Amtrak equipment

A collection of some of the Amtrak locomotives, passenger cars, and other Amtrak equipment I've seen and rode on over the past 18 years.

Locomotives

I've been fortunate to shoot a large variety of Amtrak locomotives of all kinds, both diesel and electric. I've photographed Acela equipment before and after it was put into regular service. I've got photographs of many of the locomotives I've ridden behind and others I just happen to spot. Here are Geeps and Genesis. There's Amtrak's long lived workhorse, the F40PH. I've also got photographs of an FL9, SW1, AEM-7 and Dash-8.
Under the photo is the locomotive number, where and when it was photographed and the model number

Acela 2032 in Boston
Acela 2032 at Boston South Station in 2001
Acela at Boston South Station
Acela 2037 at Boston South Station. Photo shot in 2001
Acela in Boston
Acela 2037 at Boston South Station in 2001
Acela at Boston South Station
Acela 655 at Boston South Station. This train was used for testing and training before Acela service was started. Photographed in 2000
Amtrak Genesis locomotive number 24
Amtrak locomotive 24 on the eastbound Sunset Limited in 2000
P42DC
Amtrak GP-40 number 194
Amtrak engine 194 at Boston South Station in 2000
GP40
Amtrak GP-40 number 194
Amtrak engine 194 at Boston South Station in 2000
GP40
In the cab of Amtrak GP-40 #194
Inside the cab of Amtrak engine 194. Photo shot in 2000 at Boston South Station
GP40
Amtrak F40 #208 at the head of the Lake Shore Limited
Amtrak 208 leads the Lake Shore Limited on its way to Boston. Photographed in 1987 in Charlton, MA
F40PH
Amtrak F40 number 211
Amtrak engine 211 at Boston South Station in 1981
F40PH
Amtrak F40PH number 224 caught in Fullerton
Amtrak 224 caught at the Fullerton, CA station in 1993
F40PH
Amtrak engine F40 #230
Amtrak #230 at Los Angeles Union Station in 1993
F40PH
Amtrak F40 #253 Fullerton 1993
Locomotive 253 seen in Fullerton CA pulling the Amtrak San Diegan in 1993
F40PH
Amtrak loocomotive #343 Albany, NY in 1986
Amtrak locomotive #343 at the head of the Lake Shore Limited at Albany, NY in 1986
F40PH
Amtrak F40 number 351
A banged up Amtrak locomotive #351 in 1986
F40PH
Amtrak F59 number 451 at LAX
Engine #451 was used to pull the Amtrak Pacific Surf liner. Photographed at LAX in 1993
F59PHI
Amtrak FL9 number 489
Amtrak's engine 489 is clean and shiny at Poughkeepsie, NY in the winter of 1994
FL9
Amtrak SSB1200 number 554
Amtrak switcher 554 at the Los Angeles station in 2000
SSB1200
Amtrak P32 and P42 numbers 509 and 810
Amtrak locomotives 509 and 810 sit idle at Los Angeles Union Station in 1993
P32BH P42DC
Amtrak P32 #509 in Los Angeles
Amtrak 509 at the station in Los Angeles in 1993
P32BH
Amtrak P32 number 515
Amtrak engine 515 at Fullerton, CA pulling the San Diegan to Los Angeles in 1993
P32BH
Amtrak P32 number 517 at LAX in 1993
Amtrak locomotive 517 seen in Los Angeles 1993
P32BH
Amtrak P32 number 517 in Los Angeles
Amtrak 517 seen at Los Angeles Union Station in 1993
P32BH
Amtrak SW1 number 743
Amtrak switcher number 743 in Albany, NY in 1986
SW1
Amtrak switcher 743, an SW1
Amtrak switcher number 743 in Albany, NY in 1986
SW1
Amtrak P42 number 810
Amtrak 810 waits in Los Angeles in 1993
P42DC
Amtrak P42 number 810 at LAX
Amtrak 810 at Los Angeles Union Station in 1993
P42DC
Amtrak P42 number 822 in 1993
Amtrak 822 near a bumper at Los Angeles Union Station in 1993
P42DC
P42 number 837
Amtrak 837 led the Downeaster to Portland, ME in 2002
P42DC
Amtrak Cascades locomotive
Amtrak Cascades locomotive 90340 resting in Portland, OR in 2002
Amtrak P42DC builder's plate
The GE builder's plate on an Amtrak Genesis locomotive in 1993
Amtrak P32BH builder's plate
The builder's plate on an Amtrak Dash 8 locomotive in 1993
Amtrak GP40 and AEM7 numbers 525 and 907
Amtrak diesel and electric locomotives 525 and 907 at South Station in Boston in 2001
GP40TC AEM7
Amtrak AEM7 #907 at Boston South Station
Amtrak 907 caught at Boston South Station in 2001
AEM7
Amtrak AEM7 number 916
Amtrak 916 is looking at you. Photographed at Boston South Station in 2001
AEM7
Amtrak AEM7 number 916 in Boston
Amtrak electric locomotive 916 at Boston South Station in 2000
AEM7

Passenger equipment

Most of the photos I've taken of passenger cars are Superliners. I've got a few shots of the Horizon fleet and a Viewliner or two squirreled away somewhere. Many of the photos here appear to be identical but if you look closely you will see subtle differences. Most of the differences being the size and color of the stripes on the different cars.

