early-amtrak-trains-in-colorhttps://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/early-amtrak-trains-in-color/Early Amtrak trains in color | Trains MagazineImages from the collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & ArtInStockUSD1.001.00historyrailroadsarticleTRN2020-11-232016-08-3118791
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John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
In its early days, Amtrak relied solely on equipment provided by its member railroads. The passenger carrier is barely two months old in this Independence Day view from Chicago in 1971, where train No. 18, the eastbound Super Chief-El Capitan, still looks to the entire world like the Santa Fe train it used to be.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
Early Amtrak equipment in the Pacific Northwest included a mix from several roads. Here, three F units from the Spokane, Portland & Seattle and the Great Northern, led by SP&S F3 No. 9750, lead a train at King St. Station in Seattle on Sept. 2, 1971.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The eastbound North Coast Hiawatha runs along the Jefferson River near Whitehall, Mont., on July 21, 1973. EMD F7 No. 101, which Amtrak received from the Burlington Northern, leads a quartet of F units powering the train.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The westbound North Coast Hiawatha descends Homestake Pass near Butte, Mont., on Aug. 4, 1975. Taking its names from former Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Road trains, the North Coast Hiawatha operated from 1971 until 1979. Two EMD SDP40Fs lead the train, the first new locomotives built for Amtrak. Mechanically-reliable but derailment-prone at high speed and lacking head end power, they only operated into the early 1980s.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The westbound Shenandoah passes the brick station in Chillicothe, Ohio, at sunrise on Sept. 23, 1979. The Washington-Cincinnati train was short-lived, operating only from 1976 to 1981. It is running on the Baltimore & Ohio’s St. Louis main line, about to cross the Norfolk & Western. Norfolk Southern still operates the former N&W route, but the B&O line was abandoned and the station burned down in 2012.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The eastbound Broadway Limited wraps around Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, Pa., on June 22, 1986, on Conrail’s former Pennsylvania Railroad main line – part of Norfolk Southern since 1999. The Broadway was one of Amtrak’s initial trains, and the only one between New York and Chicago when Amtrak commenced operations in 1971. It ran until 1995; today the New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian uses this line, while Amtrak runs trains over two other routes between New York and Chicago.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The westbound International Limited makes a station stop on the Canadian National Railway in Woodstock, Ontario, on June 27, 1987. A joint service with VIA Rail Canada, the train operated between Chicago and Toronto from 1982 until 2004.
John F. Bjorklund, Collection of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art
The eastbound Capitol Limited descends Sand Patch Grade on CSX Transportation’s former Baltimore & Ohio main line near Fairhope, Pa., on May 14, 1988. Two EMD F40PH locomotives were standard power at the time, and the train was still using single-level equipment and a dome car. Originally a B&O train, Amtrak did not include the Capitol in its inaugural operating plan but revived the service in 1981.
Congress created the National Railroad Passenger Corp., better known as Amtrak, in 1971 to takeover most of the nation’s long-distance passenger trains. Never intended to be a longterm solution, Amtrak is nonetheless still here, forty-five years later, operating some 300 trains each day and experiencing record ridership on many of its lines. Its board of directors recently announced that Charles W. “Wick” Moorman, former head of Norfolk Southern, would become Amtrak’s next president and CEO. Given his great success at NS, respect within the industry, and appreciation for railroading’s rich history and profound role in the U.S., the announcement brings great hope and excitement to so many of us who love passenger trains.
To mark the beginning of Moorman’s presidency at Amtrak, Trains is working with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art to present this gallery of Amtrak photographs. They come from the Center’s John F. Bjorklund Collection, which consists of 55,000 color slides of railroading throughout the U.S. and Canada from the 1960s into the 2000s. Bjorklund was most active during Amtrak’s first two decades, the 1970s and 1980s, and his images help to show just how far the nation’s rail passenger carrier has come.
My son and I had a pre-Amtrak day in Chicago the day before Amtrak began. From sunup to sundown we covered the different stations and their trains. It’s great to relive the day via our own slide show!
I found the North Coast Hiawathe pictures to be the most interesting, as I was in Montana when the two pictures were take (1973 & 1975). Adding to that was riding that train in 1976 from Seattle to Miles City and return.
