Atlas Amtrak CZ Cars ?

clem k posted:

Good afternoon

looking for information of how many different Atlas Amtrak CZ cars where made, I know of twenty different numbers and or names, is there more ?

Clem 

Have you contacted Atlas and asked THEM?

Yes........ I tried, a couple of weeks ago, but no response. 

clem k posted:

Yes........ I tried, a couple of weeks ago, but no response. 

Well, actually THAT doesn't surprise me. But then, if Atlas will not say, how would anybody on this forum know?

Thought maybe a dealer or a collector who has a bunch of them would know, there is a lot of knowledge out here, thats why I'm asking. Thanks for your help.

Clem 

FWIW the Western Depot currently shows an online inventory of 9 different Amtrak CZ cars for sale.  Give them a call, perhaps they would know the answer to your question. 

Bob

 I didn't even know there were 20! Thanks for posting Clem.

clem k posted:

Good afternoon

looking for information of how many different Atlas Amtrak CZ cars where made, I know of twenty different numbers and or names, is there more ?

Clem 

Did you get this tally from the Atlas-O website?  They have all the "announced" items listed chronologically, and I don't recall any of the Atlas-O Amtrak Zephyr cars being "special run" cars -- unlike the CZ cars where I believe one or two fell into that category.

David

I have always received good service from Atlas, and I am hardly a good customer. 

Each RR line had 12 each so that alone is 36 plus the Amtrak cars if you are counting them. Also the two PRR cars. The full sets recently delivered may have additional numbers and I believe that a least one special run car was issued by Atlas as a bonus. Would like to hear from the folks that may have the complete sets that were sold recently. The list of releases on the Atlas should also tell the story. You will have to go back some six years.

Buzz

As mentioned above, go to the Atlas O website.  Click on "New Products."  There is a chronological listing of all the products.  It takes a little work but you build the list in reverse chronological order.  I did it a while back and printed them.  But, only for the Rio Grande cars.  Remember that Atlas O sort of dribbled them out over the years and then turned around and released full sets recently. 

As for the "real" cars, each road had a different quantity based on their percent of total mileage - I think.    See the following for details.

http://calzephyr.railfan.net/cars/cars.html

I really like the look of the Amtrak CZ cars but don't currently have the time or particularly the interest in cutting the skirts off.  Having said that, the baggage car and 10-6 are appealing cars as well as the dormitory. That would finish out my single level Amtrak train nicely.

Here's the list I have (2-rail part numbers)

Silver Bear Amtrak 1002 Baggage Car 3009004-1 2015 3rd Quarter
Silver Bridle Amtrak 9450 Dome Chair Car NA Not yet released
Silver Cedar Amtrak 4807 16 Section Sleeper 3002189-2 2013 3rd Quarter
Silver Chalet Amtrak 9812 Dome Dormitory-Buffet-Lounge NA Not yet released
Silver Club Amtrak 9810 Dome Dormitory-Buffet-Lounge 3009009-1 2015 3rd Quarter
Silver Colt Amtrak 9446 Dome Chair Car NA Not yet released
Silver Coyote Amtrak 1004 Baggage Car 3009004-2 2015 3rd Quarter
Silver Diner Amtrak 8051 Dining Car 3002194-1 2013 3rd Quarter
Silver Dove Amtrak 2200 6-5 Sleeper 3002199-1 2014 4th Quarter
Silver Larch Amtrak 4806 16 Section Sleeper 3002189-1 2013 3rd Quarter
Silver Lariat Amtrak 9452 Dome Chair Car 3002154-3 2016 3rd Quarter
Silver Lodge Amtrak 9451 Dome Chair Car 3002154-1 2012 4th Quarter
Silver Lookout Amtrak 9253 Dome Buffet-Lounge Observation NA Not yet released
Silver Lounge Amtrak 9811 Dome Dormitory-Buffet-Lounge 3009009-2 2015 3rd Quarter
Silver Mustang Amtrak 9447 Dome Chair Car NA Not yet released
Silver Penthouse Amtrak 9251 Dome Buffet-Lounge Observation NA Not yet released
Silver Pony Amtrak 9448 Dome Chair Car NA Not yet released
Silver Ranch Amtrak 9453 Dome Chair Car w/conductor's window 3009015-1 2016 3rd Quarter
Silver Restaurant Amtrak 8052 Dining Car 3002194-2 2013 3rd Quarter
Silver Rifle Amtrak 9454 Dome Chair Car w/conductor's window 3009015-2 2016 3rd Quarter
Silver Saddle Amtrak 9455 Dome Chair Car 3002154-4 2016 3rd Quarter
Silver Shore Amtrak 2651 10-6 Sleeper 3002181-1 2012 4th Quarter
Silver Solarium Amtrak 9252 Dome Buffet-Lounge Observation 3002160-2 2014 4th Quarter
Silver Stirrup Amtrak 9456 Dome Chair Car 3002154-2 2012 4th Quarter
Silver Thrush Amtrak 2202 6-5 Sleeper 3002199-2 2014 4th Quarter
Silver Valley Amtrak unknown 10-6 Sleeper 3002181-2 2012 4th Quarter
Silver Horizon Amtrak 9250 Dome Buffet-Lounge Observation 3002160-1 2014 4th Quarter

