Nostalgia & History > Amtrak Obscura: Three First Runs

Three Jim Odelll shots from first runs in upstate NY:

1). The new Niagara Rainbow (NYG-Detroit, via southern Ontario) pauses at Utica on its first westbound run.  Wikipedia tells me the first run was in April 1976 (looks like April in the pic) and that it was essentially a renaming of  the pre-existing Empire State Express which had already been doing the Detroit trip for a couple of years.   I need to check my timetable collection on that.  I actually rode it out to an interview in Buffalo at about this time, and cant remember what it was called at that point.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/21 04:00 by march_hare.

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A few years later, the Niagara Rainbow is gone and the "beyond Buffalo" slot in the schedule originates in Toronto as the Maple Leaf.  A much better choice, IMO.  I've ridden several times, including on my honeymoon.

Here, the train has just changed power at Rensselaer, and is preparing to head to Grand Central behind an FL9.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/21 04:03 by march_hare.

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No cardboard sign on this one, but the caption info on this slide notes that this is the first run of a of Head End Powered (HEP) Lake Shore Limited, seen here at Schenectady.  I think its 1979.

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Ist photo:  Old Penn Central RR Buffafo, NY based passenger train and engine crews worked to and from Syracuse, NY.

2nd photo: Old NYC based passenger train crews worked to and from Albany, NY, Albany based engine crews worked to and from Harmon, NY.

3rd photo old PC RR Albany, NY based passenger train and engine crews worked to and from Syracuse.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/21 06:53 by RodneyZona.

I had just gone to work for Amtrak in the Mechanical Department in Detroit, and rode/worked the first eastbound Niagara Rainbow.  The naming, as I remember, was partly the at least due to the suggestion of Dave Devries (Sales Manager) and Rich Tower (Superintendent), who worked out the Michigan Central Depot in Detroit.  I do remember the sign.

G.F.P.

A fine trio of images.   Love the transition of paint schemes and power.