Does anybody know who operates the Rio Grande Ski Train F40PH2´s? Are they left in the Amtrak Fleet, or are they operated by Union Pacific as Rio Grande Successor?
Thanks,
As I understand it they are operated by the UP. They may be owned by the Ski-train organization along with the ex-VIA “Tempo” cars that replaced the beautiful ex NP classics now on the Napa Valley Wine Train, but I suspect the UP actually is the owner. They are ex-Amtrak as I understand it, but I could be wrong and they could be leased. I’m sure you will get a definite answer. But the operator is definitely the UP.
Close…Train owned by former DRGW owner Robert Anschutz (Ansco Investment Company), now a major stockholder at UP…Stored at Burnham shops along with other RGCX rolling stock, including an eclectic collection of ex-SP & DRGW derricks (big hooks). The old DRGW F-Units that used to pull the train are now stuffed and mounted on the grounds of the Colorado RR Museum in Golden.
A shame that the F units were not fully restored to operating condition. Understandably with diesel locomotives it is very expensive but with F unit that have historic value one would think that tax write offs would apply.
There is a picture of the F40s on www.railpictures.net they don’t look bad in the Rio Grande yellow paint scheme.
Ah, F units in the high Rockies! I remember a 5 F-unit lashup dragging a 7 car train up into the mountains (this was back in the late 60’s). Many years later it occured to me that a non-turbo F unit may not have much get up and go and altitude.
From what I can gather, the current engines for the Ski Train are 3 F40PH’s that are owned by Amtrak and leased to the Anschutz Corporation. They are numbers 242, 283 and 289 painted in Rio Grande colors but still have AMTK reporting marks. This is as of last summer though, things might have changed since then. I have pictures and will try to have them in a future posting here.
Here are the pictures that I took back in July of 2003. The train was parked in front of Denver’s Union Station. I was there that day because 3985 was also there on display (I was basically standing right in front of it to take these pics).
