I read a post on the MR site a few days ago about someone who spotted an Amtrak pulling some older passenger equipment still wearing the paint scheme of the original road. Several people responded saying these were probably privately owned cars that people were paying to have pulled by Amtrak. Well, today I saw Amtrak’s Missouri Mule (twice daily roundtrip between KC and St.L) pulling some old UP passenger equipment including a whistle stop style platform car at the end. This seemed like quite a coincidence. So I am wondering, is Amtrak running some type of promotion pulling some of this older equipment in paint from days gone by, or is there some other explanation? I am sure some of my protytype railroad friends on this forum will know.
Ron,
This is most likley private cars. I belive the car you are describing is one I have seen many times. If memory serves (I suffer from CRS) it’s named Native Son. It is painted in UP colors.
I travel between Kirkwood, MO and Kansas City, MO by Amtrak about 6 times a year - and have never seen what you have described. Of course, the route is owned and operated by UP and it would only be my guess regarding what was going on. I seriously doubt that Amtrak has the money or inclination to promote older passenger cars! That’s not a slam directed at you - but my opinion based on years of not only traveling with them, but attending meetings with them as well. They are about to go under - as we all know.
Those “Mules” you speak of are just two of the four trains making that round trip. The other two are interstate trains, eastbound to Chicago - west to KCity. But, I’m sure you already know that.
I should add that each year on “Transportation Day,” people from all over the state gather at the state capital - at the Capitol - for a rally and meeting with their legislators regarding all aspects of transportation - not just trains. The group from St. Louis has been treated to the use of some fine vintage equipment currently owned and operated by an excursion/dinner train group (RailCruise America) out of Union Station. The cars are all green in color and are coupled to the morning Amtrak and evening return from Jefferson City. Those are the only times I’ve ever seen and ridden vintage cars in Missouri.
Transportation Day was Feb 10th in Missouri - but I haven’t attended one of these in several years. Therefore I’m no help regading whether those vintage green cars were trailing along be
Often railway officials travel or inspect the line in their private office cars, and on occasion these cars are handled at the rear of regular Amtrak trains. Amtrak charges for this service. I rode in a CN office car deadheading over the Rockies (with a ticket for a regular roomette on the train) because the steward responsible for the car knew me. I’ve seen office cars of CSX and NS on the rear of regular Amtrak trains I rode.
Anyone with the Ca***o do so can have their Private cars towed behind regular Amtrak or Via trains, as long as the cars meet the AAR standards and are safe to travel…
Not sure of the cost to do this, but I imagine it’s up there.
Chances are if you own your own rail car, you can probably afford to have it towed behind an Amtrak or Via train. [:D]
The actual rate to transport, back in the old days, was a certain number of first-class fares. By 2000, the ‘basic rate’ was $1.15 per car-mile, and 0.90 for each additional car going the same place… but there were all kinds of other terms, conditions, and costs… parking charges, ground-support charges, $1M in workmens’-comp insurance and $2M in general liability, etc. etc. etc. I might also mention that even back then there was an allowance for switching charges. (Even so: I still consider it something of a bargain, considering what you get for the money…)
I believe the rate is currently being ‘renegotiated’ (meeting on March 4th, to take effect sometime in April?)
AAPRCO and RPCA are two good places to get all the information you could want on this subject.
Wish it were so as many of the older cars actually have better riding qualities than the Amfleet “Amcans”.
Amtrak’s president David Gunn actually worked to have Amtrak retire many of its “Budd Heritage Fleet” cars as even the ones that were in decent shape were more costly to maintain.
Mopac…
Was it a solid consist of older, smooth side UP cars?
If so, there is a good chance it was the UP excursion consist, being moved by Amtrak…
UP has two steam engines and a pair of E8s they run on the head end…I think the steam locomotives are down for maintainance…might just be they needed it moved, and Amtrak was the only power on hand.
I found the earlier post, and it turns out those cars were seen on the old MoPac Sedalia sub as were the ones I saw. It makes me wonder if these cars were simply in tow to a home in excursion service or in a museum west of here from a previous home back east.
This I cannot answer. I got only a fast passing glimpse of the car. All I could tell for certain was that it as a UP platform car similar to passenger equipment that UP’s Challenger pulls around the country.