Nostalgia & History > Amtrak's amazing E9B Heater Car 1919

Amtrak's amazing E9B Heater Car 1919 at the Chicago Maintenance Terminal on August 20, 1976. 

>Built as Union Pacific 970B (E9B) in Oct. 1955.

>Became AMTK 468 (E9B), then AMTK 1919 (Heater Car), and then AMTK 669 (Heater Car).

>Became Alaska RR Power Car number P7.

>Finally UP reacquired and rebuilt it as an E9B with a 2000-hp, 645-engine and new controls.

A heater car has a steam generator which provides steam to heat passenger cars. It is usually positioned between locomotives without steam generators and the passenger cars.

Power cars have an electricity generator to provide power to the cars for heat, air conditioning, and other hotel loads.

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