Uniq. Eqpmt Sightings: Private Varnish (PV's), Charters, etc

Today AAPRCO announced the cancellation of all 2020 convention activities planned for late September at Burlington VT. As an alternative, the annual membership meeting (required by law) will be conducted by video conference in October 2020.

AAPRCO’s “American Autumn Explorer” special train from ALB to the Vermont Rail System (Rutland, Burlington and Hoosick) and return to ALB will operate with 9 cars, September 27 thru October 1st, but subject to numerous health safety restrictions. Participating private cars are BIRCH GROVE, CHAPEL HILL, DAGNY TAGGART, MOONLIGHT DOME, NORTHERN DREAMS, NORTHERN SKY, NYC 3, SAN MARINO and WISCONSIN.

The many Amtrak certified PV's based in the northeast (such as CANNONBALL, DOVER HARBOR, FRANCIS L. SUTER, GREENWICH ESTATE, GREENWICH HARBOR, HICKORY CREEK, KITCHI GAMMI CLUB, MOUNT VERNON, NYC 43, PACIFIC HOME, SWIFT STREAM, the Juanita Terminal Company cars, the Webb Rail cars, etc.), are conspicuous by their absence.

Have you been planning any outings with Mount Vernon, Mr. Deasy? Understandably it would be difficult.

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:42 pm Have you been planning any outings with Mount Vernon, Mr. Deasy? Understandably it would be difficult.

MOUNT VERNON recently completed Amtrak's PC-2A "ten year truck rollout" inspection and PC-1 "annual" inspection, so with some prep work, she is ready to roll. For those of you with access to "Bookface", there are a dozen photos from the inspection available at https://www.facebook.com/john.deasy.568 ... 4723961841

I've been thinking about prospective destinations and itinerary. The issue is what places can we go, where we feel relatively safe enjoying off-car activities, with the current reasonable health precautions. Maybe a trip somewhere in October.

I always enjoy The Adirondack and parking at Central Station Montreal, but for now the international border is still closed to non-essential travel.

I recently received a request for potential lease of the car for use by riders accompanying a one way shipment of British Army military equipment, in CP freight trains, from the vicinity of Medicine Hat AB (CFB Suffield) to a port on the St Lawrence River near Trois Riviere QC. It would have required about 6 weeks away from home, with constant reliance on the car's diesel generator. I've heard some very interesting stories from the owner of the car (TIOGA PASS) used for the previous trips during the past dozen plus years, and so I decided not to submit a bid. I hate to turn away revenue, but I saw too many risks.

That sounds like a really interesting proposition! As (I presume) an American citizen rather than a Canadian, I’m not sure you’d have been able to cross the border for that trip - do you allow the car out unattended? Would it have been able to cross the border in someone else’s care, or on a freight train?

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 6:21 am That sounds like a really interesting proposition! As (I presume) an American citizen rather than a Canadian, I’m not sure you’d have been able to cross the border for that trip - do you allow the car out unattended? Would it have been able to cross the border in someone else’s care, or on a freight train?

There are many players in these movements of BA military equipment across Canada, and I expect either Canadian Forces or Transport Canada would provide documentation that this was essential business travel.

We do not allow Mount Vernon to operate without an attendant, other than some local switching moves between home base in New Jersey and Sunnyside Yard.

With both the Adirondack to Montreal and the Maple Leaf to Toronto currently suspended, I probably would have routed the car on Amtrak from NYP to MSP, then in freight service across the international border to the loading point at/near Medicine Hat.

Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, using trains 43(08) and 42(09). It’s operating on the head end directly behind the locomotive, as Amtrak is unwilling to do the double switch move at Philadelphia that would be required for the car to be rearmost.

jhdeasy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:51 am Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, using trains 43(08) and 42(09). It’s operating on the head end directly behind the locomotive, as Amtrak is unwilling to do the double switch move at Philadelphia that would be required for the car to be rearmost.

