AMTRAK, Roadrailer, "Material handling Years, Part I" East and West

This was the years when Amtrak, got into the freight and hauling business. They had Material handling, and Roadrailers that they tacked on the rear of their cross country trains. This is Part I. If there is an interest, I will put together a Part II and III if need be. This clip has alternating east and west operations. East will show PA, and west is in AZ and NM.
Here is the link for Amtrak, F40 "Material and Handling Years, Part I"
• AMTRAK, F40's, "Materi...
Thanks for watching, and hope you enjoyed it. God Bless
Please do not use without permission
All my videos and images are Copyright protected.
God Bless our troops, and God Bless the United States of America
Copyright Jack D Kuiphoff © 7/11/2015
John 3:16

[@MontysTrains]

The second clip, with THREE different paint schemes across four engines, plus a private car ON TOP of all the freight at the end... WOW, what a catch!

[@Midwesttrains21]

I wish they still did this, I was born in 2001 so I'm not old enough to see them but it seems cool

[@SailorMoonRailfan]

Me too

[@TommyBNSF]

Ah yes, I loved this era of Amtrak in the early 2000s. Please do a Part II and III!

[@1jackdk]

There is a part II up Tommy, and may be a III in the future. Thanks for watching, and glad you enjoyed it.

[@MrBnsftrain]

I'm quite surprised that the amount of "Mail Cars" was almost the same or more than the amount of passenger cars! I've seen some of the old Reefers in Colorado, and Amtrak still has some of the baggage cars like those at 1:21 in operation! (as extra wheels due to PTC) But I have never been able to see these operations myself as I was born in 2001, and was only familar with seeing video of four MHCs at the front of a Superliner train on videos filmed in the early to mid 90s! I like that colorful lash-up at 1:05 that amount of cars at 3:55 is probably the obly one hwere the MHCs don't out-number or equal the passenger cars! Nice catch of a Horizon Cafe on a long-distance train in the eats at 7:40

[@parkerjon29]

I certainly miss these days! This was the Amtrak I grew up with. I was fortunate enough to ride the SWC during these days. On the WB trip we set out a P42 at Naperville, and I recall that at La Junta I heard over the scanner that the engineer was surprised to see only 3 units and said (referring presumably to Raton) that "We aint gonna blaze over, but I think we'll make it"

[@BeefShack]

I remember seeing the extra long Amtrak trains when I was younger. Those were the days.

[@Trainsbigandsmall]

When Amtrak was promising coast to coast freight service in 66 hours!

[@AlexanderSkinnerVids]

The glory days! Back in the early to mid 2000s I was in grade school and each summer I would take a trip on Amtrak and see MHCs on all the trains I was on. I miss those days. Thank you for uploading!

[@PrimeMoverRailfanProductions]

2:55 This is probably the best clip out of the entire view as a whole, with the mountains in the background and the train approaching in the foreground, along with that awesome K5LA! Nice Catches!

[@amtrak1214]

Bring back Amtrak freight and mail service!

[@AirlinkTrainsAndAviation_PACQ]

Yay this is my favorite era

[@Ferrocarril_Chicago]

Amtrak was so cool back in those days!

[@1jackdk]

Yes they sure were. Thanks for watching...

[@KevinCNYC1991]

I loved seeing Amtrak with these mail cars. It was something unique to it. Great footage.

[@SuperDave30]

I love the sound of Amtrak locomotive horn💯

[@EvergreenRailVideo]

I was watching a Union Pacific freight pass through where I live not too long ago, and in the middle of the consist was an old Amtrak boxcar still in (very faded) phase IV paint. Made me think of these old times.

[@oliviawhite8833]

Nice

[@arejay54]

I occasionally see some of these old Amtrak boxcars on Union Pacific trains here in Iowa. Interesting to see them used by the original owner. Nice video!

[@AdamKlimchock]

Great compilation, glad you were able to document that all!

[@1TexasAllyn]

I was completely unaware! Please do more because I find this very interesting. Thank you!

[@mar07205]

Me gusta ver el tren que va muy rápido y con mucha carga de los vagones.

