# Trip on the Downeaster



## Amfleet (Jun 26, 2003)

On June 26, 2003 I took an all day trip on Amtrak's Downeaster.

Read the travelogue

and

View the photos

Hope you enjoy. Any comments or questions?


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## AlanB (Jun 26, 2003)

Nice report Amfleet, thanks! 

I'm glad you had a good trip. The Downeaster has a nice run up to Portland.

I had to laugh when I saw that picture you took of the Haverhill station sign. During the Boston T Party last year one of my lasting memories is of one of the guys in our group standing by that sign watching a "T" train pull out with the rest of us on board. Thankfully he lived in Boston, so he just called his parents to come and pick him up.


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## Amfleet (Jun 26, 2003)

I remember that incident from the "T" Party trip report. There is actually a photo someone took during the "T" Party of that same sign.


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## amtrakadirondack (Jun 27, 2003)

Great Report! Great Photos! Amfleet, that was a great report, makes me what to ride the Downeaster! I like the Cabbage's Downeaster Logo too!


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 27, 2003)

Thanks for posting all that so quickly Amfleet. Gives me a good idea of what to expect when I make a similar trip in August. Thanks again.

NOTE: Glad to see the Federal was "behaving itself" and not up to its old tricks of slamming into the station!


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## Viewliner (Jun 27, 2003)

Very nice report and Pictures Amfleet.


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## Viewliner (Jun 27, 2003)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> NOTE: Glad to see the Federal was "behaving itself" and not up to its old tricks of slamming into the station!


:lol: Hopefully it wont do that in DC where it actually happened, miracle nobody was hurt :lol:


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## Amfleet (Jun 27, 2003)

South Station, Washington DC, and other stub end stations have giant bumper posts that I would think literally crush a train if it were to ram into it at 60mph. That would be somethin else.


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## AlanB (Jun 27, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> South Station, Washington DC, and other stub end stations have giant bumper posts that I would think literally crush a train if it were to ram into it at 60mph. That would be somethin else.


Those bumper posts are only designed for a train going maybe 10 to 15 mph. A train going 60 wouldn't even blink at those posts. It will take the concrete platforms and station walls to stop a train going that fast.


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## PRR 60 (Jun 27, 2003)

AlanB said:


> Amfleet said:
> 
> 
> > South Station, Washington DC, and other stub end stations have giant bumper posts that I would think literally crush a train if it were to ram into it at 60mph. That would be somethin else.
> ...


Yes, a bumping post is no match for a train. Neither are concrete platforms or station walls. No better proof of that than Washington, DC.

On January 15, 1953, PRR #173, “The Federal”, approached Washington Union Station on stub-end Track 16. As the engineer applied the brakes a strange thing happened. Nothing. A break failure caused by a valve in the third car of the train resulted in the train hitting the steel bumping post at an estimated 35 to 40 mph. The result was that the bumping post was demolished and the train crashed into Union Station. The GG1 locomotive and two passenger cars ended up inside the station concourse (not unlike that Amroad train in the Silver Streak). Train station structures of that era were very strong, but no floor was designed to hold a locomotive. The GG1 broke through the floor of the passenger concourse and dropped into the basement baggage handling area of the station. 87 injuries resulted to persons on the train, and in the station, but miraculously, no fatalities.

Ironically, the accident occurred on Thursday, January 15. The next Tuesday, January 20 was the scheduled inauguration of Dwight Eisenhower to his first term as President. Just five days before one of the biggest events in DC, and with thousands of dignitaries and VIP’s due to arrive by train, the PRR had a nasty hole in the floor of Union Station and one of its locomotives sitting in the basement.

Ever ingenious, the PRR came up with a neat solution. They very quickly removed the passenger cars from the station, built a temporary floor over the carcass of the GG1, patched the gaping hole in the wall, and had the station ready to receive visitors on the big day. Many of those who passed through the station had no idea there was a locomotive sitting right under the floor. After the festivities were over, the PRR went back in, pulled out the GG1, and made permanent repairs to the station. The locomotive, #4876, was repaired by the PRR and was returned to service. It was surely the only locomotive on any road that spent a couple of weeks of its life sitting in a station basement.


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## Superliner Diner (Jun 28, 2003)

AlanB said:


> Nice report Amfleet, thanks!
> I'm glad you had a good trip. The Downeaster has a nice run up to Portland.
> 
> I had to laugh when I saw that picture you took of the Haverhill station sign. During the Boston T Party last year one of my lasting memories is of one of the guys in our group standing by that sign watching a "T" train pull out with the rest of us on board. Thankfully he lived in Boston, so he just called his parents to come and pick him up.


Actually, Ed took a bus to another train line, and then a train back to Boston. But had he not been a "local" resident of the Boston area, he would not have figured that out and would have had to endure the 3? hour headway until the next southbound commuter train at Haverhill.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 30, 2003)

PRR 60, thanks for for the details on the Federal's crash into the Washington station. I remember the incident itself well and first brought it up on the on the forum several months ago, but the details on that(and on many other things) have escaped me. I do remember some really ludicrous looking pictures after the dust settled.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 30, 2003)

Amfleet, too bad about the bad attitude of the assistant conductor on the northbound. Seems there are always a few malcontents around to try to spoil the fun for the rest of us.


