# Grand Luxe Returns to ABQ



## abqdave (May 22, 2008)

You may remember a few weeks ago I posted when there were a lot of new trains in the ABQ yard, including the SW Chief, a special Amtrak train, and many Grand Luxe passenger coaches being hauled by Amtrak locomotives.

The Grand Luxe coaches are back today, being hauled by 3 Amtrak locomotives. I am not 100% sure on this next part, because the bus I was on went by so fast...but there may have been a 'stray' 4th Amtrak locomotive in a different part of the yard (I don't mean the extra one that is always here), it appeared it was being refueled.

Regardless of that part...I think I counted 21 passenger cars, split between 2 tracks. I don't think I have ever heard of a passenger train that long. Is it unusual to have a train of that size?


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## MrFSS (May 22, 2008)

abqdave said:


> You may remember a few weeks ago I posted when there were a lot of new trains in the ABQ yard, including the SW Chief, a special Amtrak train, and many Grand Luxe passenger coaches being hauled by Amtrak locomotives.
> The Grand Luxe coaches are back today, being hauled by 3 Amtrak locomotives. I am not 100% sure on this next part, because the bus I was on went by so fast...but there may have been a 'stray' 4th Amtrak locomotive in a different part of the yard (I don't mean the extra one that is always here), it appeared it was being refueled.
> 
> Regardless of that part...I think I counted 21 passenger cars, split between 2 tracks. I don't think I have ever heard of a passenger train that long. Is it unusual to have a train of that size?


In the summer, _The Canadian_ runs with as many as 25 - 27 cars and three engines. Even when we were on it three years ago in April it had 23 cars. long train!


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## Joel N. Weber II (May 24, 2008)

Isn't the Auto Train about 50 cars long, and don't many people try to claim it's just a passenger train even though autoracks would otherwise be considered freight?


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## AlanB (May 24, 2008)

Well the AT is usually at least 15 actual passenger cars, many times it has even more than 15 pax cars, plus at least 20 to perhaps 30 Auto Carriers.

I'm not sure how many people claim that it's the longest passenger train, but Amtrak sure claims that. Even even emblazoned on a sign on the station platform in Lorton.


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## MrEd (May 24, 2008)

You can book at ride on a 220 car train in africa for $4, no wine for this price though. You might be sitting next to a goat.

http://nytimes.com/2007/07/09/world/africa...ssnyt%26emc=rss


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