[@dannyholt105]

Thanks for uploading these. Now it's on to part II. Cheers, Dan

[@SndrewAonkin]

1:05 look at the colors

[@1jackdk]

Good variety Thanks for watching...

[@TheDiamondFish]

We have every P42 phase lol

[@alexlarams]

Neat video. This is the way it SHOULD be - now.

[@1jackdk]

I agree 100%. Thanks, and thanks for watching...

[@robertmoir5695]

I like the idea of Amtrak pulling some freight trains Just something different

[@attlevi]

Thanks for sharing . That was truly historic. I never knew they hauled so much freight. I remember sending off a packages & thought it was a novelty idea.

[@bassman34516]

nice! I remember well all the boxcars and trailers on the three rivers and the pennsylvanian

[@unclek2111]

love that horn

[@grapevine412]

Great video. . Thank you for sharing

[@Finetales]

My family once took the Silver Star as a kid and I saw a bunch of Amtrak freight cars on the end as it left the station we got off at. Always thought I must have just remembered it wrong...now I know!

[@1134REN]

Great subject. Please do more on this!

[@456newportlines]

Really I want a Amtrak freight train

[@LibertyRailfan]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome.. They should do this again, just like the early days of railroading in this country...

[@1jackdk]

I sure wish they would do that again. Thanks for watching...

[@SuperJet_Spade]

I remember in 2004, when I was 7 years old, I travelled to New York with my parents and sister on an Amtrak train. I remember occasionally looking back and seeing a car that didn't look like a passenger car. So, I might believe that the Amtrak train I traveled on was the Three Rivers one

[@UCH-zp4up]

Actually, that time of Amtrak looks pretty cool!

[@1jackdk]

That it did. Probably will never be repeated. Thanks for watching...

[@user-im9ch9oq6z]

Отличная работа Джек. Просто Супер. Вы молодец.

[@jerrykinnin7941]

And now the road railers have gone. Since Triple Crown desolved

[@DeathLetterBlues44]

Part II and III PLEASE!!!!

[@barroningram7286]

some looked like freight trains with a few passenger cars🙂

[@livingroomset2084]

I loved the phase IV Superliner, why did they have to go?

[@Ten-ku4yj]

They were painted into phase v

[@TrainBubba]

At 7:41, a Holiday Inn passenger car? Never saw one before. Great video Jack!

[@br5206]

man that Chief was haulin!

[@1jackdk]

That he was!

[@andrewthepokerchamp]

You know the Amtrak was fun when it had four engines in its consist. Something we'll probably never see again.

[@tomcline5631]

They must not have run these through my part of Missouri, because I've never seen any other line but Norfolk Southern run road railers! Pretty cool. I noticed that all but a couple actual Amtrak trailers,they were all triple crown Wich is the only company I've ever known to use the system.

[@aure745]

I like the second amtrak cause 4 p42 train 2 lounge

[@jaredztrainz5220]

Wow miss amfreights 😁

[@alejandromotaguevara5655]

ME GUSTO MUCHO EL EL VIDEO

[@wilfstor3078]

p40s and p42s pulling freight. Just looks weird yet awesome

[@1jackdk]

It was awsome for sure. Didn't last to long. Thanks for watching....

[@odiecalodie]

Actually GE was not too happy with Amtrak, they told Amtrak those engines were not meant to pull freight cars, only passenger cars.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

@@odiecalodie The host RRs didn't like Amtrak also doing freight, so they forced them out by charging ridiculous switching fees. GE had nothing to do with it, as P42s are essentially GEVOs with a HEP generator.

[@kawanbrownlee9724]

WoW didn't know Amtrak hauled freight or material handling

[@1jackdk]

Those were some neat days when they did that. Thanks for watching...

[@unclek2111]

and all of those different paint schemes

[@1jackdk]

Sure was neat back then. Never knew what you would see. Thanks for watching.

[@ntytp]

When Phase 5 was new at the time

[@mdavid1955]

What happened to all the freight cars that Amtrak owned? In storage?

