Nostalgia & History > BB: AMTK @ Billings w/2 F40PH's + E unit 1978

Bruce in Montana again, being sure he got the 'good light. This was on July 4, 1978, Power was F40PH's 239, 235 (are these F40PHR's?) and trailing E.

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Interesting photo, looks like the E unit is providing Steam, and looks like a Ex Army Ambulance car, behind the baggage cars

Wow, that is a good sized consist.  Interesting that the Empire Builder Great Dome lounge was in this consist.  Through most of the 1970s those pretty much stayed assigned to the Empire Builder, but in the last couple years before Superliners took over the Builder (and the NCH was eliminated) I think they wandered around.

When I rode the Builder in 1979, my understanding was that there was one equipment pool to cover both the Builder and the NC Hi. They ran on alternate days, so sometimes the Builder would get serviced and depart as the North Coast Hi, and sometimes the same consist would go out as an Empire Builder. 

Yes those are F40PHRs.

Here is a two part roster of all the early Amtrak diesels:

http://www.thedieselshop.us/Amtrak%20all-time%20roster1.txt
http://www.thedieselshop.us/Amtrak%20all-time%20roster2.txt

Marty

Bruce got this westbound shot off the old I-90/US hwy 87 business loop bridge over the Yellowstone River at the eastern edge of downtown Billings. I remember some little bit of hoopla when the powers that be constructed a this newer bridge over the Yellowstone during my tenure in Laurel with MRL ('91 ~ '10). Some elderly dude had been the very first citizen over the old bridge when he was a lot younger. And he finagled himself into being the very first citizen over this new span just a few years ago. Also, the new bridge was constructed several yards further away from the RR than the old one, which allowed Roger to photograph a bit more of the S-curve that the train is starting into...

Lance/199 (ex-MRL '87 ~ '10)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/16 11:46 by santafe199.

Nice shot!!!  Old BN train crews worked Billings-Butte-Billings and Glendive-Billings-Glendive.  Engine crews worked Forsyth-Billings-Forsyth and Livingston-Billings-Livingston all in  Montana. Any correction are welcome!
 

march_hare Wrote:
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> When I rode the Builder in 1979, my understanding
> was that there was one equipment pool to cover
> both the Builder and the NC Hi. They ran on
> alternate days, so sometimes the Builder would get
> serviced and depart as the North Coast Hi, and
> sometimes the same consist would go out as an
> Empire Builder. 

That's right, I forgot about that period in the Empire Builder / North Coast Hiawatha saga, which was definitely in effect summer of 1978 as well.  Same equipment used to cover both trains.