Does anyone know if any of the 15 or so baggage cars equipped with HEP generators survived? I remember seeing them behind GG1's pulling new Amfleet cars in the late 70s & early 80s. Those cars would be perfect match for the 765 upcoming Chicago excursion and future trips as well. Much more photogenic than an AMTRAK diesel trailing. Photo taken in 1980 at Newark, DE passenger station.

WVNorthern, nice picture, thanks for posting it.

I don't know about the fate of the HEP baggage cars, but my apartment in college was about 100 yards in front of that GG1 (along side the tracks of course).

Could not keep the needle on my record player engaged long enough to play most vinyl records.... Every dang train going by made it "skip". I ended up hanging the record player from the ceiling with some bungee cords to make it work... The younger crowd may have to look up vinyl records and record player...

I actually took Conrail Commuter trains from that station to Philadelphia to pick up Amtrak trains to Penn Station, NYC. These where not one time special moves due to a strike or accident. These where regularly scheduled passenger trains with a published timetable.

Yes indeed, Conrail had a "Passenger Train Department" (but only for a few years). I have the timetable and ticket stub to prove it.

Not trains operated by Conrail for SEPTA, or trains operated by Conrail for Amtrak, but trains operated by Conrail for Conrail (there may have been some government subsidies/payments involved ?).

The timetable and tickets had the Conrail name on them. The equipment (old PRR electric MU cars) may have still been marked PC ? Not sure about that part, it was a while ago. Conrail started in 76, I took these trains ~78-80. I think Amtrak added a few station stops at Newark Delaware in the 80's and Conrail exited that route.

I do have a negative of a triple headed freight train heading in the opposite direction with three GG1's from about 78 or 79.

Thanks for the photo. Cheers, Kevin (BSEE Univ of Delaware, Newark De. 1980)

Having a locomotive in the consist when they do that may be a railroad or Amtrak requirement to get the train in the clear in the event of steam engine breakdown. Many PVs are gen-set equipped and can operate without external HEP but can utilize it if available. Some may even be able to power an adjoining car.

HEP car 688 is preserved at Cuyahoga Valley, only one I'm aware of that is still a HEP car.

Edit: As of 1999, there was another one in some sort of Amtrak service, spotted at Albany, NY (per www.hebners.net/Amtrak/amtHEP.html )

There were a total of 13 HEP generator cars. 9 were rebuilt in 1975 and 4 were rebuilt in 1979 (there were at least 5 additional cars which were selected for rebuilding in 1979 which were subsequently cancelled). Of the 9 cars rebuilt in 1975, 3 were former UP 48 seat chairs which were rebuilt by William W. Kratville's Autoliner Corporation in Omaha and were sold to Amtrak at that time; these 3 cars had previously been rebuilt in 1970 to auto carriers with full-width end doors and Auto-series names. The other 6 were rebuilt from Army kitchen cars. All of the 1979 cars (both rebuilt and cancelled) were former NYC #91xx-series baggage-express cars which were equipped with full-width end doors.

3 Cars, P-S, Lot #6663, Plans #7468 and #7471, 1942, UP 48 seat chairs:

UP chair #5351 (Plan #7471) retired in 1968 and subsequently sold to Autoliner Corp., rebuilt in 1970 to auto carrier #300 Auto Haven, sold to Amtrak and rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1297, later renumbered to #690, transferred in 1983 to MofW department as #17089, no further disposition information.

UP chair #5364 (Plan #7471) retired in 1968 and subsequently sold to Autoliner Corp., rebuilt in 1970 to auto carrier #301 Auto Park, sold to Amtrak and rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1298, later renumbered to #691, retired and stored at Beech Grove (198?), no further disposition information.

UP chair #5332 (Plan #7468) retired in 1968 and subsequently sold to Autoliner Corp., rebuilt in 1970 to auto carrier #302 Auto Port, sold to Amtrak and rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1299, later renumbered to #692, transferred in 1983 to MofW department as #17090, no further disposition information.

6 Cars, StLCC, Lot #1773, 1953, U.S. Army kitchen cars:

Army kitchen car #89637 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1300, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1291, later renumbered to #685, no further disposition information.

Army kitchen car #89661 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1304, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1292, later renumbered to #686, no further disposition information.

Army kitchen car #89657 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1305, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1293, later renumbered to #687, no further disposition information.

Army kitchen car #89670 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1306, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1294, later renumbered to #688, retired at an unknown date and later acquired (when??) by the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RR.

Army kitchen car #89625 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1307, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1295, later renumbered to #689, no further disposition information.

Army kitchen car #89634 sold in 1973 to Amtrak and rebuilt to baggage car #1308, rebuilt in 1975 to power car #1296, burned in January 1976, no information on exact date or location.

9 Cars, AC&F, Lot #2910, 1946, NYC baggage-express cars with full-width end doors:

NYC #9151 to PC #9151, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1215 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1124 (not applied), rebuilt in 1979 to power car #693, retired and stored at Beech Grove (198?), no further disposition information.

NYC #9166 to PC #9166, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1240 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1138 (not applied), rebuilt in 1979 to power car #694, no further disposition information.

NYC #9170 to PC #9170, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1241 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1139 (not applied), rebuilt in 1979 to power car #695, no further disposition information.

NYC #9105 to PC #9105, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1218 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1126 (not applied), rebuilt in 1979 to power car #696, retired at an unknown date and later acquired (when??) by the Green Mountain RY as #9105.

NYC #9146 to PC #9146, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1232 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1133 (not applied), selected for rebuild to power car in 1979, which was subsequently cancelled, transferred in 1981 to MofW department as tool car #17046, later retired (199?) and subsequently acquired (when??) by the RR Museum of PA as #9146.

NYC #9141 to PC #9141, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1228 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1132 (not applied), selected for rebuild to power car in 1979, which was subsequently cancelled, transferred in 1981 to MofW department as tool car #17045, no further disposition information.

NYC #9161 to PC #9161, sold in 1976 to Amtrak, first planned as baggage #1237 (not applied), then planned as baggage #1135 (not applied), selected for rebuilt to power car in 1979, which was subsequently cancelled, transferred in 1981 to MofW department and used as a storage shed on the Northeast Corridor (exact location of this use unknown).

NYC #9114 to PC #9114, intended to be sold in 1976 to Amtrak, sale was cancelled, if sold would have been baggage #1216, later #1125, and also would have been rebuilt to a power car in 1979. No further disposition info. Did PC and later Conrail use any of these #91xx-series cars in MofW service or for storage at various locations? If so, was this one of the cars used? Thanks in advance!

NYC #9134 to PC #9134, intended to be sold in 1976 to Amtrak, sale was cancelled, if sold would have been baggage #1226, later #1130, and also would have been rebuilt to a power car in 1979. No further disposition info. Did PC and later Conrail use any of these #91xx-series cars in MofW service or for storage at various locations? If so, was this one of the cars used? Thanks in advance!

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Additions and corrections are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Ted,

Cuyahoga Valley purchased the 688 from the Northern Central Railroad around the same time as the former MARC cars arrived. Sorry, It's been too long ago for me to remember the year.

B. Allan

Thanks everyone (especially Rainier Rails). I'm constantly amazed at all the information available on this forum.