[@1jackdk]

+mdavid1955 They were sold off, and the roadrailers were picked up be Triple Crown. Every now and then, I see a ex-Amtrak box car. Thanks for watching...

[@BattleshipOrion]

What years were these so I can add to my model Amtrak train (for those out there a f40ph leads Monday through Thursday p42 Wednesday Friday Saturday, and soon a dash-8-40bwh on Monday; Thats the plan anyway.)

[@TheAustinSubRailfan]

I definitely think the K5LA’s were pretty Amazing Back then in the early 2000’s That’s for sure!

[@orionharmon6017]

Yes there is Amtrak boxcars that Amtrak is pulling but it looks like Amtrak is pulling mixed cars like passenger cars, boxcars and road railer cars.

[@coast_to_coast_photos]

I was born in 2003 just a couple of years before they ended the mail and express business

[@LelandRogers]

They might need to go back to this considering the 40% cut to their 2018 budget.

[@1jackdk]

I doubt that they will, because the host railroad was charging Amtrak unaffordable switching fees. That was the RR's way of forcing Amtrak out of the material handling. Thanks for watching...

[@maxm2317]

Great footage of an era that sadly came to a close 13 years ago during the 2nd Term of President George W. Bush and his administration. Sure, this service made the journeys a bit slower and a bit late, but I think if, given the opportunity, Amtrak could give it a second shot and appease to the USPS for another contract. Then again, with the current leadership at Amtrak determined to finish what the Bush Administration started, that's most likely just a silly pipe dream.

[@hans2406]

In other words, the government tried it's best to guarantee Amtrak not to be profitable. Oh well, governments in general are not there, it seems, for the good of the people but for the good the big companies. That said, the period between Bush and Trump, what did they do?

[@caelumvaldovinos5318]

@@hans2406, the Obama administration boosted its funding of Amtrak, bought the new SCS-44 City Sprinter locomotives for the NEC and financed a total rebuild of the P40's

[@thomasgriffin5466]

I road amtrak in april 2017 from greenville, south carolina to atlanta, georgia. I upgraded to business class on a one day roundtrip ticket but business class sucked just like regular passenger travel on this trip. The best way to travel by amtrak is in the bedroom suite or roomette small room. It is a better way to enjoy amtrak. I mean greyhound bus on rails....

[@NYCentralSpotter1070]

So the single-level train, that's the Three Rivers, correct? I know the shots from the Southwest involve the Southwest Chief.

[@1jackdk]

+Kendra Marybeth Davenport You are correct on both Kendra. Thanks for watching...

[@markcantemail8018]

Thank you Jack I never saw that . I live in Water level Route country .

[@TheDiamondFish]

1:05 the auto train of the west

[@barroningram7286]

🙂

[@christianstudivant4804]

Will Amtrak ever run mail again because I was born in 2002 and I was too young to remember this.

[@GTKCF2023]

Go to 3:19 for the phase 5a lashup

[@SailorMoonRailfan]

Can I use this video for my train simulator games Please?

[@SailorMoonRailfan]

Can I use this video for Trainz A New Era Please?

[@donconklin1770]

Jack, nice video man! Loved the paint schemes on those Amtraks. Do they still haul this type of freight today? Also, one of the train's ditch lights was out, so nice unusual catch there. I couldn't put my tablet down when I was watching this because it was so cool. I can tell I made the right choice by subscribing to your channel, because your videos are awesome. Keep them coming Jack. Enjoy the rest of your evening.

[@1jackdk]

+Donald Conklin Thanks Don. Its been less the 24 hours since I posted this clip, and it seems like I'm getting a good many request for a Part II and III.

[@donconklin1770]

+jackmp294.5™ Thanks for the info. Sounds good on request for parts II and III.

[@donconklin1770]

*****​ Thanks for the info; sounds bitter sweet...

[@cookode]

Didn't Amtrak do a whole mail train on the NEC from Washington DC to Springfield MA with an engine change at New Haven?

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

Yea. Those were discontinued when they lost the Springfield USPS contract in 2004.

