Where's the DMU?

I've tried twice to "capture" the Colorado Railcar DMU on visits to Fort Lauderdale, but was foiled by it being on tour or otherwise out of action. I'll be in town the second half of July on what will probably be my last visit to the area for a while (my mother is moving to Arizona). Any chance of the DMU being visible then?

jtbell wrote:I've tried twice to "capture" the Colorado Railcar DMU on visits to Fort Lauderdale, but was foiled by it being on tour or otherwise out of action. I'll be in town the second half of July on what will probably be my last visit to the area for a while (my mother is moving to Arizona). Any chance of the DMU being visible then?

I don't think it is here, I have not seen it in ages.
Noel Weaver

I was in NY when I heard about it being used and never saw it in action. Don't be too sad though because DMU is building a double decker DMU (703) and a coach (7001) for Tri-Rail to go with DMU 2002. Also 2002 has recently been repainted in the latest Tri-Rail scheme (like the ones you see on the F40PH-2C's) to go with the two coaches. I'm currently not sure at the time though when these will go into service or any kind delivery date whatsoever. It might not be long though until we see some DMU action again on the Tri-Rail corridor. Here is a couple of interesting links about the new DMU's and some very nice pictures of the new cars and 2002 with new Tri-Rail paint at Ft. Lupton, CO.

http://www.trainweb.org/ultradomes/rta/ddtour.html
http://www.trainweb.org/ultradomes/rta/trcx7001.html
http://www.trainweb.org/ultradomes/rta/trcx703.html
http://www.trainweb.org/ultradomes/rta/trcx702.html

Seems as if the cars are progressing quite well (and the paint schemes progressively less appetizing).

-Kurt

I think it was better for them to do it like that than to use the palm trees with the sky background like on the rest of the coaches and cab-cars. No matter what the situation though I still prefer the scheme that is on the F40PHL-2's and PHR's.

FL9 wrote:I think it was better for them to do it like that than to use the palm trees with the sky background like on the rest of the coaches and cab-cars. No matter what the situation though I still prefer the scheme that is on the F40PHL-2's(except 805 of course) and PHR's.

True, the wave scheme is no doubt, better then the "flying palm tree" nonsense. In fact, it looks pretty good on 805 and the F40PH-2Cs (807-809).

For some reason, it looks abselutely horrific on the single-level DMU though - too much white. Overdoses of white doesn't belong on rolling stock of any kind - especially when the carbody wraps around the bottom. Those DMUs would have looked a good deal better in the Tri-Stripe scheme, though that is my own opinion, of course.

It's rather interesting that since the inauguration of Tri-Rail, the only time they've ever had matching colors between the locos and cars was the few times they put 904 and 703 on the head end (or so I've heard happened at least once). "GO Transit in Florida."

-Kurt

P.S.: The Gold Coast Railroad Museum doesn't list 904 in their roster - did they finally chuck it over to another organization?

P.S. #2: Has anyone noticed the rather odd contrast in carbody styling VS. the out-of-place headlights on the ex-#2002 DMU demo?