Where’s The Most Unlikely Place You’ve Seen An Amtrak Train?

Where’s the most unlikely place you’ve seen an Amtrak train? It could be a rare mileage detour or an inspection train on a possible new route.

For me it was a rerouted Montrealer at Rutland, Vermont on the Green Mountain R.R. Long before Rutland had regular Amtrak service and an inspection train on the former B&M at Portland when most thought a return of passenger trains to Maine after nearly 40 years was impossible.

I don't know if this counts, but in March 2003 I saw a Superliner trainset in Detroit. It seemed to be running approximately when 350 would be coming through, eastbound. That train normally runs with single-level equipment (as it indeed was when we passed it on my eastbound, and later my westbound 352/351 trains that week). Never did figure out what the deal was with that one trip.

I recall observing a 1972 detour of the North Coast Hi using the MILW to Bensenville, thence the MILW-CNW Techny Cutoff. From there I presume the train made its way to the "C&M" existing Hiawatha routing.

I can also recall an Amtrak ride on the Broadway Ltd circa 1974 that used the Bald Eagle branch

Don't know if this counts but The Empire Builder on the BNSF Triple Track as a Detour. .

John Poshepny

#7 and 8 over the Q probably will not win first prize for unusual detours, Mr. Poshepny, but it certainly counts around here for consideration.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:#7 and 8 over the Q probably will not win first prize for unusual detours, Mr. Poshepny, but it certainly counts around here for consideration.

I know that but I couldn't think of anything esle but it would be an hornorable menchion I think.

John

I once saw either an ex-Metroliner car or the "Corridor clipper" pass through Teterboro, NJ heading north toward Spring Valley, NY.

I also once saw an HHP-8 pulling a set of Amfleets through East Orange, NJ!

i saw a Amtrak train on run on Track 4 in Attleboro one time, and i haven't seen that happen again since

I have seen a can go through Upper Montclair.

I distincly recall seeing Amfleets rool through on the overpass above the Gardent State parkway in Orange, NJ.....no not the NEC overpass further south. Orange,really!!

RMadisonWI wrote:I don't know if this counts, but in March 2003 I saw a Superliner trainset in Detroit. It seemed to be running approximately when 350 would be coming through, eastbound. That train normally runs with single-level equipment (as it indeed was when we passed it on my eastbound, and later my westbound 352/351 trains that week). Never did figure out what the deal was with that one trip.

In colder months Amtrak operates Superliners on the Michigan trains because they are less prone to freezing than other equipment.

Next to the words 'On time'

railohio wrote:

RMadisonWI wrote:I don't know if this counts, but in March 2003 I saw a Superliner trainset in Detroit. It seemed to be running approximately when 350 would be coming through, eastbound. That train normally runs with single-level equipment (as it indeed was when we passed it on my eastbound, and later my westbound 352/351 trains that week). Never did figure out what the deal was with that one trip.

In colder months Amtrak operates Superliners on the Michigan trains because they are less prone to freezing than other equipment.

My first ride on a Michigan train was on Superliners back in February, 2001. I haven't seen Superliners on that route, even in winter months, since then, with the exception of the aforementioned movement.

Probably the most unusual location where I have seen an Amtrak train
was the inbound track at Selkirk behind the hump where a turbo train
loaded with passengers had stopped to change crews. Seems to me that
this was in the early 1980's while I was working the River Line between
New Jersey and Selkirk.
The reason for this activity was two projects that for the most part closed
down the passenger line west of the station in Rensselaer. One was a
big job doing or re/doing the track on the Hudson River Bridge and the
other project was a massive rebuilding and upgrading of the single track
between Albany and Schenectady which necissitated taking the track out
for days at a time.
Albany passenger enroute to or from the west were bussed between the
station in Rensselaer and Amsterdam while through train passengers
enroute south to/from New York and intermediate points were bussed
between Rensselaer and Hudson.
Meantime, Amtrak passengers got a ride over some rare mileage and got
to see what the freight part of the railroad looked like.
As Rensselaer was a crew change point for all trains, they all changed
crews at Selkirk. All the trains were still maned by Conrail crews so I
guess all of them were qualified on the freight trackage at the time.
Noel Weaver

A “Superliner” equipped “Panorama” stopped at small prairie towns like Melville, Saskatchewan and Wainwright, Alberta when VIA leased a complete consist along with Amtrak F40s for six months to evaluate them for a possible purchase.

The “Empire State Express” or “Niagara Rainbow” rolling across southern Ontario on 200 miles of Penn Central/Conrail track between Detroit and Buffalo. Trains were “sealed” and most passengers didn’t realize they were in Canada. There were local stops and those passengers were handled in a separate coach. (Don’t know how this would work today, post 9-11 !)

Amtrak F40s in Montreal commuter service. They ran in Amtrak colours for quite awhile before being painted into the AMT scheme.