Passenger Trains > That "lost" Train 6(25)...

...at Downers Grove, IL.  Note that the trail unit, the AMTK 43, is running but the lead AMTK 817 appears not to be (no smoke at all).

And bringing up the rear...was anybody still aboard (the regular Amtrak passengers were taken off and continued their travel by bus)?

EDIT: I received a comment about the photos and about the 817...which probably won't be back in service for a while.
"817 is baked...turbocharger failure and blew its oil feed as well."

STATE OF GOOD REPAIR

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/15 22:12 by GenePoon.

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There is a video of that deadheading 6(25) at Agency, IA, six miles east of Ottumwa where
Amtrak gave up on the train. 

The AMTK 817 is indeed dead but it still has its K5L horn which sounds good. According to a
horn expert, it was cleaned in Los Angeles just recently, after being clogged and sour-sounding
for four years.  To replace the blown turbocharger, the horn panel has to come off and it might not
get the same horn back again, even if it is fixed quickly and not just pushed into a dead line.

The trailing AMTK 43 is dirty and oily, having been caught up in the oil spewed out when the 817's
turbocharger blew up.

For the video, go to YouTube and search for

"Deadheading California Zephyr with Private Car"



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/15 07:55 by GenePoon.

The PV "Silver Solarium" was live with passengers all the way to Chicago.

Alvin Bishop
Costa Mesa, CA
California Zephyr Railcar Charters

Ah, ha... I did surmise correctly that she blew her turbo! Had her on the point of 5 (22) and noticed that horn and how well it was tuned right away-- thanks for the back story on the LA mech who took it apart, cleaned it and tuned it-- reminded me of the 1970's Amtrak horns!
Speaking of that, I remember a guy with an oscilloscope tuning up the horns at 14th St shops in Chicago-- yup, they did that regularly back in the 80's!