ACS-64 Heads Up

[Mystic River Dragon]

I think I saw a test train at WIL yesterday around 5pm while waiting for my SEPTA train. It was headed south/west. There was an engine on either end and 3 or 4 cafe cars. One employee detained there.

Being the lousy rail fan, I did think about getting the #'s or pics.

I saw the same thing at TRE, coming down toward you at WIL! I was expecting to see the Meteor, and by the time I saw this instead and thought, "What on earth is that?" it was gone.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I think I saw a test train at WIL yesterday around 5pm while waiting for my SEPTA train. It was headed south/west. There was an engine on either end and 3 or 4 cafe cars. One employee detained there.

Being the lousy rail fan, I did think about getting the #'s or pics.

I saw the same thing at TRE, coming down toward you at WIL! I was expecting to see the Meteor, and by the time I saw this instead and thought, "What on earth is that?" it was gone.

It caught me by surprise because they didn't announce it and I was expecting my SEPTA train to come around the corner.

 

[OBS]

The test train came out of BOS, I think 647 or 649 in lead...

 

[Ryan]

I heard 647.

5 demerits for both ladies!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I heard 647.

5 demerits for both ladies!

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

10 demerits for me when you hear what my next thought was: "It's the Meteor with only café cars to see if we will put up with no coaches, no sleepers, and no diner!" :giggle:

 

[Bob Dylan]

10 demerits for me when you hear what my next thought was: "It's the Meteor with only café cars to see if we will put up with no coaches, no sleepers, and no diner!" :giggle:

And one MRD! Laugh of the day !

 

[OBS]

10 demerits for me when you hear what my next thought was: "It's the Meteor with only café cars to see if we will put up with no coaches, no sleepers, and no diner!" :giggle:

And one MRD! Laugh of the day !

Are you sure you don't work for Amtrak?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Me or Jim?

In my perfect world, I would be President of Amtrak and Baseball Commissioner.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Me or Jim?

In my perfect world, I would be President of Amtrak and Baseball Commissioner.

And all trains would have perfect service and run on time, and the 2008 Phillies would never have grown old and been broken up....

 

[Bob Dylan]

If I had the Commish gig the Lastros and Strangers would have won the World Series they lost, Roger Maris,Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa would be in the Hall of Fame and A-Roid would join them when he retires!

As for Amtrak, Anthony would be President and CEO ( I would be on the Board since I don't want to work too hard! LOL)), the Dome Cars,Round-end Lounges

and Slumber Coaches would be still be on the consists, and Amtrak would be fully funded by Congress including being able to order all needed New Equipment and updates to all the rail infrastructure would be funded along with Amtrak getting #1A Priority from all Roads and their Dispatchers!

Also there would be Full Menu/Service Diners ( meals would be a la carte, Coke not Pepsi, and the liquor and food would be top shelf), all the OBS would be HOF class like our members and the others we've had the pleasure of riding with!

Lastly, since dreams dont last forever, all of the discontinued Routes that have been offed will return and every dream train that AUers have proposed in on our wish lists will be in service with Multi Sections of all LD Trains and a True HSR Rail System for all the Rail Corridors would be built and in service within 5 years. A True Jobs Program!

How to fund it? Eliiminate all the Waste, Fraud and Abuse in the Defense and Homeland Security Budgets along with a complete overhaul of our messed up tax systems, Federal, State and Local!

Say Goodnight Gracie!

 

[TylerP42]

Anything coming through toledo tonight?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Jim, I think all your Amtrak ideas are great!

Tyler has brought us back to the actual topic, so I am curious about an ACS-64 I have seen twice zooming through PJC. It has a yellow crown on the side--I googled it but couldn't find any information, and I am sure someone here will know what it is--thanks.

 

[Ryan]

You must mean 642, the veterans unit. Photo Credit to Amtrak's Matt Donnelly:

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Yes, that's it--thank you, Ryan. PJC is a great trainspotting station, but its one drawback is that nearly everything goes zooming through there on its way to somewhere else, so it's not easy to see details--the label can look like a crown when the train is in motion. Beautiful photo above.

 

[Ryan]

Since it's ACS-64 related. Photo by George Pitz via Facebook:

 

[keelhauled]

Care to explain the context?

 

[Agent]

684 is the unit's second number because it got bumped by the ACS-64s, right?

 

[Acela150]

Correct. A bulletin order was put out in April or May stating HHP's would be renumbered. Ironically, I still have that bulletin. 684 is former 654.

 

[Amtrak172]

Will the HHP-8's ever run again? I heard they're keeping them for backup. Oh, anyone see ACS-64 #655 yet?

 

[Acela150]

Will the HHP-8's ever run again? I heard they're keeping them for backup. Oh, anyone see ACS-64 #655 yet?

No, yes, and no.

 

[Ryan]

Backup and the fact that their lease requires them to be maintained in operable condition.

 

[TylerP42]

Wasn't this a heads up thread? I don't see anyone talking about where the ACS's are going

 

[Ryan]

It's becoming pretty routine 50+ deliveries in. When one leaves (or is about to leave), someone posts about it here. In between we talk about the rollout, part of which is the retirement and renumbering of the locomotives they're replacing.

 

[Acela150]

Wasn't this a heads up thread? I don't see anyone talking about where the ACS's are going

Keep in mind that the ACS units are limited to about a 500 or 600 mile radius where they can run.