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About a week ago, going home from work riding the San Diego Trolley, we made our usual run through Santa Fe station which is now the center of rail transportation in San Diego and is used by the trolley system, Amtrak, and The Coaster commuter which runs between Oceanside and San Diego. Everything else which runs on rails passes by or stops at the station from time to time.
Passing the station I saw an Amtrak rail car which looked very much like a metal box car...only a bit sturdier. It was sitting out on the western most trackage at the station. The Amtrac logo which was just made up with the letters "Amtrac" in white was located at the top left on the side of the car. The overall color of the car was a kind of reddish grey concrete looking color. Very dull looking. There were some numbers on the car but I of course was not prepared to take down numbers nor do I carry a camera. What was really very interesting about this Amtrak freight looking car was that instead of having a "Katy Bar" on the side door....if in fact it was a door on the side....but that it had a fairly large diameter circular metal wheel with spokes in it ....apparently for use in opening up the side of the car. I have never seen an Amtrak box car before. I have never seen a box car such as the one I saw that day. It was indeed a very strange looking railway car. Oh, it was also standing by itself about 25 to 30 feet to the rear of an Amtrak passenger train which was sitting on the same track. I believe it was the "Surf Liner" which runs between San Diego and Los Angeles. The time of all this as I recall was between 4:30 and 5:00 PM. Sorry, I don't recall what day it was.
What all of this is leading up to is a question. And, the question is, does anyone know what kind of a car I saw? Was it truly an Amtrak freight car? If so, what kind of freight car was it with such strange construction, color and side door mechanism? And, it was sitting there all by itself. It was not hooked up to any other train. I had always thought that Amtrak was a passenger operation and had no connection to frieght operations.
Doug Vernon San Diego, CA
[This message has been edited by Douglas (edited 02-16-2003).]
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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What you saw was probably an Amtrak "Express" car. For the last few years Amtrak passenger trains have also been hauling express freight for various shippers. This was done because Amtrak management believed it would help their bottom line. However, it didn't work out as planned. Switching of freight cars has hurt on-time performance, and it turned out not to be profitable. Amtrak's new president David gunn is now phasing out the express business. It will be eliminated as existing contracts expire.
However, boxcars such as those will continue to haul US mail on Amtrak trains, as that has not been disruptive to train operations and has actually been profitable.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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The car was being used to carry mechanical department parts & supplies between SAN & LAX. These box cars are normally used on the long distance trains to haul freight.
Secondly, I guess if you desire to matriculate at Clark State Community College, it could well be a "plus" to put your railfan credentials "on the table' at your interview.
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 02-17-2003).]
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