[@cpufreak101]

Welp, I guess it really does show they could go back into freight if they were desperate enough, considering how little cash they earn now, it's kinda surprising. But then again I can understand the railroads who's tracks they run on wouldn't want the competition EDIT: and if I remember right, didn't this service die out around '05 with an express mail contract ending?

[@elperroazul9992]

Notice at 3:15 that Amtrak train is carrying freight only. Not people

[@1jackdk]

The good old days. Thanks for watching...

[@frostbyte3978]

1:01 Hybrid k5la or k5l?

[@jessterry3137]

the best part 0:55😁

[@timf2279]

Is that Guam MN or Guam NM?

[@BNSF_7777_Productions]

it would be nice to railfan these

[@1jackdk]

It sure was BNSFGuy. Wish they still ran these. It really added interest to a passenger train. Thanks for watching...

[@superbaddy4]

By any chance, considering this here was all filmed within the time it was possible, do you have any footage of P42DCs 143 and 149 before they were wrecked in the Wendover, Utah crash 2 days after 9/11 when they were only about 7 months old?

[@1jackdk]

I'm not sure. I will have to look in my notes to see if I have them.

[@superbaddy4]

Ok, i've been waiting for 2 months now. Anything?

[@anonymousperson9610]

After the crash why couldn’t Amtrak ordered 2 more P42s and numbered it to 143 and 149 to replace the original ones.

[@rexracernj7696]

Isn't this sort of like the old-time "mixed trains?"

[@AuroraDorealus]

1:06 , a P40 with a K5HL?

[@1jackdk]

That is neat! Just gotta love it. Thanks for watching...

[@AuroraDorealus]

jackmp294.5™ Yes Sir!

[@PrimeMoverRailfanProductions]

It's actually a Hybrid K5LA (1, 2, 3, 4a, 5)

[@bnsfwarbonnet]

Yes more! You don't have Lake County Limited shots, do you? It was a Chicago to Janesville Wisconsin train with a P32-8, a baggage car, coach and a roadrailer.

[@1jackdk]

+bnsfwarbonnet No. Sorry I don't have that one nbsfwb. Thanks for watching.

[@NYCentralSpotter1070]

+bnsfwarbonnet Someone else might have uploaded something.

[@bnsfwarbonnet]

+Kendra Marybeth Davenport I can't find other ones

[@1jackdk]

+Kendra Marybeth Davenport I'll be editting a Part II in a couple of weeks. I was going to edit when Part I reaches at least a 1000 views. I expected to reach that number faster than it is.

[@1jackdk]

+Natalie Davenport Teeger Guess I better get to work! LOL

[@s0nnyburnett]

Did Amtrak suck at freight so bad they had it give it up or did the other big carriers just drive them into submission?

[@1jackdk]

+s0nnyburnett From what I heard, Amtrak was doing VERY well with the service. The Class 1's didn't like business being shifted to Amtrak, and since the Class 1's did the switching for Amtrak, they were charging Amtrak enormous fees.

[@s0nnyburnett]

jackmp294.5™ That's pretty funny. What a shame.

[@GintaPPE1000]

Amtrak did pretty well, but the USPS didn't renew their contract because the Bush administration was determined to kill the agency off in his first term. The least outrageous reason to do so, they reasoned, was to cut off their primary revenue generator and let the subsequent underfunding kill Amtrak on its own. Class 1 complaints about the package trade being taken from them were present but not a major part of it. USPS never did much business with the freight railroads (they just stopped doing stuff by rail after the Amtrak contract ended), but UPS and Fedex had separate deals with the Class 1s at that time (not sure if Amtrak had them too, their primary contractor was always USPS). Most of the time-sensitive stuff went by airplane anyways after 1966, the lowest-priority items were the only things that Amtrak was allowed to carry.

[@g-manonthego6678]

Why would Amtrak rely on class 1 railroads for switching the mail cars? They don’t need them when they already have their reliable Dash 8’s to do the job.

[@pittsburghrailfan]

Man, I wish I could've seen that! Sorry for unsubscribing, Google was doing something weird with my channel.

[@williamkesler2373]

I don’t understand why the shippers didn’t just give the traffic to the actual freight railroads. What advantage did Amtrak actually have?

