My grandfather worked on the Reading Railroad 'way back in the day. He loved history-especially railroad history. I cannot help but think that he would have loved this channel--as would my father (who played with model trains).
Hi Roy, One of the many reasons Amtrak has a freight unit on occasion is the insufficient power to compete the Journey; given the length of the consist. In a video on My Channel, there was a rare occurrence where Amtrak train 11 (Southbound Coast Starlight), arrived in San Luis Obispo, California (Deep Union Pacific Territory) Headed by a BNSF C44-9W. A couple of railfans and I determined that the Amtrak P42 (the one BNSF engine replaced) was so damaged; that they dropped it in Klamath Falls Oregon and the Starlight was taking the Dash 9 down to LA, while giving power to the Amtrak Service. This is another great video, I'm excited to see what other content you produce as your layout comes to life. Till next time. - United Out
More great reasons to run what YOU want on YOUR layout. It's always nice to run trains which have a purpose and are prototypical. Thanks for sharing Roy. Cheers, Bob
Thanks, Tom. I appreciate your comment. Speaking of "expanding variety," watch for Intermodal Operations and for A New Steam Excursion Train on my layout, both coming in videos soon. ...Roy
THANKS ROY, you are right it would be nice to see more passenger service in all the country. We miss so much of our country now Amtrack has cut services....😅
The track repair thur. The vally is done after the east and west trains have gone thru on the same day giveing up a four day span to work on the the track. There is times that rock slides close the track and they have sensores along most of that track from the loop out side of denver all the way almost about ten miles east of were the up has all those engines stored in grand junction
Thanks, Ken. I’m going to save this information you have shared to use in a future video about the California Zephyr when it is re-routed across southern Wyoming. ...Roy
Wait...this is N gauge? Amazing! Great videos man, im gonna keep watching. I don't have my trains up anymore, have a 4x10 platform and a LOT of trains and track. Wondering what to do with them but Wait...this is N gauge? Amazing! Great videos man, im gonna keep watching. I don't have my trains up anymore, have a 4x10 platform and a LOT of trains and track. Wondering what to do with them but...they're in the basement packed carefully as of now. Makes me want to set some up! thanks!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Jordan. I really appreciate it. N-scale keeps getting better and better in quality and availability. I hope you will go ahead and set up some trains. ...Roy
I was on the Zephyr heading East and they had to grab a UP locomotive in Roseville right after we left Sacramento once. If I remember correctly, one of the engines wasn't functioning well enough (I forget what was broken) to make the trip. It took quite a while for them to work it out with UP while we waited on a track in the Roseville yard. The really funny part is that we were stopped in clear view of the street that leads to the Roseville Amtrak station, so everybody at the Roseville Amtrak station knew we were right there the whole time they were waiting. What really stinks about Amtrak using freight locomotives on the Zephyr is that they have a slower speed limit, so in areas of Utah and Nevada were it usually flies across the desert at 80 mph (at least), I believe it's speed restricted to 70. I usually carry a GPS on the Zephyr so I asked a crew member when I saw we were going slower than normal. We ended up getting in to Provo so late that we were actually racing along side the UTA Frontrunner (which usually isn't running when the Zephyr comes through in the wee hours of the morning) as we headed south from Salt Lake. To a train lover, it was almost like a walk of shame since I imagined people looking and thinking "Oh wow, Amtrak broke and had to borrow from UP! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" (or maybe that was just me imagining things). There was also a time when we were delayed several hours by someone deciding to lay across the tracks for the train that was in front of us while we were heading out of Sacramento...I can't remember if that was the same trip (it might have been). I do remember that the trip where the person committed suicide-by-train-in-front-us made us so late we had to have a crew change in Truckee.
would be nice if we had a more involved and built up infrastructure here in the States that catered to passenger trains like is done in Europe. Bummer!!! (Your layout is very well done Roy!!!)
I love Saturdays, it means another upload from Roy! Do you watch any British layout uploads? We have a very popular one here called Everard Junction, have you seen him?
Very cool, Mr Roy. It’s great to know about Amtrak rerouting on your layout. Are you allowed to charge them for using your route? Ha ha. Have a great weekend. - Drew
If all units are fully functional, Amtrak locos have sufficient power for the mountains. Freight railroad power is usually added to rescue a train which has stalled due to the failure of one of the Amtrak locos. Normally only Amtrak power is used throughout the entire trip of the Zephyr including the mountains. Roy's train isn't following Amtrak practice of having 2 or more locos leading the train.
They use the union pacfic engines and crew for any signal changes that are not normally used on the denver tosalt lake route.the amtrak enginer will ride in the jump seat behind the conductor while the amtract conductor sits in the dinning car.
