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Passenger Trains > Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing


Date: 02/03/25 05:44
Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: jp1822

Today's westbound Lake Shore Limited pulled into Elkhart with a Horizon coach as the second Boston section coach. All passengers boarding in Elkhart, IN boarded the Horizon coach. Hopefully they used this coach for those riding "short distances" as that's a LOT to put up with as a low density coach in LD assignment. In the early 2000's Amtrak had a few Horizons modified for long distance services, but I believe all are back in the high density mode now. Not the first time the Lake Shore Limited has had a Horizon coach in the consist subbing or adding to the coach capacity. Hopefully this is temporary and there's an Amfleet II coach that can be subbed in at Chicago? Wasn't' dead-heading, it was being used!!!



Date: 02/03/25 06:42
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: joemvcnj

Wonder if it went out that way in 48, or did they steal it from the Downeaster pool ?



Date: 02/03/25 08:49
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: ST214

Would not be the first time. I was on the LSL back in the early 00's and there was a A-1 84 seater subbing for a A-2. Thankfully we were seated in the A-2. It may have been all that was available in Boston.

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Today's westbound Lake Shore Limited pulled into
> Elkhart with a Horizon coach as the second Boston
> section coach. All passengers boarding in Elkhart,
> IN boarded the Horizon coach. Hopefully they used
> this coach for those riding "short distances" as
> that's a LOT to put up with as a low density coach
> in LD assignment. In the early 2000's Amtrak had a
> few Horizons modified for long distance services,
> but I believe all are back in the high density
> mode now. Not the first time the Lake Shore
> Limited has had a Horizon coach in the consist
> subbing or adding to the coach capacity. Hopefully
> this is temporary and there's an Amfleet II coach
> that can be subbed in at Chicago? Wasn't'
> dead-heading, it was being used!!!



Date: 02/03/25 08:57
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: jp1822

Actually there had also been an Amfleet I, high density coach on one of the Lake Shore Limited's consists a few weeks ago - in the same position of this coach (second coach of the Boston section). Yes, as mentioned, this was not uncommon to see in the early 2000's when Amtrak was running more LD trains than at present (e.g. Three Rivers) and at full capacity - not these half-baked LD consists of present. 



Date: 02/03/25 11:49
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: mvrr10

449 Feb.2,2025  : pair of P42s-Viewliner I sleeper-Amfleet I full dinette-Amfleet II coach-Horizon coach. Do not know if the Horizon coach came out of Chicago on 48/448 and turned for 449. The Downeaster apparently has not operated more than one Horizon coach per consist, always the furthest from the Club/Dinette and only opened when all seats are needed on a train ; at most 5 Horizons on the property for Downeaster trains. Stand-by at Brunswick,Maine  perhaps.



Date: 02/03/25 12:07
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: ST214

That is true, but a few have been lost to wrecks since then. Even back then most of the A-1's had been reconfigured to fewer seats thru the Capstone program. That A-1 on the LSL that day was certainly tired inside as it had not been rebuilt and it showed.

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually there had also been an Amfleet I, high
> density coach on one of the Lake Shore Limited's
> consists a few weeks ago - in the same position of
> this coach (second coach of the Boston section).
> Yes, as mentioned, this was not uncommon to see in
> the early 2000's when Amtrak was running more LD
> trains than at present (e.g. Three Rivers) and at
> full capacity - not these half-baked LD consists
> of present. 



Date: 02/04/25 02:53
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: JPB

Amtrak 48 departure of Monday 2/3/25 has Horizon coach 54501 stenciled "Polar Express" as the 2nd coach in the Boston 448 section. Here is the very clean looking Horizon arriving Elkhart OT as grabbed off VR's live cam. The temps have been so cold in New England that a "Polar Express" labelled car is entirely appropriate!




Date: 02/04/25 12:45
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: ST214

Interesting. I have seen cars just like that in STL, but all the Amtrak markings were patched out. 



Date: 02/04/25 16:15
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: joemvcnj

ST214 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting. I have seen cars just like that in
> STL, but all the Amtrak markings were patched
> out. 

I think 3 Horizon cars are outright privately owned, but maybe a few others have Polar Express decals. 



Date: 02/05/25 03:24
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: JPB

ST214 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting. I have seen cars just like that in
> STL, but all the Amtrak markings were patched
> out. 

The Horizon cars used for the St Louis Polar Express train operated by TRRA have reporting marks RPCX (Railexco?). Here's a screen grab from Live Trains' St Louis live cam of the 2022 TRRA Polar Express using ex-Amtrak Horizon cars RPCX 54528 & 54538. Note that the "Polar Express" leteering is different from the style of lettering used on the Horizon coach seen on Amtrak 48 (I think Amtrak used this Horizon car on Polar Express runs out of Chicago that last operated Christmas 2023).




Date: 02/05/25 20:43
Re: Lake Shore Limited Train #49 (2) - Horizon Coach Subbing
Author: ST214

Yeah, that's them. Amtrak should have held onto them, just like the A-1's that went to Mexico. 

JPB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ST214 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting. I have seen cars just like that in
> > STL, but all the Amtrak markings were patched
> > out. 
>
> The Horizon cars used for the St Louis Polar
> Express train operated by TRRA have reporting
> marks RPCX (Railexco?). Here's a screen grab from
> Live Trains' St Louis live cam of the 2022 TRRA
> Polar Express using ex-Amtrak Horizon cars RPCX
> 54528 & 54538. Note that the "Polar Express"
> leteering is different from the style of lettering
> used on the Horizon coach seen on Amtrak 48 (I
> think Amtrak used this Horizon car on Polar
> Express runs out of Chicago that last operated
> Christmas 2023).



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