While it is too early to make predictions, the return of the North Coast Limited over BNSF-MRL would provide America with two fine trains serving the Pacific Northwest. True, upgrading MRL would be necessary but the Trump Administration has announced investing in America’s railroads so perhaps Moorman can convince DC to add a second passenger train which would serve the people who reside on the onetime NP. A special added treat: Operate the NCL over the BNSF SP&S line between Pasco WA and Portland OR thence up the west coast to Seattle!
Since the Empire Builder already serves Glacier National Park, revival of the North Coast Limited would open up rail service to Yellowstone once again, thus helping reduce the problem of excessive vehicular traffic as well.
Great set of photos. I especially liked the shot of the “Super” from Roosevelt Road. I had photographed the same train at this same vantage point just a few weeks previously — my first visit to this iconic railfan spot and my first shot of real Warbonnets. On this same visit, I also recall shooting the eastbound “Broadway” coming out of Union Station being led by E8 #4316 with the Amtrak arrow painted over top of its Penn Central black, and the “Denver Zephyr” with an ex-SP dome lounge.
As someone who didn’t travel much. I’m looking forward to this magazine article. I do have pictures from the Northeast. And postcards as well. I do think I have that I have that first Amtrak book.
this photo brings back so many memories of the past. I used to ride the Super Chief el Captain as a tour operator. You could not beat the service. You did a lot of walking which kept you in shape. Thank you for this delightful photo.
FULL SCREEN
In reply to me. I can’t find that book, so let me join the chorus in requesting for a reissue for that book.
My son and I had a pre-Amtrak day in Chicago the day before Amtrak began. From sunup to sundown we covered the different stations and their trains. It’s great to relive the day via our own slide show!
I found the North Coast Hiawathe pictures to be the most interesting, as I was in Montana when the two pictures were take (1973 & 1975). Adding to that was riding that train in 1976 from Seattle to Miles City and return.
How about Kalmbach reprinting their book about Day 1 of Amtrak? would be a good retrospective.
While it is too early to make predictions, the return of the North Coast Limited over BNSF-MRL would provide America with two fine trains serving the Pacific Northwest. True, upgrading MRL would be necessary but the Trump Administration has announced investing in America’s railroads so perhaps Moorman can convince DC to add a second passenger train which would serve the people who reside on the onetime NP. A special added treat: Operate the NCL over the BNSF SP&S line between Pasco WA and Portland OR thence up the west coast to Seattle!
Since the Empire Builder already serves Glacier National Park, revival of the North Coast Limited would open up rail service to Yellowstone once again, thus helping reduce the problem of excessive vehicular traffic as well.
Great set of photos. I especially liked the shot of the “Super” from Roosevelt Road. I had photographed the same train at this same vantage point just a few weeks previously — my first visit to this iconic railfan spot and my first shot of real Warbonnets. On this same visit, I also recall shooting the eastbound “Broadway” coming out of Union Station being led by E8 #4316 with the Amtrak arrow painted over top of its Penn Central black, and the “Denver Zephyr” with an ex-SP dome lounge.
As someone who didn’t travel much. I’m looking forward to this magazine article. I do have pictures from the Northeast. And postcards as well. I do think I have that I have that first Amtrak book.
Awesome, love the rainbow era.
Great photos, glad to see them.
First sentence: “takeover” is a noun, what happens when you “take over” something. Sheesh!
I am ashamed of myself. Back in the heyday of Amtrak with all it’s promise, I totally neglected to photograph the SPD-40’s and F40’s passing my way.
After all…just a passenger train.
A lot of superb photos of different roads under the railphoto link.
this photo brings back so many memories of the past. I used to ride the Super Chief el Captain as a tour operator. You could not beat the service. You did a lot of walking which kept you in shape. Thank you
for this delightful photo.
I remember this days. Thanks for the images. Would be neat if Kalmbach would republish their first Amtrak book. Alas, I put off getting one.
Wonderful pics! Bring on some more.
Two thumbs up.. great photo..
Thanks for this awesome color album.
These are wonderful!