Ken, I really appreciate this information, because I can apply it to my model railroad. I welcome any other such information you can share, especially concerning the re-routing of Amtrak trains across southern Wyoming when the route across Colorado is closed. ...Roy
Amtrak always wanted the original route of the California Zephyr but the Rio Grande would not give up there passenger train service , one of the last rr's that did, they did not want Amtrak to hold up freight trains and when Amtrak first started all they had was old worn out cars and locos so that was the reason why they went with the Wy. route.
Roy, why no coffee cup at the end this time? UP locos provide rescue service to Amtrak when needed. Normally, the reason is because an Amtrak loco has went down enroute. I have seen this numerous times on the Sunset with the Sunset Limited, also in Oregon on the Pacific Coast Limited. UP locos are geared for both freight and passenger service by the movement of a switch. In passenger service, they are normally governed at 80 mph. How about an update on your Unitrak expanders?
Sometimes i see this in Spokane Washington amtrack will do it because sometime Empire builder have engine does work push union sation then have around wye at parkwater get into to station
I'm guessing from your username you are near Evanston, IL.? I live in North Shore area of the Chicago suburbs and I was wondering how I go about joining a model train club like yours?
Love to see the operation of Amtrak on the layout.
Mike
Great video Roy. I learn something new today thanks for the great videos
My grandfather worked on the Reading Railroad 'way back in the day. He loved history-especially railroad history. I cannot help but think that he would have loved this channel--as would my father (who played with model trains).
It would be really cool if you had an Amtrak dash 8
Hi Roy, One of the many reasons Amtrak has a freight unit on occasion is the insufficient power to compete the Journey; given the length of the consist. In a video on My Channel, there was a rare occurrence where Amtrak train 11 (Southbound Coast Starlight), arrived in San Luis Obispo, California (Deep Union Pacific Territory) Headed by a BNSF C44-9W. A couple of railfans and I determined that the Amtrak P42 (the one BNSF engine replaced) was so damaged; that they dropped it in Klamath Falls Oregon and the Starlight was taking the Dash 9 down to LA, while giving power to the Amtrak Service. This is another great video, I'm excited to see what other content you produce as your layout comes to life. Till next time.
- United Out
Today is train day in Portland, OR. Wish you were here to see the SP 4449.
More great reasons to run what YOU want on YOUR layout. It's always nice to run trains which have a purpose and are prototypical. Thanks for sharing Roy. Cheers, Bob
I love that you have green river Wyoming in the back drop
Always good stuff on your channel Roy.. It's great to see the expanding variety showing up on your layout. Tom
Thanks, Tom. I appreciate your comment. Speaking of "expanding variety," watch for Intermodal Operations and for A New Steam Excursion Train on my layout, both coming in videos soon. ...Roy
Very nice portrayal of the real prototype. Nice job Roy!
Interesting facts! I wonder how many others have been confused when attempting to select an Amtrak route, such as where to board.
awesome story of why Amtrak is running on your layout... thanks for sharing... i need to talk to you when you get back home... vinny
Thanks, Vinny. I'll be returning to Panama on June 5th. I'll talk to you soon after that. Looking forward to it. ...Roy
Love your videos ROY!!!!
Cool interesting info 😊 take care! Peace from Welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
THANKS ROY, you are right it would be nice to see more passenger service in all the country. We miss so much of our country now Amtrack has cut services....😅
The track repair thur. The vally is done after the east and west trains have gone thru on the same day giveing up a four day span to work on the the track. There is times that rock slides close the track and they have sensores along most of that track from the loop out side of denver all the way almost about ten miles east of were the up has all those engines stored in grand junction
Thanks, Ken. I’m going to save this information you have shared to use in a future video about the California Zephyr when it is re-routed across southern Wyoming. ...Roy
Wait...this is N gauge? Amazing! Great videos man, im gonna keep watching. I don't have my trains up anymore, have a 4x10 platform and a LOT of trains and track. Wondering what to do with them but Wait...this is N gauge? Amazing! Great videos man, im gonna keep watching. I don't have my trains up anymore, have a 4x10 platform and a LOT of trains and track. Wondering what to do with them but...they're in the basement packed carefully as of now. Makes me want to set some up! thanks!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Jordan. I really appreciate it. N-scale keeps getting better and better in quality and availability. I hope you will go ahead and set up some trains. ...Roy
I was on the Zephyr heading East and they had to grab a UP locomotive in Roseville right after we left Sacramento once. If I remember correctly, one of the engines wasn't functioning well enough (I forget what was broken) to make the trip. It took quite a while for them to work it out with UP while we waited on a track in the Roseville yard. The really funny part is that we were stopped in clear view of the street that leads to the Roseville Amtrak station, so everybody at the Roseville Amtrak station knew we were right there the whole time they were waiting. What really stinks about Amtrak using freight locomotives on the Zephyr is that they have a slower speed limit, so in areas of Utah and Nevada were it usually flies across the desert at 80 mph (at least), I believe it's speed restricted to 70. I usually carry a GPS on the Zephyr so I asked a crew member when I saw we were going slower than normal. We ended up getting in to Provo so late that we were actually racing along side the UTA Frontrunner (which usually isn't running when the Zephyr comes through in the wee hours of the morning) as we headed south from Salt Lake. To a train lover, it was almost like a walk of shame since I imagined people looking and thinking "Oh wow, Amtrak broke and had to borrow from UP! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" (or maybe that was just me imagining things). There was also a time when we were delayed several hours by someone deciding to lay across the tracks for the train that was in front of us while we were heading out of Sacramento...I can't remember if that was the same trip (it might have been). I do remember that the trip where the person committed suicide-by-train-in-front-us made us so late we had to have a crew change in Truckee.
