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Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #863516  by strench707
 
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew which heritage coaches were being used towards the end of Amtrak's Clocker service. I heard it was a small number, maybe a s little as 5 of them and I was wondering which road #'s were in that service. I would assume they were all in phase 3 paint, correct?

Thanks in advance for any insight,

Davis
 #863563  by DutchRailnut
 
Since each clocker ran with 12 cars and there were at least 6 train sets, the number of clocker coaches seem way more than you suggest.
 #863594  by Noel Weaver
 
DutchRailnut wrote:Since each clocker ran with 12 cars and there were at least 6 train sets, the number of clocker coaches seem way more than you suggest.
I don't think all of the "clockers" ran with clocker coaches. I don't seem to think there were that many of them originally in the first place.
It is regretable that these fine cars were retilred, they were comfortable, rode well, were spacious and with good seats. My only complaint about them was the overhead lighting which could cause a glare at time but other than that, they were great cars and I always liked riding them. My last ride in one of them was a few years ago from Albany to Rutland and back.
Actually the original name for these cars was Congressional Coaches, the Pennsylvania ordered them to be used on a round trip between Washington and New York on the Congressional and a round trip between Washington and Boston on a round trip on the Senator.
Noel Weaver
 #863595  by DutchRailnut
 
I think were getting old clocker Heritage coaches confused with the later clockers with Amfleets.
on last few weeks of Clockers there were no heritage cars left in clocker service.
 #863631  by Noel Weaver
 
DutchRailnut wrote:I think were getting old clocker Heritage coaches confused with the later clockers with Amfleets.
on last few weeks of Clockers there were no heritage cars left in clocker service.
I didn't think so. Seems to me some of the "congo" coaches were refurbished some years back for New York State Service and from there they went to clocker service. Not too many of them were still around by that time, maybe the early 90's.
Noel Weaver
 #864949  by strench707
 
Yes the cars I am referring to were these:
Image

Dutch, it seems they were barely hanging on in numbers, Clockers having amcans outnumbering them in consists. But notice here in this video how they are still in the service in 2003:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClLaRSB0sDY

I don't think there were too many and they were in the 76xx series but which numbers were running right around the end is my question. They are ex-PRR and PC which Noel also confirmed.

Davis
 #864957  by DutchRailnut
 
I don't believe any were in service to end of Clocker service.
according to GoByTrain.us
Heritage Cars
A small number of Heritage cars remain in service. Overhauls ceased on most types of Heritage cars in mid-2006 (except for Pacific Parlours), most will be retired as they become due for overhaul or heavy repair.
Diner cars run on the Crescent (New York - New Orleans) and New York - Florida Silver services. Their use on the Lake Shore Limited (New York - Chicago) ceased by October 2007.
Hi-level Lounges (Pacific Parlours) operate on the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles - Seattle), in early/mid 2008 they were overhauled at Beech Grove.
10031 Heritage Dome Car usually based on the West Coast and running occasionally on special trains. Since 2006 this has been used in various parts of the system. Used in the Fall of 2007 and 2008 on the Adirondack.
 #865216  by Jishnu
 
I believe the last assignment of the few remaining Congo Coaches was on the Adirondack after they were pretty much replaced on the Clockers by Amfleet Is.
 #865344  by andre
 
one of the original clocker coaches is now in private ownership and for sale at ozark mountain railcar
the listing has photos of the car when first delivered to pennsy and in amtrak service
 #866487  by hi55us
 
the heritage cars that north carolina uses, are those "congo coaches" that where used on the Adirondacks/clockers
 #866512  by Tadman
 
I've heard about those orders, why did they buy cars that late in the game? Tax shelter or something?
 #866539  by jp1822
 
Here's a timeline of what I remember of the "Congo Coaches" or former Clocker Heritage coaches - refurbished and used on the Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express in the late 1990s and into around 2002 (all years are approximate):

- 1990s: Amtrak refurbished the "Congo Coaches" (Heritage Coaches) for use on the Adirondack, which also included originally a Heritage Lounge/Cafe car. Enough coaches were restored or they "spilled" over to also be put on the Ethan Allen Express. Eventually the Heritage Lounge/Cafe was retired from the Adirondack consists (by 2001) and the Heritage coaches continued only.

- 2001: Amtrak started to intermingle some Amfleets in with the "Congo Coaches" (Heritage Coaches) with those operating on the Ethan Allen Express and Adirondack.

- 2002: Adirondack train sets inherit former Amfleet Metroliner cars after additional Acela Express trainsets came online. Two trainsets were transferred to the Adirondack. The main disadvantage in this switch was the loss of the large windows that offered views of the Adirondack's scenic route. The "Congo Coaches" (Heritage Coaches) are prepped to go into storage or retirement.

- 2003: Warrington, who had left Amtrak and was now head of NJT, asks Amtrak to maintain 10 to 12 coach consists on the "Clocker Service" since its Amfleet consists were dwindling and often the consists were outfitted with "anything lying around" (i.e. Amfleet cafe/lounge cars when the Clocker service didn't offer any food service). Course, NJT was paying a subsidy to Amtrak to operate the Clockers for their "monthly" and "weekly" passholders. However, if Amtrak needed more Amfleets, it often went after the "Amfleet coaches" used on the Clocker Service. Even though Amtrak had a lot of Amfleets on paper, a number were getting sidelined due to maintenance needs but no money to fix/repair. Warrington, knowing about the recent retirement of the "Congo Coaches" (Heritage Coaches) retired from the Adirondack/Ethan Allen trainsets, asks Amtrak to add some of the "Congo Coaches (Heritage Coaches) to the remaining "peak period" Clocker train sets (largely three train sets by this time). Although the "Congo Coaches" (Heritage Coaches) made a last reprise on the Clockers. But, they didn't last that long before they were finally retired for good.

2004: The peak period Clocker train sets get reduced from three to two conists during what remained during "peak period" Clocker service due to a lack of Amfleets and need to re-deploy them elsewhere (or to start an overhaul program of the Amfleets as Gunn becomes President of Amtrak).

2005: Clocker train sets, running with three train sets again during peak periods, are retired and their time slots are taken over by NJT (running only from Trenton to NYP). I believe the Clockers got restored from two to three consists at the time of their retirement and also got enough Amfleets to operate with about 10 to 12 coaches per train set by the time they were retired. The Clocker Amfleets are then re-deployed in the system. Likewise, Amtrak eventually realizes they have a surplus of about 70 Amfleets and put them in storage at their Delaware facilities. Amtrak concentrates on their "state of good repair" by overhauling some of the Amfleets!

Morning Clocker schedule (out of Trenton) as I recall was:

6:30 a.m.
7:15 a.m.
7:50 a.m.

Evening Clocker peak period schedule (out of NYP) I can recall was:

5:15 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.

With the end of the "Clocker Service" Amtrak starts to increase the "monthly pass" cost for NEC riders between Philadelphia-New York City. Some Keystones pick up the slack as "all-electric Keystone service debuts."
 #866961  by strench707
 
A great history of the Clocker service I must say jp1822, very helpful! So hi55us, some of the clocker coaches that Amtrak retired went to NCDOT, very cool to know. I'm gonna have to put in some research on which ones, I'll post if I find anything.

Davis
 #868295  by andre
 
there is one still parked outside penn station, grabbed a shot of it yesterday during the PM rush hour

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5 ... 0479840876
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