Thanks for the list Jay.

looks like there is 7 more out there that I wasn't aware of. Looks like 4 different observation cars I thought only 2 where made ?

Clem

Amtrak had SECTION sleepers?

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Amtrak had SECTION sleepers?

Amtrak converted the 16 section sleepers into 48 seat coaches.  That is why they were in the 4800 series of numbers. 

Now that I’ve got a handful of these Amtrak CZ cars, what would be appropriate early Amtrak motive power to pull them? Also, did Amtrak make up trains completely using these cars? Or mix them in trains with other passenger cars?

I have been trying unsuccessfully to complete a set of the original Atlas CZ cars.  Some  Amtrak cars are available and I was wondering how hard would it be to repaint the middle stripe to represent the original?  The end doors and name plate would also have to be repainted.  Any suggestions?  If anybody has any "A" sets or "C" sets I would be interested in purchasing (3 rail).  I would also consider a complete 12 car set.  E-mail in my profile.

lionel1946 posted:

Now that I’ve got a handful of these Amtrak CZ cars, what would be appropriate early Amtrak motive power to pull them? Also, did Amtrak make up trains completely using these cars? Or mix them in trains with other passenger cars?

Jay, E8, F7, even the first F40PH locos in phase 2 paint would be locomotives that pulled these.  Also the SDP40F but that hasn't been made in O.  I use a few of MTHs FP45 units with the front railings removed which sort of creates the look.  

The Amtrak use of the CZ cars would mainly be on western routes mixed with other heritage equipment.   The non dome cars would run in Amtrak consists in the east.  Throw in a few rainbow era GN, BN, NP, or UP cars for the early 70s years.  

WOW! I stopped at 10 CZ cars... with an A-B-B-A the darn thing was 24 plus foot long!

GG1 4877 posted:

Amtrak converted the 16 section sleepers into 48 seat coaches.  That is why they were in the 4800 series of numbers. 

Actually all seven of these were converted to 48 seat coaches in 1963-64, well before Amtrak.

  - The DRGW's pair were shorn of their CZ letterboards and seem to have been used in their few other passenger trains.

 -  I'm guessing the 3 Q ones also lost their CZ nameplates [ but not their names ] and went into the general flat top pool;  these became Amtk 4805/6/7.

-  Amazingly the two WP cars survived, I guess as reserve CZ cars [ since they had no other psgr trains ] , until acquired by Autotrain for conversion to food service cars.

Best rgds, SZ

lionel1946 posted:

Now that I’ve got a handful of these Amtrak CZ cars, what would be appropriate early Amtrak motive power to pull them? Also, did Amtrak make up trains completely using these cars? Or mix them in trains with other passenger cars?

Well Amtrak couldn't utilize the full Cz route because the D&RGW was running their section of the train. The Amtrak train was called the San Francisco Zephyr. 

Early appropriate Amtrak power was E8 from Chicago to Denver, then F7 from Denver North then West to San Francisco.

I believe the SDP40F (sorry NOT FP45) may  have pulled this train as well but I am sure someone will correct me if not. The Average Amtrak train consisted of 20 cars. A Google search will give you better details.

Not sure about FP45 but the sister units SDP40F's were usually powering the San Francisco Zephyr.  I was 10 years old visiting Cheyenne WY at train time and I got a cab visit while the train was serviced.  Unforgettable,  pics here somewhere but not digitized