On March 8-9, 4-year old grandson got his first look at the new Amtrak electric locomotives.#152 arrives Baltimore Penn Station, and at Philadelphia, you can see the engine on the curves.
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Gotta comeup for a nickname for the new loco...Toaster 2?
Way to go, Grandpa! 
Originally Posted by Craignor:
Gotta comeup for a nickname for the new loco...Toaster 2?
How about "Shoebox"?
Having grown up with GG1s and EP5s, I wouldn't even bother crossing the street for a look at this thoroughly uninspiring brick.
If they paint the thing like the new Viewlines, it would be great!
I found out on another forum that the prototype for Lionel's HHP-8, number 656, has recently been retired to dead-in-storage. I found this news inappropriately funny, in light of the rumored shortage of the nonstandard electronics for the miniature version.
---PCJ
I can just sense his excitement and your enjoyment.
Thank you for sharing a special day in grand pops life.
I love seeing stuff like this. I remember my first Amtrak ride... My aunt and uncle took me from Pittsburgh to Altoona and we browsed the train museum there. I found the ticket stubs last year, it was October 25, 1991.
Thanks for sharing Bill
Great pics!
Peter
Great to see the enthusiastic reaction of a child! Thanks for posting.
Performance will determine whether it is a great locomotive but I think it looks sharp.
How were you able to determine in advance that you would have one of the new locomotives? I ask because my kids want to see them, and ride behind one, as well. Plus it's cheaper than buying a second ticket on the Acela next time I need to go to NY for work. ;-) Thank you in advance.
OK, the boy is hooked. But this is a question I have: Why can't we have models of stuff we are seeing on the road NOW. Or relatively close. Even something in an O-27/31/36 size, to connect what the child sees now in the present! (Unless the child wants a steamer!)
RAL: It was pure luck, I had no idea a new locomotive would be on the train. However, I have heard since that #152 often has one.
Found this on another site: " #600 as I recall, runs as train numbers 184 northbound
and 129 southbound on weekdays. Number 152 and 159 on
weekends. "
I had one of the new "Sprinters" pass me the other day southbound just north of Rahway around 1800 hours while I was riding NJT home. I heard there is still only one running at the moment on the NEC but that may be old info!
