Missouri River Runner Westbound Vid 314
- Thread starter Mr2nr
- Start date
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cpotisch
Engineer
Yay, it's 8400! Long time no see!
Yup, that's the same consist we were on - Saturday's 311 and Sunday's 316.
Rail Freak
Engineer
Did that train have 2 baggage cars?
cpotisch
Engineer
They were being used as axle count cars.
Rail Freak
Engineer
What is that?
cpotisch
Engineer
In some cases, trains are required to have a certain amount of axles to make sure they always trip track sensors and switches, so they often throw some extra cars on the back to meet that requirement.
Rail Freak
Engineer
And I thought I knew it ALL!!! :hi:
MikefromCrete
Engineer
Axle count is required on the CN (it seems to mainly affect the Illini and Saluki trains) and recently on the River Runners on the UP. Personally, I believe the CN requirement is a punitive action simply because the company is run by a bunch of passenger train hating dicks.
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I've seen as many as 6 trailing cars on the River Runner consist; it's a bit odd to see 4 revenue cars - business/café, 3 coaches, and a bunch of baggage cars.
cpotisch
Engineer
I first learned about this maybe four or five months ago, so you're not alone!
I remember back in 1997-1998 when I rode the river runner for the first time there was a sightseeing car with a glass roof kinda like The Great Dome car. But it was only once I seen it. Later in 2010 no sign of it. Was it just my imagination? I'm sure it probably has been retired does anybody know what happened to it? What number it was?
cpotisch
Engineer
Do you know that it wasn't the Great Dome?
Could have been but it seemed as though it had a smaller top and it wasn't a double decker. But who knows it was only 20 years ago lol. Would like to know somebody who has a list of all the cars Amtrak has and retired
cpotisch
Engineer
I'm looking and though I don't know how long ago they were retired, Amtrak did have at one point 13 single-level dome coaches built by Budd. Does this possibly look like what you were on?Could have been but it seemed as though it had a smaller top and it wasn't a double decker. But who knows it was only 20 years ago lol. Would like to know somebody who has a list of all the cars Amtrak has and retired
cpotisch
Engineer
Yay! Thought those cars were retired a lot earlier but I guess not!
