Extra Amfleets?

[Tom]

With Amtrak perhaps not running the Clockers, where will all the Amfleet coaches end up? Or will they still be used on NJ Transit?

 

[Ray L. Nutz]

70 Amfleets plus the Food service cars are to go in storage.

This will save Amtrak a few Million $$$$.

 

[Sam Damon]

As someone else on another board has pointed out, the Amfleet cars are approaching 35 years of age. The fleet is in dire need of heavy overhaul (not likely), or replacement (a definite maybe).

Anyway you look at the situation, the vast majority of Amfleet cars are approaching the end of their useful life.

 

[Trogdor]

Someone that works for Amtrak once explained to me that the Clocker consist was often made up of cars that, while technically roadworthy, weren't quite ready to go out on a longer trip. A 90-mile, hour-and-a-half sprint partway down the corridor was just fine for them, but anything more would have required more maintenance (such as food service cars with broken microwaves, for example). Therefore, the Clockers really didn't take up that much "extra" equipment.

 

[AmtrakFan]

The Clocker Cars were frequently assigned anything left they had anything possible. The Cars won't be going to storage from what I hear.

 

[MrFSS]

I have to ask the dumb question, but I don't know what a clocker train is. An explanation would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

 

[Viewliner]

Clockers are essentially commuter trains operated between New York and Philadelphia under contract with NJ Transit. They accept NJT monthly passes in addition to Amtrak tickets. They run Amfleet coaches (no food service) and ALP-46 Locomotives on loan from NJ Transit. They make multiple stops on the NEC including: New York, Newark, Metropark, New Brunswick, Princeton Junction, Trenton, Cornwells Heights, North Philadelphia, and Philadelphia. NJT agreed to take them over by 2006, but opted to take them over now instead.

The Clockers date back to the Pennsylvania Railroad days and until a few years ago ran with Heritage equipment. The first Amtrak train to operate was a clocker: #235 (iirc) departed NYP at 12:05 AM on May 1, 1971

 

[MrFSS]

Thanks, that helps. Does clocker refer to - leaving every hour, or, the amount of time to make the run, or something like that?

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

When I was in my teens, The clockers left every hour on the hour from NYPenn Station with a G up front for Washington. Think the ad's said 2.5 hrs. I sat and dreamed about riding them from the Wall behind the PO facing the Hudson Tunnels.