For big-city small-station facilities where there are fairly few car movements like PGH or MSP, would Amtrak be willing to get a Trackmobile or similar car mover? It’s safe to say neither would rate a full switcher until they have through cars on a second train, but they could potentially use one of those little critters that could park in the parking lot and only be on rails when needed.

jhdeasy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:51 am Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, using trains 43(08) and 42(09). It’s operating on the head end directly behind the locomotive, as Amtrak is unwilling to do the double switch move at Philadelphia that would be required for the car to be rearmost.

A huge Thank You to Mr jhdeasy for today's, and every PV heads-up that you pass along to us!!
They are greatly appreciated!

This afternoon, Amtrak's "The Pennsylvanian" #42, bound for Philadelphia, sped east through Bryn Mawr, PA with the "Catalpa Falls" in tow, directly behind the P42 locomotive. Despite not having the sun at my back, I took up position along the line, directly under the bay window of BRYN MAWR Tower. As the train neared, passing the old PRR position light signal showing "proceed", the engineer gave a couple of friendly horn blasts as I snapped my shot.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5376503


Ben

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:58 am For big-city small-station facilities where there are fairly few car movements like PGH or MSP, would Amtrak be willing to get a Trackmobile or similar car mover?

Trackmobiles are not cheap. It would probably be cheaper to pay NS to run downtown for a few hours and help out rather than buy, fuel, maintain, crew, and insure a trackmobile. I seem to remember Amtrak once leased a CSX switcher in Miami (maybe?) for similar purposes until David Gunn sent it home.

liftedjeep wrote:

jhdeasy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:51 am Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, using trains 43(08) and 42(09). It’s operating on the head end directly behind the locomotive, as Amtrak is unwilling to do the double switch move at Philadelphia that would be required for the car to be rearmost.

A huge Thank You to Mr jhdeasy for today's, and every PV heads-up that you pass along to us!!
They are greatly appreciated!

Seconded, thank you!!!

Thirded on Mr. Deasy’s heads-ups!

Tadman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:01 amTrackmobiles are not cheap. It would probably be cheaper to pay NS to run downtown for a few hours and help out rather than buy, fuel, maintain, crew, and insure a trackmobile. I seem to remember Amtrak once leased a CSX switcher in Miami (maybe?) for similar purposes until David Gunn sent it home.

Fair enough - also, Minnesota Commercial handles a lot of car moves at MSP, so it’s not unheard of. I feel like there is some in-between option to shuffle the occasional car though, like a hi-railer with couplers (which Amtrak would already own.)

How is terminal switching handled at PGH? Is there a nearby wye in service?

jhdeasy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 7:51 am Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, using trains 43(08) and 42(09). It’s operating on the head end directly behind the locomotive, as Amtrak is unwilling to do the double switch move at Philadelphia that would be required for the car to be rearmost.

Private car CATALPA FALLS is making a trip from New York City to Pittsburgh and return this weekend, 14-15-16 August on the Pennsylvanian. There is ONE ticket left.

https://tickets.executiverail.com/aug14-16

R36 Combine Coach wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:42 pm How is terminal switching handled at PGH? Is there a nearby wye in service?

Last time I was there, the Amtrak road crew turns the Pennsylvanian trainset on a wye a couple of miles east of the station in the Homewood West neighborhood. This is done after train 43 arrives and detrains passengers. They will pickup or set out a PV as needed at Pittsburgh, provided the car is rearmost. If the car is on the head end of the train, it must leave Pittsburgh with the next day’s train 42. The only exception would be if the car was bad ordered at Pittsburgh and had to be set out for repair.

Any switching of private cars on/off trains 29/30 at Pittsburgh is done by a NS crew at a hefty charge of at least $3200 per switch.

If you want to be rearmost between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and/or park at Pittsburgh for longer than an overnight visit, you must start your trip on train 43 at NYP.

Not sure if this counts as PV but DOTX 221 FRA "Office of Safety" came into South Station tonight on the Lake Shore. Currently sitting in Southampton street yard.

Amtrak Train #48 Lake Shore Limited which it left Chicago, IL last night Wednesday Aug 12 has Private Car NYC 3 in the rear.