[@amtrak706]

Speed was a considerable advantage actually. There is a real gap in the market between air freight and ground express freight by truck or dedicated freight train that Amtrak fit perfectly into.

[@aure745]

AMTRAK has ns triplecrown boxcar not all just some

[@citxsd70m-2]

That second clip though, he’s laying on the doppler! And is that a Hybrid K5LA I’m hearing or is it a K5L?

[@ArturoRailProductions]

It’s a Hybrid.

[@citxsd70m-2]

@@ArturoRailProductions thank you

[@btomimatsucunard]

Kinda sad that amtrak didn't continue this, seemed like a good way to recoup the cost to run the long distance trains (correct me if I am wrong)

[@barroningram7286]

they say they lost money

[@piedmontrailfan81]

1:08 4,5,4,3

[@Wii_Cheat]

*”Guam MN” we don’t have a Guam in Minnesota, or do we*

[@1jackdk]

Yah! Typo. NM, not MN. I guess my fingers got ahead them selves. LOL. Thanks for watching...

[@2011Maynard]

Did they carry US Mail?

[@1jackdk]

Yes, they did have a US Mail contract.

[@antidisestablishmentariani6182]

i guess PART II is the current amtrak auto train

[@1jackdk]

Part II should be a mix of different things. Thanks for watching...

[@tommythomason6187]

Why'd they stop hauling the freight? Amtrak has bled red ink all over the place for 47 years. Seems the freight might have helped.

[@pinerogambrell7161]

Amtrak hauling mail and express was a money loser for them (even after 9/11 happened).

[@tommythomason6187]

@@pinerogambrell7161 Thanks for the info. Didn't know that. They considered an Atlanta/Dallas train in the 80s, but when the mail/freight didn't happen, the proposal was dropped, I read.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

@@tommythomason6187 It could have been profitable, but unsustainable switching fees (mainly charged by BNSF) made it unprofitable.

[@tommythomason6187]

@@AVeryRandomPerson Also read somewhere that the railroads weren't wild about the passenger railroad becoming freight haulers, using the home road's track to do it.

[@denizerni151]

3:40 do you really need 4 engines for 15 wagons?... (Unless its carrying the extra engines)

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

Probably to maintain speeds, as Amtrak promised 66-hour NY-LA freight service.

[@denizerni151]

@@AVeryRandomPerson are there steep grades on the way? because the hardest part is to accelerate but at speed you don't need that much power to maintain it.Thanks for the reply btw. I am trying to understand the logic behind it

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

@@denizerni151 Amtrak shipped on the Three Rivers, using the PRRs innovative mainline, which concentrated all grades in a single section, and the Southwest Chief, which goes over steep Raton Pass, Cajon Pass, and an uphill stretch from Albuquerque to Gallup, where the Chief frequently has engine failures.

[@denizerni151]

@@AVeryRandomPerson thanks man

[@Ten-ku4yj]

8:27

[@rickdunson7190]

0:55

[@KungLao765]

K5la hybrid 1:01

[@AuroraDorealus]

Kung Lao nah m8, that sounds like a K5HL

[@aure745]

Lol why private car

[@anonymousperson9610]

Shame on David Gunn discontinuing the mail and express if he was never elected as president of Amtrak at that time then the mail/freight contract would’ve last longer

[@aure745]

Lol

[@musialrocks6]

I learned a LONG time ago not to try to do both video and photos at the same time. Between the jerky pans and zooms from trying to do them in-between snapping off shots and then the annoying sounds of the shutter firing off in the audio track that makes one want to poke their eardrums out with knitting needles, you've turned your video into crap. I imagine the photos that you tried to grab in-between positioning the video camera are equally sub-par.

[@dannyholt105]

Geez man. Really? Don't watch it then.

[@Conductor7706]

an elegant way to steal host railroad's customers

[@cpufreak101]

Conductor7706 based on other comments it's part of the reason Amtrak stopped doing it. It was very successful, but the host railways just ended up charging them a lot for it. Which at first was fine as they were making so much, but then they got deals cut and it simply had to go.