Amtrak #5(18) with single level cars

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Amtrak #5(18) is has nine extra single level cars today. There are eight Amfleets and a Horizon between the three engines and the baggage car. This thread says they are going to the Pueblo, Colorado test track to assist in the testing of the new ACS-64 electric locomotives.

My video of the California Zephyr was taken in Agency, Iowa. It's farther away from the tracks than I prefer because I couldn't track the train due to a service disruption.

 
Acela150 said:
I understand Amfleets as that is what they will be pulling, but why Horizon cars? The only time I saw them in the NEC is when the Three Rivers ran.
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Just a thought because I'm not sure what the Horizon's are speed rated at but since the new bi-level cars will be coming on in the Midwest and California in the next couple of years won't that free up the Horizon's. Maybe this is also testing to see how they run with the Amfleets at 125 mph hours plus because once their freed up wouldn't it make sense to use them on the Northeast Corridor, but again they probably would use them on Empire Service or the Downeaster. But again I could be completely wrong and its just because these cars are extras and won't be missed in the next few weeks.
 
The Horizons are used in the Midwest. Primarily because they don't have automatic doors like the Amfleet I's do. So they can't be keyed, they have to be manually opened by a crew member.
 
Ryan said:
Wow, that's a lot of train.
I'm sure that they're using whatever's laying around that they can do without for a few weeks.
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In the topic on TO that was linked it mentions that these cars are possibly not in shape for Passenger use. But I have to wonder about that. The cafes in the set had the NER logo on them. I would think they were recently rebuilt.
 
I wonder why the single level cars are on the front, with the passengers in the back. I am sure there is a good reason, but it seems like it would make it harder to pull into stations, etc. It will also take more movements in Denver to disconnect the cars.
 
Interesting that Acela150 thought it was weird they were sending a Horizon car for testing, and now it looks like it wasn't left at the test track. AMTK 53505 coach/dinette is now on #6(20) to arrive back in Chicago today.

 
My best guess:

They sent that Horizon car to use with the two locomotives deadheading from Pueblo to Denver. If I'm not mistaken the railroads require at least 12 axles on a train so that grade crossing signals are properly tripped. When they moved the ACS-64's sent an NPCU (cabbage) for that same purpose.
 
rickycourtney said:
My best guess:They sent that Horizon car to use with the two locomotives deadheading from Pueblo to Denver. If I'm not mistaken the railroads require at least 12 axles on a train so that grade crossing signals are properly tripped. When they moved the ACS-64's sent an NPCU (cabbage) for that same purpose.
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Considering there were 8 Amfleets. I don't think that's likely. That's 32 axles plus locomotives to bring it up to 36 or 40.
 
rickycourtney said:
My best guess:They sent that Horizon car to use with the two locomotives deadheading from Pueblo to Denver. If I'm not mistaken the railroads require at least 12 axles on a train so that grade crossing signals are properly tripped. When they moved the ACS-64's sent an NPCU (cabbage) for that same purpose.
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That's a CN-only thing.
 
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