Here is my lone Amtrak Amfleet I Amcoach PhII...
Looks like the E. Weltz cars of 1984 on ...ROIDS!
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@prrhorseshoecurve Very nice! I think my set is on the way, but I missed the delivery while I was at work. One thing I want to do is to run these cars with Atlas's Horizon cars. Now I just need some scale Superliners to make a mixed consist!
I just got my 10 Phase III cars in - now I need a big beautiful E60 to pull them!!
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@carnerd3000 posted:@prrhorseshoecurve Very nice! I think my set is on the way, but I missed the delivery while I was at work. One thing I want to do is to run these cars with Atlas's Horizon cars. Now I just need some scale Superliners to make a mixed consist!
The Amfleets look really good with Horizons. I ran a 9 car consist the other day with 3 Amfleets, a Viewliner, and 5 Horizons. Looked amazing.
@GenesisFan99 posted:The Amfleets look really good with Horizons. I ran a 9 car consist the other day with 3 Amfleets, a Viewliner, and 5 Horizons. Looked amazing.
I thought of running them together, but I don't think Phase I Amfleets would have run with Phase III Horizons, which I would find bothersome. I am not a rivet counter (I confess some may disagree), but I do tend to only run stuff together that would have been together IRL, (sorry, OCD usually wins in my case, 
). That aside, the overhead light flickering in the Horizons would be distracting beside the smooth Amfleet lighting. I know solutions for that exist, but I have not the time or patience to pull apart multiple Atlas Horizons. I did it once and it was not a pleasant experience.
It's really been fun to see all the new Amfleets on folks' layouts.
Fellow “Amtrakers”. Be sure to consider reserving the GGD Amtrak Slumbercoach if you don’t have one from run 1. That was a phase I paint - the current offering is to be Phase III. Actually, email Scott and ask him to offer both Phase I and III - then back with reservations. If more of you make reservations, it’ll be a good boost for the run and maybe we can get it sooner than later.
Cheers
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Here is my contribution:
like all, I think my set is great. a couple of observations:
+ for some reason, on my cars, both knuckles must be open for the cars to couple. Also, the uncoupling spring must be fully set in the knuckle, otherwise cars uncouple in transit.
+ I wish there would have been two end light switches as only the rear light in a train must be illuminated.
+ The number of riders on my train are certainly not enough to pay Amtrak' overhead. The good news is that all my 100 additional "customers" are about to get here from We Honest to fully populate the coaches.
Finally here is my set in action
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Peter,
Is that the Lionel F40PH pulling your train? Your set look great! I have not had an opportunity to run any of mine yet. Hopefully within the next month or so.
@TrainBub posted:
Fellow “Amtrakers”. Be sure to consider reserving the GGD Amtrak Slumbercoach if you don’t have one from run 1. That was a phase I paint - the current offering is to be Phase III. Actually, email Scott and ask him to offer both Phase I and III - then back with reservations. If more of you make reservations, it’ll be a good boost for the run and maybe we can get it sooner than later.
Cheers
Got one already.
Even has the correct pastel pink interior.
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@Boilermaker1 posted:Got one already.
Even has the correct pastel pink interior.
But you need another one, correct? I forgot about the pink interiors from my days riding on these.
Thanks to Boilermaker1's pictures, I reserved two in Phase III. Darn nice looking models.
Peter, regarding the couplers, I have never found that the stock couplers on any of my GGD cars work well unless both knuckles are open, but I replace with Kadee.
Also what's the deal with the 5 car sets having 3 café cars and only 2 coaches?
according to the GGD description that was a phase I set, Cafe, Dinette, Club, and two coaches.
Like a starter to a fleet? Just need more coaches.
Will, as Clem said, that is my set
Jonathan, yes that Loco is the Lionel FP40
Is there any window differences between the Cafe, Dinetter, and Club cars?
@VGN64 posted:Is there any window differences between the Cafe, Dinetter, and Club cars?
I don’t see much of a difference. The difference might be in the interior, hard to tell from the video.
Peter - you have me wishing I had picked one of those up when they were available. A very nice rendition of what is my second favorite locomotive.
VGN64 - Amtrak had two window configurations for Amfleet I cars. They were coach and Food Service Cars. The exterior of the Cafe, Dinette, and Club car are the same. The differences are in the interior. The Food Service Cars interiors were done as delivered by Budd originally. The original Cafe had seating at both ends, the Club had a 2 -1 seating arrangement, and the Dinette had half tables and half chairs. When trying to capture a car that has been in service now for 46 years, there is always the challenge of which set of data points to use. Two Amfleet cars were converted to sleepers for a period. There is a rare beast of a car!