Superliner Coach & Baggage car
Amtrak 31035 Coach Baggage in Albuquerque on the Southwest Chief in 1986.
3 large stripes
Amtrak Superliner Coach
Amtrak Superliner Coach number 34039 on the Southwest Chief in Albuquerque, NM in 1986.
3 large stripes
Superliner Coach
Amtrak 39958 Superliner Coach in Albuquerque on the Southwest Chief in 1986.
3 narrow stripes
Superliner Coach Dorm car
Amtrak 39919 Superliner Coach Dorm in Albuquerque on the Southwest Chief in 1986.
3 narrow stripes
A numberless Amtrak Superliner Sleeper
A numberless Superliner sleeper on the Southwest Chief in 1986.
Note the large Red and Blue stripes surrounded by narrow White stripes.
Pacific Parlour car
Amtrak Pacific Parlour car 39970 on the Coast Starlight in 2002
the interior of an Amtrak Pacific Parlor car
The interior of an Amtrak Pacific Parlour car on the Coast Starlight train in 2002
Amtrak cafe car City of Los Angeles
Amtrak 43040 City of Los Angeles cafe in Fullerton, CA in 1993
Inside an Amtrak Superliner coach car
Inside an Amtrak Superliner coach car in 2002
inside an Amtrak Superliner dome car
Inside an Amtrak Superliner Sightseer Lounge at sunrise in 2002
Superliner stripes
The stripes of Amtrak Superliner I car meeting those of a Superliner II in 1993
Superliner name tag
Amtrak Superliner logo over the center entrance of the car
butt of a Superliner 2 sleeper
The end of an Amtrak Superliner II sleeper 1993
butt of a Superliner sleeper
The end of an Amtrak Superliner sleeper 1986
Bombardier builder's plate in a Superliner II
The Bombardier builder's plate in an Amtrak Superliner II sleeper
Amtrak West sign
Amtrak West "Where excellence shows through"
Amtrak baggage car
Amtrak baggage car 1178 on the Southwest Chief 1986
Large Red, White and Blue stripes
Amtrak baggage car
Amtrak baggage car 1188 in Boston in 2002
Narrow red & white stripes over a large blue stripe
Amtrak baggage car
Amtrak baggage car 1225 on the Southwest Chief in 1986
Large red & blue stripes with a narrow white stripe
An Amtrak baggage car
Amtrak baggage car 1253 on the Coast Starlight in 2002
Large red, white and blue stripes

A brand spankin' new Superliner II Sleeping car is used to make a video

In October 1993 the Superliner II Sleeping car 32072 Arkansas was brought to Los Angeles Union Station before being put into service. While at LAX it was used to make a (marketing?) video. A small film crew of 4 or 5 people arrived with the equipment they would need to film happy passengers and a crew member. The adult and child passenger were in a compartment on the lower level. The compartments on Superliners are small. Too small to accommodate the actors, camera and camera operator. So how do you get video of passenger and crew? Simply remove the window, place the camera outside of the car and there's room for everyone. I just happened to be there the day of the filming and took pictures of the action.
Superliner II Sleeper Arkansas is used to make an Amtrak video Superliner II Sleeper Arkansas is used to make an Amtrak video Superliner II Sleeper Arkansas is used to make an Amtrak video Superliner II Sleeper Arkansas is used to make an Amtrak video Superliner II Sleeper Arkansas is used to make an Amtrak video

Assorted Amtrak photos

Photographs of assorted Amtrak items. Some of them move while others are stagnant.

I want to be an engineer!
I want to be an engineer dad!
Amtrak Thruway bus
Amtrak Thruway bus in Los Angeles in 2000
free ride in an Amtrak car
Washington DC limo service offered by Amtrak
Downeaster logo
Downeaster logo on a train at Boston North Station in 2002
Amtrak RoadRailer
Amtrak RoadRailer at Los Angeles Union Station in 2000
Amtrak RoadRailer
An Amtrak RoadRailer truck at LAX in 2000
Amtrak ExpressTrak
Amtrak ExpressTrak car 74092 in 2002
Amtrak mail car
Amtrak 1460 mail car at LAX in 1993

Last update March 20, 2004


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All photos copyright © 2004 John Simakauskas