Amtrak E9A #403 (ex B&O #1457)

[Engineer James]

I was hoping to get a responce from up in general dicussion, but I guess not. Well, my grandfather worked for the B&O/NYC/Penn Central/Conrail era on the Toledo/Detroit Subdivision in Michigan. Any way there is a picture of him and one of his buddies on this locomotive #1457 (Still in B&O Colors). Now, I contacted the Amtrak Historical Society and the gentle man who wrote me back said that the locomotive had never been painted amtrak colors. Well, here is a roster from August 1990, which says other wise...

RR # Type Builder B/N B/D Ex-RR #
AMTRAK 403 E9A EMD 20380 5/55 B&O 1457

And here are pictures from off the web of the Locomotive in regular colors:

http://hebners.net/amtrak/amtODD/bo1457.jpg -Visit the Site!

and in Amtrak Colors:

http://adsl-69-213-240-177.dsl.dytnoh.a ... amt403.jpg - Visit the Site!

Could any of you help me with this information:

What happened to it?? Scrapped??
When did it last operate??
Who was the Final crew aboard and who did they work for??

[LCJ]

I believe the Amtrak picture belies the B&O heritage of the unit in question. On the B&O photo, there are no lift rings on the nose as there are on the Amtrak picture. I've never seen anything other than a former PRR E8A that had them.

I certainly could be wrong about this, though. Anyone know?

[LCJ]

I just proved myself wrong. It seems Milwaukee E9As had the rings, too.

[Passenger Extra]

Sorry, I cant be much help on her post B&O career.

I do remember that particular number though. She mad a quite a few runs on the National Limited, Baltimore to St Louis, and for a while in the early 60's on the #9 and #8 turn (west on 9 - east on 8) Washington to Chicago.

PX

[Engineer James]

Passenger Extra,
WOW! you are correct!b #1457, was a prime mover of passenger cars along the Northeast, the photos are of the locomotive near Williamsburg, VA and Charloetteville, VA. Did you ever Run her? Engineer perhaps, or just a passenger??

[Passenger Extra]

I rode behind her a time or two.

Im a former B&O-er, and my dad worked pass. condr's xtra board for a while also.

PX

[Passenger Extra]

Sounds like from your note that the 1457 could also have been assigned to either the Cinncinnation 53 & 54, or train 57 & 58, which for some reason was never named, when that picture was taken. Both those trains operated out of Toledo for the B&O, and by the NYC between Toledo and Detroit.

By the way, all the B&O's passenger engines were ATC equipped in the event they had to operate over the NYC.

PX

[BaltOhio]

LCJ is correct to question the heritage of Amtrak403. Actually, everyone is correct. Here's what happened:

B&O 1457 was sold to Amtrak in 1971 and was indeed assigned Amtrak #403. But it was never actually renumbered, and was sold for scrap to Naporano in 2/72. Amtrak's 2nd 403 was ex-Amtrak 291, exx PC/PRR 4283, orig. PRR 5803A.

Interesting that B&O's newest and last E-unit never made it to Amtrak -- it must have had some problem that made repairing uneconomic.

[BaltOhio]

I need to make one correction: Amtrak retired B&O 1457 in 10/75, but, as I noted, never renumbered it. I have a photo of it on the Washington-Cumberland run in mid-1973, in B&O colors and carrying its B&O number.

[Passenger Extra]

I suppose Amtraks operational needs and the effects of several years deferred maintenance probably combined to take its toll on available B&O passenger power after the takeover. E and FP units toke a bit more care than straight F units because of the extra waste heat boilers and auxiliary power plants.

PX

[CR4014]

I was aware that Amtrak 291 became the second 403, but I was also under the impression that Amtrak did not acquire any equipment until 1972 (a previous poster noted the 1457 becoming an Amtrak-owned unit in 1971).

So, am I mistaken? And was the 1457 also one of the 3 units from Chessie that pulled President Eisenhower's funeral train?

CR4014 (a mighty good unit in her own right!)

[LCJ]

CR4014

Conrail #4014 (ex-EL E-8) on a Valparaiso commuter train near Chicago -- Sept 1977.

[Engineer James]

B&O #1457 is still coming up as a repaint. As far as I know, she was never loaned to Chessie, or came from Chessie. B&O BEFORE the merger sold her off as I am told. I have found several more photos, but with varying paint jobs, from her last deep B&O Blue, to the old Blue and White.

Deep Blue

In a Wornout paint job, hauling what looks like a C&O Passenger train.

I just found this one. Have no clue where she was taken.

She was a nice unit..... to bad AMTK had to sell her and all of here sister units for scrap, the E8 was one heck of a reliable locomotive, just ask BN or MARC