Canadian Railroads > Turbo

Pic one shows the CN Turbo pulling into Dorval Station on a test run prior to entering service. The last two shots show the remains of an Amtrak Turbo that was involved in a sideswipe incident at Ballantyne.

Neil Compton
Calgary, AB

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Thank you for sharing you shots of the, never to make it to Amtrak, Turbo wreck.

What was an Amtrak turbo doing at Ballantyne? Did CN/VIA acquire it and it had not yet been repainted?

Anther question: When did VIA repaint them yellow?

TIA,

Rob L.

rob_l Wrote:
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> What was an Amtrak turbo doing at Ballantyne? Did
> CN/VIA acquire it and it had not yet been
> repainted?
>

>
> Rob L.

Once again, the TSG has the answers.

Two Turbo sets were sold to Amtrak, but one was in a wreck before delivery was completed. It looks like they did manage to repaint it though. If that power car was Amtrak 54, it was the former CN 128.

GTD

What's really cool about the wreck photos is the QPP police cruiser on the side of the highway and the ESSO station at the top of 25th Avenue. The latter being the site of Patates Normand. Oh, those Normie's fries!!!!

Ken Goslett.

Lerchy Wrote:
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> Pic one shows the CN Turbo pulling into Dorval
> Station on a test run prior to entering service.
> The last two shots show the remains of an Amtrak
> Turbo that was involved in a sideswipe incident at
> Ballantyne.

Love the first shot; any dates on these photos?
Fred

rob_l Wrote:
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> What was an Amtrak turbo doing at Ballantyne? Did
> CN/VIA acquire it and it had not yet been
> repainted?
>
> Anther question: When did VIA repaint them
> yellow?
>
> TIA,
>
> Rob L.

I have shot of a Turbo train led by 151, in VIA yellow and blue, from November 1976, so before then, at least.
Fred

feclark Wrote:
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> I have shot of a Turbo train led by 151, in VIA
> yellow and blue, from November 1976, so before
> then, at least.
> Fred

The Turbo was painted yellow & blue for the launch of 'VIA CN' in April 1976.

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rob_l Wrote:
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> What was an Amtrak turbo doing at Ballantyne? Did
> CN/VIA acquire it and it had not yet been
> repainted?
>
> Anther question: When did VIA repaint them
> yellow?
>
> TIA,
>
> Rob L.

CN's original Turbo's were configured as 5 x 7 cars. After numerous failures and following upgrades, modifications etc. they emerged as 3 x 9 cars. This left 4 power cars and 6 cars. These were made into 2 train sets of 5 cars, which were both sold to Amtrak. The train in the photos was on an acceptance run for Amtrak. The Turbo ran a red and slammed into a container train that was eastbound and crossing over to enter the yard. The other set was never delivered to Amtrak. It was kept by CN/VIA and at least one power car was used to replace a power car that burned in service.

Have all of the Turbos been scrapped or was one, or part of a set saved, sort of like GM s Aero Train?

BuddPullman Wrote:
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> Have all of the Turbos been scrapped or was one,
> or part of a set saved, sort of like GM s Aero
> Train?

All scrapped.

During my years as a union representative, I met someone who was in the operating cab of the Turbo in that collision.

I'm reasonably sure all involved are long retired.

There was an Amtrak officer at the controls, along with some CN officers in the small operating cab. The engineer was standing behind this group.

As is required in the Canadian operating rules, the engineer called out the signal, at that time it would have been "approach" (now called "clear to stop). Proceed, prepared to stop at the next signal. No response from the people in the cab.

He realized that the person at the controls was not controlling the train prepared to stop at the junction and crossovers at Ballantyne, however there were too many people in the operating cab for him to access the brake controls.

The Turbo sideswiped a freight train, and almost immediately the cab car caught fire. The persons in the cab had some difficulty exiting the train.

This all took place beside a busy freeway, and soon there was a huge crowd of spectators.

The Amtrak officer claimed that the CN engineer who was piloting him (showing him the route) did not call the signals, neither did other CN staff in the operating cab. The CN officers said that they heard the engineer call the signal, and at least one officer pointed out his knowledge of the applicable US operating rule which required a US locomotive engineer to acknowledge signal indications to another crew member.

This all took place as they were standing in the crowd watching the cab car burn. Rather than cause an incident, the Amtrak officer offered to retire immediately and admitted the collision was his fault. No CN staff were disciplined over the event. Amtrak accepted responsibility and the former New Haven road foreman of engines was as good as his word, and took his pension. Those involved who were with the CN never heard if any Amtrak staff were disciplined over the incident.

Thanks for filling in the rest of the story Phil.

2 CN Turbo power cars and 2 intermediate coaches not involved in the wreck did end up with Amtrak. The surviving cars from the wrecked set were stored and a few years later the power car replaced a VIA one that burned.

Here’s a Turbo Brochure from 1976. Note the CN on the nose.....VIA was just a passenger marketing arm of CN then. VIA Rail Canada Inc. had not yet been formed.

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Thanks much.

Just for clarification, was the set in the picture repaired and delivered to Amtrak? And yet the other set Amtrak bought was never delivered to Amtrak?

TIA,

Rob L.

4489 Wrote:
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> rob_l Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What was an Amtrak turbo doing at Ballantyne?
> Did
> > CN/VIA acquire it and it had not yet been
> > repainted?
> >
> > Anther question: When did VIA repaint them
> > yellow?
> >
> > TIA,
> >
> > Rob L.
>
> CN's original Turbo's were configured as 5 x 7
> cars. After numerous failures and following
> upgrades, modifications etc. they emerged as 3 x 9
> cars. This left 4 power cars and 6 cars. These
> were made into 2 train sets of 5 cars, which were
> both sold to Amtrak. The train in the photos was
> on an acceptance run for Amtrak. The Turbo ran a
> red and slammed into a container train that was
> eastbound and crossing over to enter the yard. The
> other set was never delivered to Amtrak. It was
> kept by CN/VIA and at least one power car was used
> to replace a power car that burned in service.