Mike
Train Attendant
Did Amtrak ever use the PS32-8's on the Crescent or the Silver Trains?
Questions about the PS32-8(AKA the Pepsi Cans)
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AmtrakFan
Conductor
Yes, there have been a couple every Once in a great while on the Silver Service.
Dutchrailnut
Conductor
They will add one to a silver train when a unit has to be send from Beech Grove to Miami,
There is usually one in Miami as switcher/protect power.
There is usually one in Miami as switcher/protect power.
AMTRAK-P42
Conductor
Very rare on the Crescents #19/20. I have never ever seen it in person, and only once in photographs.
Mike S.
Service Attendant
Can anyone explain to me what the PS32-8's are?
Got any pics? I googled it to no avail.
Mike S.
Got any pics? I googled it to no avail.
Mike S.
PerRock
Engineer
Mike S.
Service Attendant
Thanks Peter. I've seen those before in the world of Amtrak. They're basically like higher geared freight engines. Funny...I googled it and found nothing.
Thanks.
Mike S.
Thanks.
Mike S.
Try just Googling
Amtrak P32
Amtrak P32
Reference Rail Rookies question re: CZ consist with HHP-8. There was a picture showing HHP-8 with P32-8 (I think) #518.
CZ in LNK thread
Deimos
CZ in LNK thread
Deimos
frj1983
OBS Chief
Sorry I don't have any pictures,
But two of these engines work the Amtrak yards in Chicago. Usually they are pulling apart or putting together consists. I always wonder if that amount of power is necessary to shuffle consists? Shouldn't they be out on the road? Then again, I believe that Amtrak has a huge lack of smaller switchers for this kind of work!
But two of these engines work the Amtrak yards in Chicago. Usually they are pulling apart or putting together consists. I always wonder if that amount of power is necessary to shuffle consists? Shouldn't they be out on the road? Then again, I believe that Amtrak has a huge lack of smaller switchers for this kind of work!
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While they are technically over powered for yard work at 3,200 HP, they nonetheless have 1,050 less horses than the P42's do. But unlike the P42's, they do have walkways for a conductor to stand on when performing switching moves. Since Amtrak isn't having a power shortage on the diesel side, might as well use these locos as switchers rather than putting them out to pasture or spending big bucks to buy/fix true switchers.
I'm not sure that I'd say that there was a huge shortage of normal switchers either, Amtrak currently carries 43 on its roster.
G
George McMillan
Guest
When they were new, they ran everywhere for a couple years. They were more powerful at 3200 horsepower actually than the worn out F40s then in use, although only 12 cylinder version of the GE power plant that runs 16 bangers in freight and P40/p42 passenger types. When the P40s started showing up the P32s tended to go into push pull commuter service, particularly in Michigan and California. Two were actually put in Amtrak California service and got CDTX road numbers. The others in the 500-518 Amtrak road number group received the modified blue paint scheme with the white stripe.
As the previous posts have indicated, the present status is mostly for switcher use at various terminals, and commuting in California. Three at least have now been overhauled and repainted again. Two are still in long distance road service, as 507 and 509 are regulars as third units on the Coast Starlight and move up and down from Redondo, where they are maintained. Often one will be seen in Portland for a while, and/or Seattle. Recently there have been combinations of a P32, a P42, and an F59 on the Starlight, which is most cool.
The Crescent and the City of New Orleans occasionally swap out a unit between Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, and/or Beech Grove, but only rarely, about 3 or 4 times a year. There may be one at Sanford working for the Auto Train Terminal, and as a previous post mentioned, Jacksonville used to have one. I am not sure whether Miami has one any more or not. But the only Silver move would be if and when a Sanford, Jacksonville, and/or Hialeah unit swaps out or fills in for an ailing P42. The return of a second unit to the Silver trains has helped, because now more newer engines are found in Florida at any given time, and that gives Amtrak some additional flexibility in case of breakdowns.
Besides California, the best place to see one is, as mentioned, Chicago...there is almost always at least one working the Washington/Wilmington beat.
As the previous posts have indicated, the present status is mostly for switcher use at various terminals, and commuting in California. Three at least have now been overhauled and repainted again. Two are still in long distance road service, as 507 and 509 are regulars as third units on the Coast Starlight and move up and down from Redondo, where they are maintained. Often one will be seen in Portland for a while, and/or Seattle. Recently there have been combinations of a P32, a P42, and an F59 on the Starlight, which is most cool.
The Crescent and the City of New Orleans occasionally swap out a unit between Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, and/or Beech Grove, but only rarely, about 3 or 4 times a year. There may be one at Sanford working for the Auto Train Terminal, and as a previous post mentioned, Jacksonville used to have one. I am not sure whether Miami has one any more or not. But the only Silver move would be if and when a Sanford, Jacksonville, and/or Hialeah unit swaps out or fills in for an ailing P42. The return of a second unit to the Silver trains has helped, because now more newer engines are found in Florida at any given time, and that gives Amtrak some additional flexibility in case of breakdowns.
Besides California, the best place to see one is, as mentioned, Chicago...there is almost always at least one working the Washington/Wilmington beat.
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