Amtrak


E

EHodges

Member
Guys I need some help. I have been thinking about this alot and I think I want to build a nice Amtrak train. I want to use the P42DC as my engine or engines. I am unsure what cars I need to have in order to have a correct Amtrak train. How many engines to these trains runs and normally how many cars do they run? Also are there any good manufacturers of cars out there. I can only find Kato for the engine but nothing really for the cars. I have seen a few on youtube but no real detail on them.

Eric
 
Depends on which time period you want to model, and which routes. Every route uses different combinations of equipment, and every time period uses different engines and paint schemes.
 
First off what scale, then what location have you seen trains that you want to model. Most East Coast trains will use single level cars and the rest will have Bi-Level Superliners.
 
more info

Sorry guys I always forget to add the important information.
I am gonna be modeling in HO scale. I have been looking at the Athearn and walther line of P42 engines and cars. I live in NC but I love the look of the superliner design. I will probably be modeling a 2 engine or 3 engine P42 with the superliner cars but i need to know what arrangement and how many cars do i need to be looking at.

Eric
 
you still didn't say which route you want to model. There's the Auto Train, California Zephyr, Capitol Corridor, Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Heartland Flyer, Pacific Surfliner, Pere Marquette, San Joaquin, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and Texas Eagle
 
Here is some info someone sent me a while ago, It should help.

11+14 Coast Starlight
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, P32’s, and F59’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
3 Sleepers
1 Pacific Parlor
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
4 Coaches

5+6 California Zephyr
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
2 Sleepers
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
3 Coaches
1-2 Reefers

1+2 Sunset Limited
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
1 Sleeper
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
2 Coaches

58+59 City of New Orleans
Number Type
1 Loco (P42’s, and P40’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
1 Sleepers
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
4 Coaches

29+30 Capitol Limited
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
2 Sleepers
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
3 Coaches

27+28 Empire Builder Portland Section
Number Type
1 Loco (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Sightseer Lounge
1 Coach
1 Coach/Baggage
1 Sleeper

7+8 Empire Builder Seattle Section
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
2 Sleeper
1 Diner
2 Coach

7+8 Empire Builder
Number Type
2 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
2 Sleeper
1 Diner
2 Coach
1 Sightseer Lounge
1 Coach
1 Coach/Baggage(smoker)
1 Sleeper

3+4 Southwest Chief
Number Type
3 Locos (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Transition Sleeper
2 Sleepers
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
3 Coaches
2-3 Reefers

21+22 Texas Eagle
Number Type
1 Loco (P42’s, P40’s, and P32’s.)
1 Baggage (Budd and 1700 series)
1 Sleeper or Transition Sleeper
1 Diner
1 Sightseer Lounge
2 Coaches
2 Sleepers

52+53 Auto Train
Number Type
2 Loco (P42’s and P40’s)
1 Transition Sleeper
3 Sleepers
1 Lounge
1 Diner
3 Sleepers
4 Coaches
2 Diners
25 Autoracks
 
Info

Guys,
I appreciate ALOT the information you hav passed onto me. I will have to see EXACTLY what I want to model. I didnt now know there was that many models for the Amtrak line. I will do a little research and see what I come up with. I need to get rid of some more of my RC Helicopter items and I will start buying my cars and engines. I cant wait!!!

Eric
 
it still amazes me that 2 p42's are all that is used on the autotrain with the amount of autoracks.
 
Autoracks are actually quite light compared to your average freight or passenger car. The weight of the flat car, sides, roof, and the cars inside are actually not as heavy as a typical loaded freight car. That is why they can use 33" wheels (28" on trilevels) on an 85 foot car.
 
modeling

Hey guys does anyone who models Amtrak model any other road name? I am 100% Norfolk Southern and I also want to model one Amtrak train for the passenger role. Later on I plan on modeling the Norfolk Southern Executive train. That will be a little ways down the road.

Eric
 
Hey,

I too live in NC and as such model NS, CSX, and a little Amtrak. Very imaginative huh? I have some BNSF and UP bc I love Western US railroading.

Anyhow with Amtrak, I have, more or less, have modeled the Carolinian. I need to get one more Coach, but here's what i have running on my rails:

1 P42 Athearn/Walthers Phase V #10 w a QSI sound decoder with K5LA horn
1 Baggage Car Phase IV ConCor (Id really like a Walthers one 932-6404 but they are very hard to find and Walthers hasnt made them in awhile).
1 Phase IVB Bachmann Diner
3 Phase IVB Coaches (the real one usu has a 4th coach and Id like to add another.)
I also have a Walthers 932-6045 Phase V Express Boxcar that I sometimes will pull behind it, but Ive never really seen one on the real train.

Good luck,

Brad
 
I model NS, Pan Am Railways (Maine Central, Boston and Maine, Springfield Terminal, Portland Terminal), and Amtrak.

I have an HHP-8, F59PHI, and a Talgo Pendular train (trying to find a few Phase V P42DCs and a few Bachmann amfleets in the Phase IVb (Bachmann calls them Phase V) paint scheme)
 
Model railroad hobbyist magazine had a pretty good article for modeling Amtrak in their July/August issue. Granted the article is about modeling in N but it has information you can use for pretty much any scale. It should probably be availible for download on their site.

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com
 
Well i could've been in NC, but the wife didn't want to leave NJ......yet.

EHodges, r u the nsmodeller24 or something like that on youtube?
 
youtube

No sorry I am not that guy. I have never put a video on youtube. He has some good stuff on there and I live on youtube watching those.

Eric
 
starting my Amtrak

Guys i jumped into it today. I sold some items from my RC helicopter and decided to start the process. I have listed below what I picked up for the Amtrak start. Need some more input where to go from here. I might run a small 6 car train for local stuff and a nice streamliner 12 to 14 car for my larger stuff.

- Athearn HO RTR AMD103/P42DC, Amtrak #13 ATH91573
- Athearn HO RTR Streamlined Baggage, Amtrak/Phase IV

I think this is a good start on my train. I also picked up another Dash9 40CW Norfolk Southern also to add to my engine collection.

Is there also a webpage out there that will help me on my Amtrak research?

Eric
 
Other roads

I model Conrail and Amtrak....I have too much stuff to list, but i can run up to 5 different Amtrak trains at once if i wanted to!:)
 
thanks

RGSFAN,

Thanks alot. I have been playing the google search game and not finding anything I can use. These sites will work great for me doing some of my research. Thanks again.

Eric
 
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