Thanks for the info. I enjoyed the video.
would be nice if we had a more involved and built up infrastructure here in the States that catered to passenger trains like is done in Europe. Bummer!!! (Your layout is very well done Roy!!!)
I love your videos! 😄
Thank you, Darth. I really appreciate that. ...Roy
I love Saturdays, it means another upload from Roy! Do you watch any British layout uploads? We have a very popular one here called Everard Junction, have you seen him?
Hi Roy, really would like to see it running on your layout.
The most likely reason is UPs signal repeater system in the lead unit which Amtrak may not have.
Very cool, Mr Roy. It’s great to know about Amtrak rerouting on your layout. Are you allowed to charge them for using your route? Ha ha. Have a great weekend. - Drew
thank you,
Love the passenger train running on your layout! You have such a beautiful station couldn't you rewrite history a little and re-open it?
more than likely adding additional power going over the mountains where 1 or 2 power cars weren't enough..
That's what I've heard when you see a freight loco on an Amtrak train it's usually due to engine failure on one of the Amtrak locomotives
If all units are fully functional, Amtrak locos have sufficient power for the mountains. Freight railroad power is usually added to rescue a train which has stalled due to the failure of one of the Amtrak locos. Normally only Amtrak power is used throughout the entire trip of the Zephyr including the mountains. Roy's train isn't following Amtrak practice of having 2 or more locos leading the train.
They use the union pacfic engines and crew for any signal changes that are not normally used on the denver tosalt lake route.the amtrak enginer will ride in the jump seat behind the conductor while the amtract conductor sits in the dinning car.
Ken, I really appreciate this information, because I can apply it to my model railroad. I welcome any other such information you can share, especially concerning the re-routing of Amtrak trains across southern Wyoming when the route across Colorado is closed. ...Roy
Amtrak always wanted the original route of the California Zephyr but the Rio Grande would not give up there passenger train service , one of the last rr's that did, they did not want Amtrak to hold up freight trains and when Amtrak first started all they had was old worn out cars and locos so that was the reason why they went with the Wy. route.
Roy, why no coffee cup at the end this time? UP locos provide rescue service to Amtrak when needed. Normally, the reason is because an Amtrak loco has went down enroute. I have seen this numerous times on the Sunset with the Sunset Limited, also in Oregon on the Pacific Coast Limited. UP locos are geared for both freight and passenger service by the movement of a switch. In passenger service, they are normally governed at 80 mph.
How about an update on your Unitrak expanders?
Great video! Curious what the minimum radius is that you use on your mainline as I plan my own layout. Thanks!
Sometimes i see this in Spokane Washington amtrack will do it because sometime Empire builder have engine does work push union sation then have around wye at parkwater get into to station
I wish I had the money to get a train set
Hi Roy; thank you for posting this video, I enjoy your videos very much! Have you found time to troubleshoot your other P 42 Amtrak diesel yet?
Do use end-of-train devices on the end of your freight trains?
I am in the progress of making a mostly Santa Fe, transition era layout, does anyone have ideas about what city’s I can base it off of?
JDzOnline - Gaming & Vlogs! Thx for your advice
I'm guessing from your username you are near Evanston, IL.? I live in North Shore area of the Chicago suburbs and I was wondering how I go about joining a model train club like yours?
SPS8- elevatorsoflakecounty he lives in Panama City, Panama, his user name is because his layout is Evanston, WY.
Ohhhhhh, okay. Thank you.
SPS8- elevatorsoflakecounty he lives in Panama City, Panama.