train only)

Heritage Buffet (Auto Train only, possibly Silver Service???)

Heritage Table (Auto Train only, possibly Silver Service???)

Heritage Sleeper

Heritage Slumber Coach

Heritage Baggage Dorm

 

[seajay]

The Lake Shore Limited has been known to run solid Heritage consists right up till about 94!  Im not sure about other eastern trains, but up till the mid 90s or so, Heritage cars, including coaches and lounges, were quite common across the whole eastern system.

I rode the following with full Heritage equipement:

City of New Orleans - June 1992

Capitol Limited - August 1994

The Three Rivers - September 2001

That The Three Rivers trip is relatively recent. As I recall, it switched to Viewliner equipment on October 1, 2001 because the waiver for non-retention toilets had expired.

Have the Heritage coaches that are still running been retrofitted with retention toilets or do they not have any toilets on those particular coaches?

seajay

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

How many Heritage Dining Cars are runing today?

 

[P40Power]

I think around 25 or so Heritage Diners are in operation today.

 

[Viewliner]

Amfleet, I don't think Table cars were used on Silver Service, although I'm pretty sure that the buffet cars were.

 

[Amtrak Railfan]

When the first Viewliner Sleeper Car was in service?