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Even though I work for Amtrak I can not get a good list of former Santa Fe Highliner that are on Amtrak. I am looking for the first two cars that Santa Fe built to see the the cars would work. I know that they was on Amtrak in 1980 but I do not know what happen to them after then.
GP25 Member # 158
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The ex-ATSF Hi-Level Cars you talk about. All or most are in the Storage Yard @ Beech Grove,ID. Some I havve heard are on the Heartland Flyer and the (Louisville)Cardinal. I have seen the lounge cars 33970-39975 on the the Coast Starlight (Train 11 & 14) as a Pacific Parlor Car for the First Class Passengers
DC2001 Member # 542
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The two prototype Hi-Level cars are/were for sale, along with the rest of the stored Hi-Level fleet (and a bunch of Heritage cars, too). Take a look here: http://www.iltransit.com/coaches.html
Based on the paint scheme (appears to be Phase I - note the pointless arrow), these cars must not have been used in many years (circa 1980?).
What I find incredibly short-sighted is selling off the only spare Hi-Level lounge not in Coast Starlight Parlour Service. Should a Parlour be out of service for an accident or any reason, Amtrak will have no backup (to rebuild into a replacement car). Also, disposal of these cars means it will be difficult to supply equipment for any route expansion for several years (until new cars can be ordered and delivered).
vline Member # 1132
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Hi, what really amazes me is how your railways sell equipment that is only a few decades old. In my state of Victoria, here in Australia we still have running in daily service & at mainline 75 MPH speeds, every airconditioned carriage built since 1937!! The first fully arconditioned train in the southern hemisphere was called the "Spirit of Progress" which formed the premier service to Sydney 650 miles to my north. All of those carriages are still in daily use & travelling, conservatively, daily runs of over 500 miles. I thought you people may consider this interesting. Thanks, Mike.
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