CT shuttle--what type of car was I in?

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Dec 26, 2014
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Yesterday for the first time I took the shuttle from New Haven to Windsor, CT. I was in a coach car that, on outside at the end, had the orange/yellow color with the black stripes. On the inside, half the seats faced one way, the other half the other way, meeting in the middle with a nice set of seats facing each other. A few years ago, I was in a Keystone coach car just like this. Are they the same thing? From the Metroliners, split up and sent to different places?

By the way, even with the holiday crowds, it was a much nicer experience than I expected--polite, organized conductors; comfortable seats; pleasant passengers--very restful after the Northeast Regional New York corridor. I will probably do this again if it is cheaper than the Vermonter.
 
Almost sounds like an old SPV-2000, but I believe those are all long gone....did it have a control cab at the end? Or, did you happen to record the car number?
 
Thank you all....I wondered why I felt like I was in PA when I was in CT! I love those cars and am glad some of them are still going on some nice quieter routes.

railiner--I was trying to avoid slipping on the ice and being run over by the other passengers from the Regional trying to grab a seat in the shuttle. So no time to record the car number! When I come up to CT when it's quieter and not a holiday, I will try to remember to do that, and maybe we can all figure out the history of the specific car.
 
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As others have said, you were in an ex-Metroliner Cab Car. As it says in my signature, I have rode that Shuttle many times, and yes, the conductors are always very nice! It's gotten to the point where I recognize almost all of them from NHV-HFD. I'm actually in HFD right now and close enough to hear nice K5LA horns multiple times per day, so chances are I heard your cab car's horn yesterday!
 
daybeers--

If you were listening around 4:00 yesterday afternoon, you definitely would have heard the horn in HFD!
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Thank you all....I wondered why I felt like I was in PA when I was in CT! I love those cars and am glad some of them are still going on some nice quieter routes.

railiner--I was trying to avoid slipping on the ice and being run over by the other passengers from the Regional trying to grab a seat in the shuttle. So no time to record the car number! When I come up to CT when it's quieter and not a holiday, I will try to remember to do that, and maybe we can all figure out the history of the specific car.
If you tell me the train number I may be persuaded to look up the consist for you.
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Acela150--

Not sure what you're referring to above about who was pulling 164, but I was on it the day before. I didn't see which engine we had. (I don't travel often during crowded periods, so I spent the whole trip concentrating on not getting stomped on and crushed--no time to look for the important things like train consists!
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If anyone is interested, here is a link to the Wikipedia article on the ex-Metroliner cab cars, and here is an article on the New Haven-Springfield Shuttle.
 
Acela150--

Not sure what you're referring to above about who was pulling 164, but I was on it the day before. I didn't see which engine we had. (I don't travel often during crowded periods, so I spent the whole trip concentrating on not getting stomped on and crushed--no time to look for the important things like train consists!
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I'd post a photo of the red headed step child.. But the red headed step child is 642.
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Acela150--

Not sure what you're referring to above about who was pulling 164, but I was on it the day before. I didn't see which engine we had. (I don't travel often during crowded periods, so I spent the whole trip concentrating on not getting stomped on and crushed--no time to look for the important things like train consists!
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I'd post a photo of the red headed step child.. But the red headed step child is 642.
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AKA the veteran unit
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Thank you all--my goodness, what a lot of interesting information!
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Just in general--I recognize 642 and see it every once in a while, but didn't recognize the nickname Acela150 had for it. And yes, the conductor manually opened the doors for us (plus helped me with my bags and helped me on and off the train--I love the New England conductors!
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railiner--thanks for the video--in the video, 9635 was going through TRE, the station I have to change commuter trains at, so I often see trains going to New England on that track. I'm glad it got to go up to nicer territory and be a shuttle in New England!
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daybeers--thank you for the Wikipedia links--even more interesting history!

Finally, Triley, thank you for looking up the numbers of the cab car and the engine--yes, I love knowing the numbers of the consist. I usually notice them myself and write them in a travel diary, but with the crowded conditions that day, all of that went out the window--I was lucky just to get a seat!
 
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Is 642 the unit with the "Joe Boardman" marking on the other side? Last year I took a Crescent trip and in one trip had a Vet's P42, Vet's Sprinter, Dash 8 second unit and the Indianapolis diner. Thought it was a lot of "one ofs" fpr one trip.....even odder, we ran pretty much on time despite a long hold in Washington for connecting passengers due to issues North of NYC that morning.
 
Just in general--I recognize 642 and see it every once in a while, but didn't recognize the nickname Acela150 had for it.
It actually came from a Facebook page.
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Is 642 the unit with the "Joe Boardman" marking on the other side? Last year I took a Crescent trip and in one trip had a Vet's P42, Vet's Sprinter, Dash 8 second unit and the Indianapolis diner. Thought it was a lot of "one ofs" fpr one trip.....even odder, we ran pretty much on time despite a long hold in Washington for connecting passengers due to issues North of NYC that morning.
No. 642 isn't named after anyone. P42 42 has Joe Boardman's name on it yes. The class leader of the ACS-64's 600 is named after David Gunn.
 
Just in general--I recognize 642 and see it every once in a while, but didn't recognize the nickname Acela150 had for it.
It actually came from a Facebook page.
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Is 642 the unit with the "Joe Boardman" marking on the other side? Last year I took a Crescent trip and in one trip had a Vet's P42, Vet's Sprinter, Dash 8 second unit and the Indianapolis diner. Thought it was a lot of "one ofs" fpr one trip.....even odder, we ran pretty much on time despite a long hold in Washington for connecting passengers due to issues North of NYC that morning.
No. 642 isn't named after anyone. P42 42 has Joe Boardman's name on it yes. The class leader of the ACS-64's 600 is named after David Gunn.
Well, if the nickname came from a Facebook page, you know for sure I wouldn't have seen it!
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I saw 600 sitting at WAS and noticed "David L. Gunn" on the front--so they threw a good guy out and then named a locomotive after him!
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