Gonna try the Heartland Flyer

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Midland Valley

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
408
Location
Dodge City, Kansas
Friday, the Wife and one kid and I will go to Wellington, Ks to pick up the in-laws at 5:15 AM and drive to OK City and catch the Heartland Flyer departing at 8:25 AM, change to the Eagle at FW and continue to San Antonio. We will return on the 3rd of Aug. Didn't want to stay quite that long but didn't want to risk having to waite for the SL.
 
Sounds like a good trip. The Flyer's very bare boned, or at least that's the impression I get, IIRC they don't have food service, so be mentally prepared for that if my memory's correct.
 
Midland Valley said:
That sounds great. Are they old El-Capitans? I have ridden a few of them when they still had the mens lounge with DD toilets.
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Yep,

All of the hold Santa Fe Hi-levels came from the El Capitan. I think they also were on the Lone Star too.

I really liked those cars. They used to be on the Coast Starlight alot, making that one of my favorite trains.
 
Steve4031 said:
Yep,
All of the hold Santa Fe Hi-levels came from the El Capitan. I think they also were on the Lone Star too.

I really liked those cars. They used to be on the Coast Starlight alot, making that one of my favorite trains.
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Are there any pictures, exterior and interior, of Santa Fe Hi-levels on the internet?
 
Well, the Hi-Levels weren't dome cars, but I do think that website has some info about Hi-Levels in a different section.

If I become un-lazy enough, I'll dig through my files and see if I can find the photos I took of a Hi-Level (39952) when it was on the Portland section of the Empire Builder a couple of years ago. Beautiful interior (better than most Superliner coaches).
 
We went to Fort Worth yesterday to get tickets for our December trip to Disneyland and the Flyer was waiting to go with three cars which are former El Capitans redone especially for this train. Yes there is a snack bar in the lower leve of one of the cars. For pictures and other info on the Flyer, go to its website: Heartland Flyer website
 
bmlock said:
We went to Fort Worth yesterday to get tickets for our December trip to Disneyland and the Flyer was waiting to go with three cars which are former El Capitans redone especially for this train. Yes there is a snack bar in the lower leve of one of the cars. For pictures and other info on the Flyer, go to its website: Heartland Flyer website
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To be technically correct, two of the three cars are Hi-Level coaches. The other is a Superliner coach/cafe car.
 
rmadisonwi said:
To be technically correct, two of the three cars are Hi-Level coaches. The other is a Superliner coach/cafe car.
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That's the consist that many of us on the OTOL Eagle Fest saw in Fort Worth, 1 Superliner coach and 2 Hi-Level El Capitans.
 
We are back from our trip. The Heartland Flyer is a great little train. There is a P42 on the FT. Worth bound end and an old FP45 with a baggage compartment in its guts on the OK City end with SantaFe Highlevel-Superliner/Cafe Coach-SantaFE Highlevel inbetween. I'll write up more on the other forum.
 
Here is a quick post script to my trip report posted on the other forum. I always keep my Seat Checks, if I can get them before the conductor does. I often pick up other seat checks also. When we got off the Texas Eagle in Ft. Worth, I went to get my hat from above, and there was a GWD seat check from Greenwood, MS. That coach had to have been on the CNO recently. I don't know how often they reciprocate, but I know that they do.
 
Midland Valley said:
Here is a quick post script to my trip report posted on the other forum. I always keep my Seat Checks, if I can get them before the conductor does. I often pick up other seat checks also. When we got off the Texas Eagle in Ft. Worth, I went to get my hat from above, and there was a GWD seat check from Greenwood, MS. That coach had to have been on the CNO recently. I don't know how often they reciprocate, but I know that they do.
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The northbound Chicago Eagle turns to the City of NOL everyday and the northbound CONL turns to the southbound Eagle likewise.
 
Midland Valley said:
There is a P42 on the FT. Worth bound end and an old FP45 with a baggage compartment in its guts
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I don't like being nit-picky (especially not multiple times on the same thread), but the "cabbage" cars were built from F-40s, not FP45s.
 
Like I have said, if you've ever had lice, you appreciate nit pickers. You are right. The fp45 is an old AT&SF passenger, later freight, later back to special passenger,locomotive that is now completely retired I think. There is one at the Great Plains Transport. Museum at Union Station in Wichita. I don't think Amtrak ever liked them very well. I should have known better.
 

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