Cascades NPCUs

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
PerRock

PerRock

Engineer
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
2,023
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
I'm re-asking this question for someone else on a different forum; figured you guys might know a bit more info then I do.

Amtrak 90250, an F40 NPCU, was originally painted in a Cascades paint scheme was recently spotted now sporting phase V. Does anyone know why the change? I presume it is going to be relocated someplace in the midwest, but that seems odd as Amtrak is trying to get rid of all their NPCUs.

Additionally another NPCU was spotted in the Seattle Yards being repainted (staying in Cascades) I presume it's just getting a touch-up paint job, maybe after an accident or something. However it was lacking numbers in it's number boards so there is some speculation as to what is happening.

Do any of you have any information about what's happening to the Cascades NPCU fleet?

peter
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Amtrak will have no need for most of the NPCU's in a few years. The new Midwest and California bi-levels have cab cars and the new Talgo sets have cabs on one end.

Stan
 
I think there is one that is still in Chicago, it gets swapped in when needed on corridor trains. The NPCUs have a lower max speed then what is wanted on the corridor trains. But the bulk of the ones we used to see on the Midwest Corridor trains have been removed.

peter
 
The Downeaster uses an NPCU and as far as I've heard, there is no plan to discontinue its use any time soon. In fact, I've heard nothing at all regarding any future plans to change any of the equipment currently used on the route, with the only possible exception being when/if a new diesel locomotive comes along.
 
For the most part, the two Hiawatha trainsets still each have an NPCU as well. (I say "for the most part" because I have seen a few occasions when they are operated with a locomotive on each end.)
 
I've suggested putting NPCUs on some of the long-distance trains which have to do multiple wyeing maneuvers enroute, to cut the time associated. I was shot down on the basis that people liked their seats to point forwards, but it might still be a sensible thing to do.
 
neroden said:
I've suggested putting NPCUs on some of the long-distance trains which have to do multiple wyeing maneuvers enroute, to cut the time associated. I was shot down on the basis that people liked their seats to point forwards, but it might still be a sensible thing to do.
Click to expand...
I don't know of many long distance routes that end up wye-ing enroute. The only one I can think of that an NPCU would be some-what nice on is the California Zephyr for when it has to reverse into Denver station. But they seem to be doing just fine with a conductor & a radio.

peter
 
neroden said:
I've suggested putting NPCUs on some of the long-distance trains which have to do multiple wyeing maneuvers enroute, to cut the time associated. I was shot down on the basis that people liked their seats to point forwards, but it might still be a sensible thing to do.
Click to expand...
Running a train from the NPCU isn't as easy as running into the cab and cranking open the throttle. In addition to the actual distance from the locomotive, there is at least a brake test to be done, possibly lots of other procedures, then you have to do that all over again when going back the other way. Really the only train that benefited from a mid-route cab-car was the Vermonter pre-reroute.
 
PerRock said:
neroden said:
I've suggested putting NPCUs on some of the long-distance trains which have to do multiple wyeing maneuvers enroute, to cut the time associated. I was shot down on the basis that people liked their seats to point forwards, but it might still be a sensible thing to do.
Click to expand...
I don't know of many long distance routes that end up wye-ing enroute.
Click to expand...
Silver Star at Tampa is the obvious one.
 
neroden said:
PerRock said:
neroden said:
I've suggested putting NPCUs on some of the long-distance trains which have to do multiple wyeing maneuvers enroute, to cut the time associated. I was shot down on the basis that people liked their seats to point forwards, but it might still be a sensible thing to do.
Click to expand...
I don't know of many long distance routes that end up wye-ing enroute.
Click to expand...
Silver Star at Tampa is the obvious one.
Click to expand...
It reverses for all of two miles. That's 9 minutes at 15mph, hardly worth the 10+ minute checks needed to change ends.
 
FrensicPic said:
A Cascades painted NPCU (#90230) has been frequently seen on the Pacific Surfliner the past several years.
Click to expand...
90230 was recently returned to the Pacific Northwest after major overhaul, ending its California sabbatical. The big question is, did it retain Cascades colors and features or was the fuel tank skirting removed and it repainted into Phase V? 90250 was the most prior Cascades NPCU major overhaul and it received the latter (prior to its seahawk wrap). A post-overhaul eyewitness report would be appreciated, photos or links to post-overhaul photo(s) would be even better.
 
KnightRail said:
FrensicPic said:
A Cascades painted NPCU (#90230) has been frequently seen on the Pacific Surfliner the past several years.
Click to expand...
90230 was recently returned to the Pacific Northwest after major overhaul, ending its California sabbatical. The big question is, did it retain Cascades colors and features or was the fuel tank skirting removed and it repainted into Phase V? 90250 was the most prior Cascades NPCU major overhaul and it received the latter (prior to its seahawk wrap). A post-overhaul eyewitness report would be appreciated, photos or links to post-overhaul photo(s) would be even better.
Click to expand...
It has been repainted in...

Cascades paint, source being visual confirmation at HAV. Came through almost a month ago.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top