Passenger Trains > Pacific Surfliner 777 at Orange, CA

Pacific Surfliner 777 at Orange, CA.


Chris

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Those Charger engines sure are ugly.  The cab car is much prettier.  Anyone riding those trains or are they almost empty like Caltrain?

ExStarlightHog Wrote:
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> Those Charger engines sure are ugly.  The cab car
> is much prettier.

I'm old enough now to remember that every new generation of Amtrak power has elicited the same response from railfans and railroaders.  The SDPs, F40s and P30CHs were an abomination compared to the Es and Fs they replaced.  Then the P42s were hideous compared to the previous generation.  I suppose in the postwar years there was a generation that same thing about the streamlined diesels that replaced steam.  I hope we're all around in another twenty years to gripe about whatever replaces the Chargers.

Dave

ExStarlightHog Wrote:
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> Those Charger engines sure are ugly.  The cab car
> is much prettier.  Anyone riding those trains or
> are they almost empty like Caltrain?

The Surfliners have a fair number of passengers. The Metrolink trains not so much.

That seems a little optimistic.

DavidP Wrote:
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> I hope we're all
> around in another twenty years to gripe about
> whatever replaces the Chargers.
>
> Dave

Agree that the Chargers are ugly.  The Metrolink F125s look MUCH better.

DavidP Wrote:
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> ExStarlightHog Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Those Charger engines sure are ugly.  The cab
> car
> > is much prettier.
>
> I'm old enough now to remember that every new
> generation of Amtrak power has elicited the same
> response from railfans and railroaders.  The
> SDPs, F40s and P30CHs were an abomination compared
> to the Es and Fs they replaced.  Then the P42s
> were hideous compared to the previous generation.
>  I suppose in the postwar years there was a
> generation that same thing about the streamlined
> diesels that replaced steam.  I hope we're all
> around in another twenty years to gripe about
> whatever replaces the Chargers.
>
> Dave
Yes, the P42's are hideous to look at, but pretty neat to run.  Loved the cruise control feature.  Woked good going across and down the Central Valley of CA. 

MacBeau Wrote:
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> That seems a little optimistic.
>
> DavidP Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I hope we're all
> > around in another twenty years to gripe about
> > whatever replaces the Chargers.
> >
> > Dave

It's optimistic to think that we will be around in 20 years?  Oh my...

ExStarlightHog Wrote:
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> Yes, the P42's are hideous to look at, but pretty
> neat to run.  Loved the cruise control feature. 
> Woked good going across and down the Central
> Valley of CA. 

Glad you were able to do the "boring" Tehachapi detours before you pulled the pin.

I was onboard the Surfliners out of San Diego last month. Decent patronage, but the train frequencies were halved (once about every 2 hours) for the pandemic. I've gotten used to the exterior appearance of the Chargers, and I think that's from the shock of seeing the Cascades Talgo cab cars.