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  • Rohr RTL III Turboliners: Status, Location, Disposition

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #18083  by hsr_fan
 
Well, it's been about 5 years since the first rebuilt Turboliner rolled out of Super Steel, and over a year now since it finally went into service. A second Turbo also went into service a year ago, but only one is used on any given day. So far, it continues to make only one weekday round trip! The third completed Turboliner has been sitting idle for many months. This strikes me as rather odd. What the heck is going on with these things? Could this project proceed any more slowly?

A couple of months ago, David Gunn said that he anticipated a total of four "RTL 3" sets going into service, with an additional coach being added to each set. But I don't believe he mentioned any dates. Is any work currently being done to achieve that goal?

 #18139  by DutchRailnut
 
I believe all worked has stopped on them and SSS in Schenectady has shut down
 #240543  by Dieter
 
Whisked away from Albany to Delaware, are they gathering rust there, or what's their present status?

Dieter/

 #240550  by metman499
 
Some were still tarped in a yard near SuperSteel last January. I doubt they went anywhere because at that time they were still sitting on shop trucks.

 #240615  by DutchRailnut
 
ssst their trying to forget about bruno'd boondoggle, if you make it go away the will scrap them in a few years.
you will never see them run for Amtrak again. see the HSR tread or Amtrak forum this Turbo is discussed to death.
http://forums.amtraktrains.com/index.ph ... 1745241b35

 #243280  by hsr_fan
 
The three rebuilt sets are sitting in Delaware. I'm thinking about starting a "Save the Turboliners" campaign! :wink: Seriously, if they don't run again (although they should), I want to see at least one trainset preserved in a museum.

 #243359  by DutchRailnut
 
If you don't quit ill make you the poster child for Authistic society.

 #243395  by hsr_fan
 
DutchRailnut wrote:If you don't quit ill make you the poster child for Authistic society.
Why the need for insults? Perhaps my sole purpose in life is to save the Turboliners! Who am I to argue with destiny? I will never quit! Never!

 #243429  by DutchRailnut
 
And I am telling you you will NEVER see a rebuilt Turbo in a museum NEVER.

 #243702  by hsr_fan
 
Not even if I offer to buy one for $1 billion?

Why such hatred toward the Turboliners?

 #243708  by DutchRailnut
 
Who is gone sell it Amtrak ?? they only own the trainsets at value of $260 000 in scrap and parts.
New York ?? they own improvements worth 18 million per trainset but not the trainsets.
Neither party can sell or donate without others consent which will never happen.
A railroad musem has no use for a train with no history, they have mandates on what type of equipment to save and can't spend member money on something without any historical value.
And since you don't have a billion $$ the point is moot.
Only museum these money pits are good for is the Museum of Bruno's Political boondoggles, but I doubt that museum gets any suport from Bruno.
Both Amtrak and NYstate wiil let these trains quitly be scrapped in a few years to avoid political finger pointing and nasty court cases.

The Turbo chapter is closed untill something new arises, you may actually see the Bombardier Turbo locomotive end up in scrap pile soon as there is no interest and DOT or Bombardier won't admit they goofed with taxpayer money.

 #243713  by hsr_fan
 
What if I steal them in the dead of night like Amtrak did when it shipped them to Delaware?

Why would Amtrak want to contest ownership of the trains if it has no interest in them? Spite?

 #243718  by DutchRailnut
 
ask Amtrak, they made decision not to use the Turbo's for economic reasons.
And Amtrak did not steal anything, they already own them.
 #261117  by fairlane57
 
Is my memory failing me, or did I recall seeing Amtrak Turboliners parked in Grand Central Terminal back in the mid-80's?
 #261122  by NellieBly
 
Your memory is correct. New York State acquired the Turboliners in the late 1970s. They were based on a French design, with bodies built by Rohr Corp. (maker of the first order of WMATA cars). NYDOT acquired seven for "Empire Service", which at that time operated out of GCT (the Empire Connection did not open until 1992).

The turbos could run on third rail, but one turbine had to continue to run to provide hotel power. Large exhaust hoods were installed above several tracks on GCT's upper level to handle the hot exhaust.

As built, the Turboliners were not wholly satisfactory. NY rebuilt them in the late 1980s, but despite this they were all out of service by 2000 except for one, which was usually hauled by a diesel. NY then had them rebuilt again, but due to a dispute with Amtrak they're now stored in Wilmington, DE.
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