Passenger Trains > Photos of new Amtrak AutoRacks

So anyone have photos of Amtrak's latest rolling stock acquisition? What will become of the older cars? Scrap, rebuild, trade-in? What are the specs of the new cars, how many were delivered?

Thanks

So anyone have photos of Amtrak's latest rolling stock acquisition? What will become of the older cars? Scrap, rebuild, trade-in? What are the specs of the new cars, how many were delivered?


The old Bi-level and Tri-level racks were sold to a scrap dealer out of Texas. The new cars were purchased from Freight Car America, and you can see all of the specs at
http://www.freightcaramerica.com/products/fcp_automotive.htm# and click on Aluminum Vehicle Carrier. The one difference that I noted on their specs is the weight on our new cars is 85,000lbs but the load limit stays at 80,000lbs. I can only assume that the passenger draft gear and couplers and the two cut wheels are to account for the increase in weight.

A total of 80 new cars will be delivered by the end of July. The test train that ran 6/3 to Rocky Mount NC. is back and so far all of the test data looks good. We are hoping to start cutting the new cars in the week of 6/6. The plan calls for replacement of the tri-level and van carriers first, and slowly replace the bi-levels. I'll have to go and get my AMT-3 and list the differences in weight and dimensions from the old to the new cars.

I have a few pictures of the cars and when I get them developed I'll try to post them.

So there will be no tri-levels anymore?

There are several of the new AVC's in storage at Progress Rail in Decoursey, Ky.

GNR1938 Wrote:
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> So there will be no tri-levels anymore?

Gotta transport those monster SUVs, I suppose..

Cheers,
Harry

No more tri-levels, each new car will hold up to 10 autos or 8 suv's

Quite interesting, lets hope these new auto carriers hold up better than the Amtrak Express cars that were purchased, many arriving at their initial terminals with defects that put them at a b/o status. Though the defining difference is these auto carriers are brand new, and the early batch of Express cars and the reefers were second hand rebuilt.

tracktime Wrote:
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> GNR1938 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So there will be no tri-levels anymore?
>
> Gotta transport those monster SUVs, I suppose..
>
> Cheers,
> Harry


May as well load those big SUVs on the auto train rather than buy gas. Then save the gas money for car payments.

GNR1938 Wrote:
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> So there will be no tri-levels anymore?


So, how would that affect capacity and train length?

> So there will be no tri-levels anymore?


> So, how would that affect capacity and train length?

If the new bilevels can each carry more cars than each ex-CN double-decker they'll replace, the car count, if not train length, could be about the same, even without the trilevels, no?

Walt Lankenau

You loose 4 spaces on the tri-levels and we're running 6 per train, total of 24, but you gain 2 spaces on the bi-levels and we're running about 16 of those, so you gain 32 spaces. So you have a net gain of 8 spaces with the same amount of carriers.

I would hope a museum or two can find a home for a couple of the ex-CN enclosed bilevels. Hello/bon jour, CRHA?

Walt Lankenau

Does the CP have some of these is use? I'm on the west bank and don't get to see the AutoTrain. I've been seeing some new CP cars that look to me like they are aluminum.

Thanks

jb

They look nice from the picture. I wonder if they will stay shiny, or end up looking as hideous as the current ones. Looks like stainless steel, so maybe they'll hold up better.

Yes, CP railroad has 375 New AutoRacks and CN has 200 of them.

RFandPFan Wrote:
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> Looks like stainless steel, so
> maybe they'll hold up better.

Aluminum

Don't worry about these becoming dirty, I'm sure that we will be washing these things daily.
They have solid side panels so they can be washed while still loaded.

At least that's one goal Gunn had a few years back that's accomplished, no thanks to the funding situation. Now when will Washington understand that Amtrak is making the best out of their goals and can't give them money to make it go faster!