Nostalgia & History > Amtrak's AC Diesel 451

Amtrak's rare birds 451 and 194 with Train 59, the City of New Orleans, just departed Chicago Union Station on August 20, 1991.

• 451 was an Alternating Current (as opposed to DC power to the traction motors) F69PH demonstrator from EMD.  Amtrak must not have been impressed because it bought none.
• 194 was a GP40TC, ex-GO TRANSIT 502 and ex-CN 602.

Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/16 14:04 by MartyBernard.

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Actually I read that Amtrak was impressed, but couldn't afford them.

Not sure which one, but at least one of these units still exists down in Mt Vernon Il at the NRE Shops there. You can actually see it just inside the shop door closest by the local street that passes by.   Nice to see em in action.  Ben

Very neat photos, Marty, but I have to ask if it's actually the City of New Orleans.  It seems like it would be, since it has the dome car, but it has two baggage cars on the head end and a baggage/dormitory on the rear.  It also has a food car as the 7th car in the train (6th car from the rear) and another food car 3 cars from the rear.  Finally, I think I remember seeing photos that the City almost always backed out of Union Station, around the curve and out to Union Avenue, and then proceeded east across the St. Charles Air Line.  The train is the photo has its engines leading.  

I don't know what train it is, but I'm not certain that it's the City of New Orleans.  With the baggage and baggage/dormitory on opposite ends, I'd almost think it's the Lake Shore LImited, but it doesn't look right for that, either.  I think I remember that a dome operated for a short time between Chicago and Albany on the Lake Shore, but I don't remember any details on that.  

Anyone else here on TO have any thoughts about this?  

Ok knoch8, you jogged a memory.  I wrote "7:05p" on the slide and I think that was because no train had a 7:00 pm departure from CUS and I somehow later concluded it must be the City of NO.  But you are right, it should be backing out on a track that leads to the north leg of the wye instead of the bridge over the South Branch.

I hope somebody else can figure out this puzzle.  At least you can see the whole train.

Marty

Lakeshore should have had regular diner, two sleepers and a slumbercoach. Consist looks right for the CNO, except for the baggage cars. I think they were using a Horizon dinette for dining service on the City at that time and the train had a lounge car as well. Like others, I recall backing in and out at Chicago, but I suppose they could have backed around the south leg of the wye and across the BN to get to the air line. It looks like there is someone standing at the rear of the train, maybe to be ready for the backup.

Spring / Summer 1991 Amtrak National timetable shows No. 50
departing Chicago at 715pm Tu Th Sa.   Internet says Aug. 20, 1991 was a Tuesday.
Timetable consist shows:
Sleeping cars
Slumbercoach
Coaches
Dining Car
Lounge Car
Entertainment - Guides provide scenic commentary between Charleston and White Sulphur Springs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 17:38 by Englewood.

ns2557 Wrote:
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> Not sure which one, but at least one of these
> units still exists down in Mt Vernon Il at the NRE
> Shops there. You can actually see it just inside
> the shop door closest by the local street that
> passes by.   Nice to see em in action.  Ben

When EMD sold them to NRE, they were empty shells, engines, alternators and inverter equipment all removed. The trucks are real bastards too - the only GP trucks built with SAB unitized brakes and traction motor nose links instead of the usual rubber nose pack motor suspension.

Can we presume that the next Amtrak power will be AC?   I remember when AC was first coming in they said the expense was really only justified on heavy slower freight.