Below are highlights from an article in Trains Newswire on Amtrak's updated "fleet strategy" (available as an 89-page PDF here: http://bit.ly/FleetPlan):





You have been warned:
*This will be your last chance to acquire roadworthy "Heritage" diners and whatever else is still running from pre-Amtrak;
*It's time to consider Amfleet cars as legitimate preservation subjects and/or "expendable" passenger carriers for mainline excursions;
*We let the P30CH's get away. Will we do the same for the "Genesis" P40's and P42's?

Please disregard any political wranglings regarding whether this fleet strategy will come to fruition or not. You now have a couple years to weigh whether you have a worthy acquisition target, how to pay for it or justify it, and all the other fun stuff we call a "hobby."

I read this the other day, I was thinking the same thing that there may very well be some future museum pieces that will become available. One that comes to mind is #90200 the first F40 now a cabbage car. Yes there are some heritage diners that may very well be road worthy and that will meet current health department standards. I also have wondered the coaches that were converted to baggage cars could these be converted back into cars for passengers? Defiantly some things that do need to be looked into for preservation in the future.

I remember something about the B&O Museum preserving Amtrak equipment, but this was about twenty years ago and since a different regime is in charge Lord knows if any agreement made still applies.

The B&O Museum saved from Amtrak a former B&O Slumbercoach, 7701, which later ended up with the name "Oriole":
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24841

The B&O ran some fairly obsolete equipment (compared to the likes of PRR, Santa Fe, etc.) in its later passenger days, even letting some rebuilt heavyweights survive into post-Amtrak commuter service. I would be amazed (and somewhat shocked) if any true candidates for preservation that can justify track space an an already overcrowded museum are still running on Amtrak. Even the car that the B&O Museum got only came to Amtrak in 1982, ostensibly for parts.... and, oddly, I just checked the B&O Museum's online roster and see no mention of the car.... maybe I'd best go and drive around the Museum next time I'm down there just to double-check that it's still there......

I sometimes fear by the time more people wake up to the idea of Amtrak preservation the equipment available will be in bad condition and scares. It's too new and in too good condition to get it now come back in a decade when it isn't and we will need hundreds of thousands to restore it, seems to be the idea that a lot of organizations are running under these days.

I spoke to an Amtrak offical last fall that told me they are keeping everything - heritage cars included - after the new Viewliner "type" cars are delivered. For how long, is up for debate. I'm sure that's subject to change at some point. I know new baggage cars according to some are the most desired at first since the current baggage cars are pretty beat up..

First thing to point out is that some Amtrak equipment has been preserved; The GG-1 #926 in Syracuse, NY was done two years ago. NCTM in Spencer has an F-40 and I have seen (can't remember where) cars painted Amtrak, and not just never repainted.

Now for the point, a recent trip to Beech Grove had one SP diner in the shop for major overhaul, don't have the number on me but it had the large center plate over the fluting. I did not pay much to it as I was with another 100 collectors and railroads that buy this stuff so I know this car is on the top of all the lists to buy. But I did notice an L&N Pullman end door baggage car in the stored line behind the brake shop. I found this interesting since it was not Budd. It would make for a nice power car with the doors the way they are on it. But the question is "should it get saved or not?" And I think it will happen because the cars they have do have some value historically and others as operating cars, like the CZ diner that was sliced in Florida last year. I figured this car would get cut or be sold as parts, nope fixed and back on the road again. I am sure the folks in CA will be all over that car if not the Gold Coast in Miami to go with the other CZ cars they have. As for the Amfleet cars, let’s face it, Iowa Pacific and some of the class ones will pick those up all day long to run on special trains and office car trains. After all for those of us who have seen the Amtrak office car Beech Grove, we know what these cars can be. Plus they are so new you can fix a car that is 25 years newer than anything else you can find. The SP diner will be hot since it was just rebuilt. As for the engines, well we did save a handful of F-40's and I have no question that the guys at B&O will grab one toaster as will the URHS I would be willing to bet. You might even see some other groups take them just to say they have a real Amtrak unit. So in my opinion, yes, it will be saved. A lot will go to scrap but that is the way it goes, can't save them all.

The other thing to think about is the past, we have E-8's restored and saved along with GP-9's, SD-45's as well as many other types of post 1940's equipment. The steam guys of the 30's, 40's and 50's must be rolling in the after life. Who would have thought that brand new E-8 pulling into Chicago would some day have a fund drive to preserve it in a museum next to an N&W steam engine? It's a new era with the same issues.

JJ-