If you love traveling around the country on the rails like I do, you probably want to know how to model modern Amtrak passenger train consists. Amtrak’s consists vary between regions and train-by-train. For instance, there is a height limit in the New York City area so any train going in or out of New York’s Penn Station can only include single-level cars in its consist. Some trains are meant for regional travel and will be shorter while long-distance trains have more cars.
There are also modeling constraints. The least favorite of mine is the lack of availability of Viewliner sleeping cars in HO scale. Walthers used to produce these but have not released a run in quite some time. You may be able to find some at a train show or online. Another product Walthers has not released in a few years are its Phase IVb Amfleet cars. In addition, Kato has not produced an N scale Amfleet II in some time, so the only Amfleet cars in N scale that are readily available are Phase I.
With sets such as Bachmann’s Amtrak City Sprinter and Kato’s Superliner starter set, you have the beginnings of an Amtrak empire, and might have as much as half of a full-size consist already.
The following are five Amtrak trains and their consists that I’ve seen recently. Keep in mind that these consists can change day-to-day due to equipment availability. This could add to some fun switching operations on your layout. A passenger train doesn’t have to look the same every day!
Amtrak 97 – combined Silver Service and Palmetto from New York, N.Y. to Miami, Fla.
ACS-64 (New York to Washington, D.C.)
P42DC x2 (Washington to Miami, Fla.)
Amfleet II coach x2
Amfleet II business car
Amfleet II cafe car
Viewliner II dining car
Viewliner II sleeping car
Viewliner I sleeping car
Viewliner II sleeping car
Viewliner II baggage car
Amfleet II coach
Amtrak 43 – Pennsylvanian from New York, N.Y. to Pittsburgh, Penn.
ACS-64 (New York to Philadelphia, Penn.)
P42DC (Philadelphia to Pittsburgh)
Viewliner II baggage car
Amfleet II business car
Amfleet II cafe car
Amfleet II coach x3
Amtrak 337 – Hiawatha from Chicago, Ill. to Milwaukee, Wis.
SC-44 or P42DC
Horizon coach x3
Amfleet II cafe car
NPCU
Amtrak 7 – Empire Builder from Chicago, Ill. to Seattle, Wash. and Portland, Ore.
ALC-42 x2
P42DC
Superliner II transition sleeping car
Superliner II sleeping car x2
Superliner II dining car
Superliner II lounge car
Superliner II coach x2
Viewliner II baggage car
Amtrak 59 – City of New Orleans from Chicago, Ill. to New Orleans, La.
ALC-42
Superliner II transition sleeping car
Superliner II sleeping car
Superliner II dining car
Superliner II lounge car
Superliner II coach x2
Superliner II coach-baggage car
Bonus train: Amtrak 822 – Heartland Flyer from Dallas, Texas to Oklahoma City, Okla. (Big Game Train edition)
I thought this would be a fun train to look at. Normally, the Heartland Flyer operates between Fort Worth, Texas and Oklahoma City, Okla. With two P42DCs bracketing two to three Superliner coaches. But one weekend each year, when the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry, Amtrak adds additional cars to the consist for fans traveling to the game.
P42DC
Superliner II coach car x3
Superliner II lounge car
Superliner II coach x3
P42DC
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