Amtrak has done numerous changes to these cars over the years and there are at least 10 separate floor plans. From a model standpoint it was impossible to capture everything so the decision was made to go with the as-delivered configurations. Currently Amtrak runs mostly two variations which is a half seating, half table configuration and an all table configuration.
Having been on the Amfleet cars in Phases I, II, III, IV and VI I can say that the Amfleet Food Service Cars all deliver the same level of microwaved cardboard and overpriced beer. I have had much better experience with the true diners with higher end menus. When I was on a very late Southwest Chief in 1991 and the train chief made the decision to clear out the freezers, I got swordfish. Never had it before, but it was a get what you get affair. It was good! I had a similar experience on a 15 hour late Broadway Limited in December of 1989 due to -15 degree weather and I recall getting lasagna. No complaints as the sleeping car passengers only got fed due to the delay on that trip .
While no decisions have been made about what happens in the future, it is possible that the all table configuration could be offered with the Amfleet II cars which is more common on the long distance trains anyway.
I got the 5 car set and added coaches. Like everyone else I have a Cafe, Club, and Dinette. I wish I had picked up a few Phase VI coaches and a Cafe to go with my Viewliners, but like everyone else, I'll have to wait for a second run.
I promised myself I wouldn't model past Phase III. This hobby has a way of expanding my interests greatly. Kind of like I promised I wouldn't model anything but Amtrak NJT, Conrail, PC, PRR and CNJ. I added ATSF first and then SP to the mix and now I have a train to build to go with my Burlington E5. Then there is that random SPS E7. What cars to run with that?
I've been spending the weekend shore horning my collection into my house that was previously in a storage unit. All the Amtrak GDD and Atlas Horizon / Comet cars ended up in a closet together. My collection of Horizon and Comet cars is extensive having multiple sets in NJT, Septa, MARC, Amtrak, and undecorated.
I took a little time this evening to get some shots of the 1999 vintage Horizon cars next to the Amfleet. The colors are nearly a dead on match. A perfect set-up for an early 1990's San Joaquin service train.
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My Amtrak just exploded...........I had already collected Overland Superliners and two Overland P-42s, then Atlas Horizon cars, one of the guys Amfleet II cars, Mac Shops Budd cars and my American Lightweight pullman heritage car kits. Now Viewliners and Amfleet Is but I need more P-42s to put on the front.
There are some Overland Superliner cars on that auction site now, but for me they are unobtanium. Beautiful cars. As it stands I have something close to 60 scale Amtrak cars. Granted about 10 are project cars including my Phase III Heritage Coaches and Heritage Lounge. My future layout plans have adapted somewhat with the goal of having a 2 rail layout around the wall that features transition era PRR and CNJ, while the interior layout is 3 rail to showcase my Amtrak and other western roads. I am looking forward to retirement one day when I can have the time to do all of this.
The Overland Superliners on that site are twice what they have been going for.
@VGN64 posted:The Overland Superliners on that site are twice what they have been going for.
Everything is these days it seems. I did manage to pick up an MTH ATSF heavyweight baggage for $35.00 recently, but that is a rarity now.
@GG1 4877 posted:I've been spending the weekend shore horning my collection into my house that was previously in a storage unit. All the Amtrak GDD and Atlas Horizon / Comet cars ended up in a closet together. My collection of Horizon and Comet cars is extensive having multiple sets in NJT, Septa, MARC, Amtrak, and undecorated.
I took a little time this evening to get some shots of the 1999 vintage Horizon cars next to the Amfleet. The colors are nearly a dead on match. A perfect set-up for an early 1990's San Joaquin service train.
An O scale garden layout? Interesting. The sun light makes them look quite real.
My layout is my 3 rail club that I have not been too since COVID started. I need to get back in the habit of going. This was just some track I set up in my back yard to replicate a corn field to show off the cars in natural sunlight. Evening and morning light always make for great photo opportunities.
@VGN64 posted:The Overland Superliners on that site are twice what they have been going for.
It wouldn't surprise me if these cars came from the June 2021 Stout Auction.
What really makes these scale Amfleet cars besides the scale length and superb finish are those window inserts!
