Passenger Trains > Amtrak train 43

Westbound near Thompsontown, PA.  11/7/2018

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The Middle Division is getting so grown in! Some of those places looked like vegetation would never grow back back in the 1970s. The short Amtrak train is a little melancholy too. Thanks for posting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/18 08:01 by King_Coal.

It's a six-car train.  When the Pennsylvanian began running in 1980, it was just a two-car train (coach and cafe car).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/18 14:16 by RuleG.

It's hard to believe that ROW was four tracked under the PRR.

And I l'll bet that the dispatcher wishes it was still 4 track!

Posted from Android

Wow
In 1975 I was on the broadway limited on that stretch of track and a broken rail caused our train to derail

I posted pictures of the derailed broadway a couple years ago

Posted from iPhone

Notice the signals are gone due to the new signal system put into service. Some more history.

seaboardc30-7 Wrote:
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> It's hard to believe that ROW was four tracked
> under the PRR.

By 1955 the PRR ROW was three tracks wide between Newport and Mifflin where Thompsontown is located.

Nice picture . Too bad the sun was not shining to make it better.

In terms of patronage is the Pennsylvnian really "that busy." ?  6 cars is a lot. A knowledgeable railfan I know claims that six cars are not needed Pittsburgh-Harrisburg and that the train has a lot of deadheads riding it. Seems like he is stretching the point but is the Pittsburgh-Harrisburg segment 
really quite busy ? Just wondering.

mp16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice picture . Too bad the sun was not shining to
> make it better.
>
> In terms of patronage is the Pennsylvnian really
> "that busy." ?  6 cars is a lot. A knowledgeable
> railfan I know claims that six cars are not needed
> Pittsburgh-Harrisburg and that the train has a lot
> of deadheads riding it. Seems like he is
> stretching the point but is the
> Pittsburgh-Harrisburg segment 
> really quite busy ? Just wondering.


  This is my homebase train, Amtrak 42&43. This train is always full with people with 4 coaches, 1 business class coaches and 1 cafe car. I ride Amtrak 42&43,   2 to 3 times a year. Its always full of people.

railcity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mp16 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice picture . Too bad the sun was not shining
> to
> > make it better.
> >
> > In terms of patronage is the Pennsylvnian
> really
> > "that busy." ?  6 cars is a lot. A
> knowledgeable
> > railfan I know claims that six cars are not
> needed
> > Pittsburgh-Harrisburg and that the train has a
> lot
> > of deadheads riding it. Seems like he is
> > stretching the point but is the
> > Pittsburgh-Harrisburg segment 
> > really quite busy ? Just wondering.
>
>
>   This is my homebase train, Amtrak 42&43. This
> train is always full with people with 4 coaches, 1
> business class coaches and 1 cafe car. I ride
> Amtrak 42&43,   2 to 3 times a year. Its always
> full of people.

Yup, and just think if they added another frequency or two....!!!!!

mp16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice picture . Too bad the sun was not shining to
> make it better.
>
> In terms of patronage is the Pennsylvnian really
> "that busy." ?  6 cars is a lot. A knowledgeable
> railfan I know claims that six cars are not needed
> Pittsburgh-Harrisburg and that the train has a lot
> of deadheads riding it. Seems like he is
> stretching the point but is the
> Pittsburgh-Harrisburg segment 
> really quite busy ? Just wondering.

Based on my many trips on the Pennsylvanian from and to Pittsburgh, I would say it is a very well-used train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

Need a morning frequency and an afternoon frequency. Been that way since the Three Rivers was cancelled in 2005!