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jun 30, 2003)

On my last trip, we had a very nasty dining car attendant and at the same time, one of the best. It was a funny contrast to see the two work together. Or rather, work around eachother.


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## Viewliner (Jun 30, 2003)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> PRR 60, thanks for for the details on the Federal's crash into the Washington station. I remember the incident itself well and first brought it up on the on the forum several months ago, but the details on that(and on many other things) have escaped me. I do remember some really ludicrous looking pictures after the dust settled.


Yes, thanks, it was very interesting. I'll bet few locomotives today could've done nearly as well in an accident like that.


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## Amfleet (Jun 30, 2003)

Any train that goes into South Stations basement will become Red Line service to Alewife. :lol:


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## AlanB (Jun 30, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> Any train that goes into South Stations basement will become Red Line service to Alewife. :lol:


Hmm, is there enough room in those red line cars for an engine? :lol:  

Actually an Amtrak train in the basement is far more likely to sever Red Line service and that would be a huge problem.


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## P40Power (Jul 3, 2003)

Very nice travelog and I love the pictures! That club class car, though unrefurbished, looks VERY comfortable. I have never seen the interior of an Amclub till I saw your site, and I think that would be a great way to ride!


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## AlanB (Jul 3, 2003)

P40Power said:


> Very nice travelog and I love the pictures! That club class car, though unrefurbished, looks VERY comfortable. I have never seen the interior of an Amclub till I saw your site, and I think that would be a great way to ride!


P40,

Those Club cars are indeed very nice to ride in, even without being refurbished. I've hit a few of them, including this past Monday when I rode Regional #185 in Business Class from NY to Trenton.

Since the seats are wider, thanks to the 2-1 configuration, they are much more comforatable. They also recline a little further than the normal Amfleet I seats do.


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## P40Power (Jul 3, 2003)

Yeah they looked very plush, also it appeared that they have almost a velvet-like fabric for a seat cover. As for business cars as a whole, I hear that some cars used for business class are kind of crappy, while other cars are beautiful such as the full business class Capstone rebuild cars like the one I rode in. If I was paying more money for business class, I wouldnt wanna be stuck in a full seat unrefurbished Amcafe, Id rather be either in a full car or a club car like mentioned above!


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## AlanB (Jul 3, 2003)

P40Power said:


> Yeah they looked very plush, also it appeared that they have almost a velvet-like fabric for a seat cover.


Yes, it does sort of feel like and look like velvet. However I don't think that it really is velvet, but whatever it is it's certainly nice.


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## P40Power (Jul 3, 2003)

Yeah I would doubt that would be real velvet, but hey can make pretty good imitations nowadays.


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## AlanB (Jul 3, 2003)

P40Power said:


> Yeah I would doubt that would be real velvet, but hey can make pretty good imitations nowadays.


That is true that they've got some good imitations now, but remember these cars are around 30 years old, maybe even a little more than that.


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## P40Power (Jul 3, 2003)

Well Amfleet I production went from 1975 - 1978 and Amfleet II was in 1982-1983, so that club car has to be AT LEAST 25 years old, which is quite old for a railcar. Is there any ex-original metroliner Metroclub cars still operating? If that car happens to be one (I dont think it is) it would be about 35 years old. This particuar club looks in GREAT condition, especially for an unrefurbished car. Some Amfleets still left in the original interior decor are in awful shape in my experiences and some are still in good shape. I think the Amfleet cars all around are great cars, and really they can be adapted to meet varing customer demands through out the years proving that they are a good passenger car! Some people dont think they are all that great, not that comfortable. True the 84 seat unrefurbished cars werent too comfortable but the cars with less seating, especially Amfleet IIs or club or business class cars are very comfortable coaches. Besides I still think they are the coolest looking cars on the outside


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jul 3, 2003)

P40Power said:


> Yeah I would doubt that would be real velvet, but hey can make pretty good imitations nowadays.


That would be cool to see. Im sure its really comfortable


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## P40Power (Jul 4, 2003)

P42 if ya wanna see it, go to Amfleet's Website and check out the photo gallery if ya havent already. Hes got some nice pictures of the seats


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## Amfleet (Jul 6, 2003)

For an unrefurbished club, it was very comfortable and in great condition. I was a little disapointed because the seats did not have foot or leg rests, which I was expecting. I have seen many photos of Capstone 2000 Clubs and they look the same, but have blue seats and white walls, not red.


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jul 6, 2003)

P40Power said:


> P42 if ya wanna see it, go to Amfleet's Website and check out the photo gallery if ya havent already. Hes got some nice pictures of the seats


Alright, Thanks!


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## Steve4031 (Jul 20, 2003)

Nice trip report. I used to take day trips like that myself. I still do. The trip report brought back memoreis of some good trips.


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