Uniq. Eqpmt Sightings: Private Varnish (PV's), Charters, etc

Private car Ohio Central was seen sitting at Sunnyside yard today, it came in on train #42 yesterday.

Moments ago, observed 5 (14) pass.

The third Sleeper line is on hiatus, but bringing up the rear was a "PV' I've not seen before. This car was either Sunrise or Wingate Brook. Budd high windowed, used as protect cars for The Century.

The car is named "Dagny Taggart"; something tells me this character from "Atlas Shrugged" would highly disapprove of an enterprise like Amtrak.

Or maybe, the name is the car owner's idea of a joke.

Anyone know if the Yankees will be taking the train up to Boston after today's game?

A little late with this; sorry! http://www.livingstonenterprise.com/con ... -wednesday" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Train of vintage rail cars coming to Livingston Wednesday

Livingston will look like an old railroad town when the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners bring their vintage cars to town.

A group of 21 cars and about 160 people will roll into town the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 14, and they’ll remain until a 7 a.m. departure on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The 21-car tour will be on its way from Denver en route to Spokane to attend the AAPRCO annual convention, Borden Black, the organization’s executive director said Thursday.

Here's the Cleveland Browns' special train on a preseason trip to Buffalo last summer with basically a standard 7-car Empire/Regional Amfleet consist (a half café/club from Empire Service as the first car)

AAPRCO's City of Spokane convention special train arrived at Spokane yesterday and the convention activities have begun. There were 21 cars on the convention train (the 20 cars I listed previously plus CITY OF SPOKANE as the rear car), pulled by Amtrak locomotives 822 and 186.

There were some tense moments during the 2 days before departure from Denver, after the Amtrak QMP bad-ordered two cars. The two cars were set out on a RIP track in the BNSF yard, two new wheelsets were located and trucked in from a shop in the east St Louis area, cranes and experienced hands performed the changeout in the BNSF yard under portable worklights, and the two repaired cars were placed back into the consist in their assigned positions. Although it was an "all nighter" work session last Monday night 9/12, the special was able to depart Denver a little less than 2 hours behind the scheduled departure, with no one left behind.

Here is a good video of the train on the first day of operation: https://youtu.be/jRmLfqxEdwM

Due to the high cost ($20K per car just for the special train one way from Denver to Spokane) and the large block of time required to make the trip from Springfield, New York, Philadelphia or Washington DC, none of the AAPRCO members with Amtrak certified cars in the northeast (BABBLING BROOK, CANNON BALL, CRIPPLE CREEK, DOVER HARBOR, GREENWICH HARBOR, GREENWICH ESTATE, HICKORY CREEK, KITCHI GAMMI CLUB, MOUNT VERNON, NYC 3 PORTLAND, PACIFIC HOME, PRR 120 PENNSYLVANIA, and VISTA VALLEY) decided to participate in the convention and its special train.

That should be different next year when the (40th annual) convention will be held in Burlington VT, on September 17-21, 2017. Plans are for the convention special train to originate and terminate at ALB.

Sadly, that makes economic sense, Jack.

What's Amtrak's per diem these days, or are they doing a mileage charge?

The 2017 convention at Burlington VT will probably have more eastern and midwestern cars, with less cars from the far west, participating. As you say, that is simple economics.

Amtrak has always done a mileage charge. Currently set at $2.80 per mile (additional cars can move at $2.14 per mile), it increases to $2.88 per mile (additional cars can move at $2.20 per mile) on October 1, 2016. Frequent traveler rate increases from $2.54 to $2.62 per mile. Overnight parking increases from $132 to $136 per night. Extra locomotive charge, when required, increases from $4.33 to $4.46 per mile. Other tariff costs increase proportionately.

However, the largest cost is not the cost of the average trip, but the cost of achieving and maintaining compliance with Amtrak certification standards. Certification for operating a car at 110 MPH on Amtrak is a world apart from "simple" compliance with FRA standards to operate a car on a shortline or excursion railroad at FRA class I or II speeds.

On Saturday, October 1st, Metro North and Amtrak will operate a (passenger) special train on the Hudson Line.

Privately owned passenger cars in the consist will be (800241) PRR 120 PENNSYLVANIA, (800699) WARRIOR RIDGE, (800745) ALEXANDER HAMILTON, (800411) NYC 43, (800708) MOUNT VERNON, (800971) PACIFIC HOME and (800007) BABBLING BROOK. Metro North and Amtrak locomotives to be assigned to the special are not known at this time.

Train will deadhead from New York to Poughkeepsie departing Grand Central Terminal approximately 10 AM on Saturday. After picking up invited guests at Poughkeepsie, train will return to New York where guests will detrain to participate in an off-train event. That evening, after the event concludes, the train will depart Grand Central Terminal and head north to return the guests to Poughkeepsie.

At Poughkeepsie on Saturday evening, the Metro North special train will become an Amtrak special train, and the 7 private cars, with a smaller number of guests onboard, will continue to Chicago via the Water Level Route, arriving Chicago Union Station on Sunday October 2nd.

Positioning moves of passenger equipment, before and after the special train:

Amtrak special move from New York (Sunnyside Yard) will deliver the above passenger cars to SHELL for interchange to Metro North after evening rush hour on Thursday September 29th. Cars will be stored at Grand Central Terminal until Saturday morning.

On Monday October 3rd, five of these cars (PRR 120, WARRIOR RIDGE, MOUNT VERNON, PACIFIC HOME and BABBLING BROOK) will depart CHI on train 48(03) for ALB. After arrival at ALB, two cars (PRR 120 and WARRIOR RIDGE) will continue on train 48(03) to NYP, while three cars (MOUNT VERNON, PACIFIC HOME and BABBLING BROOK) will be removed from train 48(03), layover at ALB, and then travel on train 64(04) from ALB to NYP.

On Tuesday October 4th, ALEXANDER HAMILTON and NYC 43 will travel on train 50 (04) from CHI to HUN. They will remain at HUN for participation in the 2016 New River Trains.

Observers are reminded to be safe and not to trespass on railroad property.

Mr. Deasy, I have to say I like the new page!

http://www.aaprco.com/travel/travel-opportunities/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you. We paid a contractor to redesign the site, with objectives of making the site more attractive and easier to use. They have completed the public portion of the website, and now will turn their attention to the significantly larger area that is restricted (user id & password protected) to members.

http://www.aaprco.com

Welcome to the 21st Century with the new design.

I really do like it.

Just observed #3 (29); in addition to the usual nine car consist, Ellis had a Sleeper. Great Dome, and Obs Ponchartrain Club, as well as a third P-42.

Unless Amtrak was rotating out the protect unit they have at ABQ, trust he was paying for that third unit.

The "protect" unit has been "MIA" at ABQ for a while,the entire Amtrak loco fleet is "Battle weary" and spread way too thin.
Past few times a 3rd unit from LA on # 4 is dropped,turned,and put on # 3 the same day!
Are the IP cars to be dropped at La Junta for movement to SLRG(IP)?
Or all the way to LAUS?

An update,the IP charter was dropped off at ABQ,for tomorrow's Balloon Fiesta,as was done last year,
should head east on # 4(01) on sunday.

jhdeasy wrote:Thank you. We paid a contractor to redesign the site, with objectives of making the site more attractive and easier to use. They have completed the public portion of the website, and now will turn their attention to the significantly larger area that is restricted (user id & password protected) to members.

http://www.aaprco.com

I would like to also say that your contractor did an slick job! The Equipment listings actually just came in handy for someone I know coming from Iceland who has lots of money and is interested in chartering a car.