davinp wrote:An AMTRAK train with Virginia Railway Express commuter cars passes through Hyndman on the CSX. June 2008
Anbody know why Amtrak is delivering them and not CSX?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL2ajCBbcPE
That train is the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington D.C. The Capitol Limited often transports commuter rail rolling stock from the East Coast to the Midwest. Using this train makes the most sense since it is the quickest and most direct train from the East to the Midwest rail hub of Chicago. My guess is that those VRE were shipped from Japan and were landed in CA, and were then placed on an Amtrak train from CA to Chicago then put on the Cap. Ltd.
Just recently VRE sent some of their old gallery railcars
to Chicago using the Cap. Ltd. In that case Metra, who were purchasing the cars, had to pay the transport fee to Amtrak. Another example is when VRE sent back their leased Sounder(Seattle Commuter Rail) bi-levels, the Capitol Ltd. was also used in conjuction with another train from Chicago to Seattle. My guess why CSX isn't used is because they would be to slow, plus it makes more sense to use a passenger train for passenger cars.
Check this video out:
Sounder cars at the rear of Cap. Ltd. in Gaithersburg