Nostalgia & History > Amtrak Four E-unit Consist, a Perfect ABBA Except for Portholes

These were taken at the Amtrak Engine Facility in Chicago on June 16, 1977. I have always assumed I was looking at the Broadway Limited's power. The Amtrak units were:
440 ex-RFP E8A 1102
470 ex-UP E9B 927B
452 ex-Milw E9B 35B
428 ex-UP E9A 955A

Note only one unit has port holes. Could someone explain why the port holes were removed. My guess is the cost of replacing broken circle of glass.

Easy to Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/16 01:36 by MartyBernard.

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The sheet metal probably needed replacement. Portholes were not deemed necessary. 

SD452XR Wrote:
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> The sheet metal probably needed replacement.
> Portholes were not deemed necessary. 
​This is very true that the portholes were there to allow light to come through.  I know that the B&O replaced the rusted out sheet metal on their F and E units and they too did not put the portholes back in as one official told me, why spend the money?
John

so cool

Amtrak eliminated the portholes when they rebuilt the E Units. 

nice scheme

Seeing 4 E units was a great reason to go trackside and catch the Broadway west of Harrisburg. Don't think I ever saw as nice a consist as this. Nice photo!

I posted these photos on Facebook and somebody commented they remembered the consist was made up for the 75th Annerversary of the Broadway Limited.  Does that ring a bell for anybody?

Marty



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/16 01:33 by MartyBernard.

Exactly right on the portholes.  In fact, EMD still had porthole windows in stock in the 1970s!  

Marty,

I think you are right about the 75th anniversary run of the "Broadway" with these four matching E's west of Harrisburg. This was another train doomed by the commuter and state-funded corridor management of Amtrak since W. Graham Claytor, Jr's passing... Thanks for sharing this great photo!

ShastaDaylight

I was working Englewood at that time and the Broadway normally had 4 E units.

So did the National Limited.  I cab rode from PIT to Altoona on an ABBA set of Amtk E's.  While we were climbing the hill, I walked back thru all 4 units, in Run 8.
Now that was an amazing experience.  BTW, both of the B units that day, only one of the prime movers was working.  An ABA equivelent.

.5 b unit then,

In the early when the FCP/ Sonora Baja wanted to restore the FT  B unit i inquired if the porthole frames were available and yes they were.

I recall price was $600.00   fob.   

Project was dropped with all the mexico rail changes.  Course the A unit got rebuilt and is saved.