I have a set of Williams 60' Aluminum Amtrak Heritage cars that were sold as a closeout by Trainworld a few years ago. Are these the same Aluminum cars Williams had been making since day 1...the same tooling? They are not the longer cars. My set went with the Kusan based F Unit making me think the entire set is based on the original Williams offering. Photos below: (Note: First two pics are mine. Rest are pics from the web of some out of the boxes.
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@Mike W. posted:I have a set of Williams 60' Aluminum Amtrak Heritage cars that were sold as a closeout by Trainworld a few years ago. Are these the same Aluminum cars Williams had been making since day 1...the same tooling? They are not the longer cars. My set went with the Kusan based F Unit making me think the entire set is based on the original Williams offering. Photos below: (Note: First two pics are mine. Rest are pics from the web of some out of the boxes.
These cars are essentially the same tooling that Williams has always produced. They were offered in 60' and 80' lengths. I have a set of 80' cars. I have been trying to sell them for years with no success, so I am reworking the coach now for a more scale look. Essentially the extrusion is a good replica of one of the Budd style cars and the end caps are decent. I am currently working out how to get K-Line trucks to replace the short scale ones the original cars came with to work at the correct ride height and not end up with a car that wobbles. The silhouette window strip is in channel so it can be replaced with clear acetate. I got rid of the floor mount bulbs and will get LED lighting strips. Finally I will put an interior in the car. The graphics are not bad, so I do not plan on a repaint outside of the car number and taking Amtrak out of the letterboard.
If I am successful, I will convert over the balance of my cars to make them contributing members of my Amtrak single level Phase I fleet.
That video was so awesome...
Same train passing Rome, NY Sunday… track speed!
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A Covid shortened Crescent #20 at Kemper Street Station in Lynchburg, VA. It’s two coaches, sleeper and diner short since Covid but I have enough cars. I’m only short another sleeper for the full train.
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P42s please !!!
I find it interesting that Amtrak puts the baggage cars on the rear of the train these days. Does anyone know when that practice started? I have a gap from 1992 to 2012 where I didn't see east coast Amtrak trains and in 1992 the baggage ahead of the coaches and sleepers. I've noticed from my various visits back east starting 2012 that the baggage often is the last car on the train.
@GG1 4877 posted:I find it interesting that Amtrak puts the baggage cars on the rear of the train these days. Does anyone know when that practice started? I have a gap from 1992 to 2012 where I didn't see east coast Amtrak trains and in 1992 the baggage ahead of the coaches and sleepers. I've noticed from my various visits back east starting 2012 that the baggage often is the last car on the train.
Easy enough... Here's a video set from Jay Winn in Utica, NY that documented year-by-year changes in Amtrak through a series named "Amtrak 48 Through the Years".
https://www.youtube.com/channe...6fEtwO_qPiaEA/videos
Thanks!
- Mario
Jonathan, over the last 10 years they've changed the consist order on the Crescent so much. Some times it'll be baggage, sleepers, diner,café coaches, others it'll be just the opposite. Since the Viewliner II cars have arrived they've stuck with coaches, café, diner, sleepers, bag dorm.
It was my understanding that the baggage is at the rear of the train because Amtrak doesn’t turn the trains around on the east coast, but I could be mistaken.
Has anyone electrically handy figured out how to rewire the cars to replace the "as delivered switch" so that we can switch the red marker lights from one end of the car to the other and a center position that turns all marker lights off? I totally love these cars and I am ready to order more once Scott opens up the order books, but for the delivered cars, I would definitely like to do a modification to allow for either end marker light operation and center position off. Any thoughts of ideas would be awesome.
Common switch on/off/on.
@clem k posted:Common switch on/off/on.
Yes I agree that it is a common switch, but not sure how the wiring would be done from the rectifier and on. (I am assuming there is a rectifier also as somehow we have to go from AC to DC) Being that there are two sets of opposing end of train marker lights, it would probably be pretty simple from there. What I do not know, is once you get the four LEDs separated into two sets of two, with only half the load, will the LEDs be too bright or maybe even burn out? Forgive me for my lack of knowledge on LED lights, so if what I have said is totally wrong, I plead innocent! Anyone with real solid knowledge on this, please feel free to jump in and educate me and others that may not know.
Also, I have yet to open one of these new GGD cars, so I really do not know how they are wired, so lots of speculation. For one thing, the switch may provide AC track power to a rectifier before it goes to the LEDs.
Thanks
Rory
