Amtrak #974 Monster Train - 4/15/11

[flyewr1907]

i am surprised only 1 person caught the North East Regional service car lol

[ckildegaard]

Not sure, but my dad suspects that the 24 car train MAY have been the empty consist of the Reno Fun Train, which is chartered from Amtrak every year by a company called Key Holidays (he's a travel agent).

[RCKTBOY7]

3:23 there's a Northeast Regional car there! Long way for him.

[Mozultecania]

I wonder the total number of passangers in the cars all together

[Mozultecania]

I've been through Burbank on the I-5

[alexander1485]

I've only seen one amtrak train with 3 engines, in 2007... got a OK shot of it. The rest have been with the common 2 engines. So pretty rare site and nice video.

[ckildegaard]

@alexander1485 I believe I've been on either a Zephyr or Starlight with 3 locomotives...

[timosha21]

i like this train...!

[GallardoFreak888]

Damn that last train must have combined 2 different trains had like freaking 24 cars awesome video

[erniegannsmate]

Cool video. Love the departing shot of the Coast Starlight @2:57 onwards. PS you captured the atmosphere and quality of the daylight spot on - didn't need telling it was California tho' I've never been;)

[singwith]

@erniegannsmate Thank you!

[badboymrpappy]

had to be dead heading some cars for maintenance.... i see we still have GE haters on here... EMD IS NO LONGER MAKING PASSENGER ENGINES FOR AMTRAK. SORRY!

[howardkevinm]

i really never understood the concept of Amtrak. they spend millions of tax payers money on locomotives and continuously run them in reverse at over 60mphs. i may not have a engineering degree to know thats not good for the engine. i can probably picture EMD laughing "haha they are wasting thier money by destroying the engine, well its not our problem anymore". the F Units lasted 50yrs because they never ran them backwards. average age for a P42? about 15yrs Time to scrap them!

[ckildegaard]

@howardkevinm Umm...Amtrak doesn't go running engines in reverse for no reason. That's not only stupid, but would give the freight railroads too much of a headache for it to ever work.

[howardkevinm]

@ckildegaard no reverse huh? so apparently the headlights are wrong? cuz it sure as hell looks like its going backwards to me. are your headlights on the back of your car?

[ckildegaard]

@howardkevinm Oh, you're talking about Push Mode. It's a VERY common way to run trains in both directions without uncoupling the locomotives or using two locomotives. It is used by Amtrak as well as most commuter lines across the country. Push mode doesn't ruin the lifespan of the locomotive--they can work in both directions just fine. The alternative would be wasting money on two locomotives and two engineers per train.

[NMrailrunner7]

Nice video!

[singwith]

@NMrailrunner7 Thanks!

[dwkcamman611]

Awesome catch!!!

[singwith]

@dwkcamman611 Thanks!

[beowulf3075]

Sitting in the hot sun watchng trains with mountain views in the background. Sigh...

Bob Hope Airport, I like that...

[MrUp8444]

@beowulf3075 Yeah, The Bob Hope Airport is the Place to go.

[beowulf3075]

@MrUp8444 - Whenever I think of Bob Hope, I think of his films, and then I start to laugh, I wonder how many people laugh when they get to the airport, in a nice way of course, because that guy was funny. Now, back to the serious business of enjoying train vids...

[TheAmtrakboy]

4 cafes 23 cars in all

[The1994Darryl]

@TheAmtrakboy i counted 5 cafes unless the horizon cafe dont count

[BNSF36542]

How often is that special train and where does it go?

[train1516]

WOW that is amazing i have never seen an amtrak that long! There's the auto train of corse but thats not the same! NICE VID!!!!! WOW

[singwith]

@train1516 Thanks!

[cjm608]

i have never seen a passenger train that long. nice vid.

[lbpFTW1]

I want to ride the last train

[FanOfthePADRES411]

The dash 8 on the coast starlight wasnt 510, it was 507. Nice catches.

[Showgirl7able]

That is one big huge train! Lucky you! I love the multi color one at the beginning, that is really a something!

[singwith]

@Showgirl7able Thanks. yea, it was pretty cool. 

[AmtrakKid1]

Awesome train. Near Chicago we get those all the time but nut usually that long.

[singwith]

@AmtrakKid1 Thanks. Yea, Chicago gets pretty much everything!

[hummingbird19150]

that last one was like a small village on weels. lol



[EpicBlazbluedude512]

Whoa that monster train is 10x longer than the Coast Starlight!!gee,wish i rode that train.

[northvilledavis8]

You're the luckiest railfan I've seen! I wish I were you! the Coast Starlight Train with 4 engines, Single level cars and Bi-level Superliner cars are the are very rare and fantastic. I have never seen an Amtrak train like that. Thanks for posting this video on YouTube.

[singwith]

@northvilledavis8 Thanks. the last one is not a Coast Starlight. The starlight was the second train. the last one is Amtrak train 974.

[mark10788]

I Rode Silver Solarium on 7-2-11 during the 4449 special highballing to wishram and ive seen George M. Pullman the sleeping car twice! i caught the number and name! In fact the G.M.P car was one of the last sleeping cars ever made.

[singwith]

@mark10788 Cool. Hope to see the 4449 someday.

[mark10788]

Coast starlight #14 has a EX-California Zephyr Baggage and EX-ATSF El Capitan Hi-level lounge #580 which is 39975 today.

[singwith]

@mark10788 Thanks for the info.

[mark10788]

@singwith no problem

[DistantLight96]

Wow those trains are massive! Nothing like the ones here in the uk

[singwith]

@DistantLight96 haha, everything is so big in the US. lol

[bagelboi66]

What is that Vistadome doing tacked onto the back? It seems out of place, though I'd be delighted to find it in the consist if I were a passenger.

[singwith]

@bagelboi66 that was a private car, ex-CZ car called, "Silver Solarium". 

[SA6D125H]

Nice!!

[singwith]

@SA6D125H Thanks!

[AndrewC437]

I like how there's a NE Regional food service car on that last consist. And I thought one of them being on the Pennsylvanian would be it a bit away from home..

[singwith]

@AndrewC437 Amtrak needed extra cars for this test train, so they got it from the east coast.

[fredfredburger1213]

@singwith What were they testing

[katve3]

Cool vid

[singwith]

@katve3 Thanks!

[asalux]

wowww...Nice!

[singwith]

@asalux Thanks!

[livestockdana]

What was the special for, moving cars?

[singwith]

@livestockdana It was for PTC test(Positive Train Control) up north.

[livestockdana]

@singwith Oh, such a random consist though

[singwith]

@livestockdana well there were no other train sets available at the 8th street yard in LA.

[livestockdana]

@singwith looks alot like the Hosier train set, so random

[BaltimoreCSXRailBuff]

Nice Catch

[singwith]

@BaltimoreCSXRailBuff Thanks! 

[34peterbilt]

via rail canada as them monster trains too between montreal and quebec city , the longest i saw was 30 wagons and 4 locomotives .

[singwith]

@CPELVIRA PTC test(Positive Train Control)

[ferkulat]

wow - an original 'zephyr' back car. awesome!

[singwith]

@ferkulat Thanks!

[Trainman11185]

nice video, I caught the #974 going through Tacoma, Wa. on Monday

[singwith]

@Trainman11185 Thanks. I heard this train heading back to Socal om Sat.

[martin75gk]

Where was 974's destination?

[singwith]

@martin75gk I heard this train heading back to Socal om Sat from WA.

[dylanbobby1]

The coast starlight had a lot to begin with!

[Coaster3001]

Nice Vid!!!

[singwith]

@Coaster3001Thanks!

[chealy349]

I've seen Q418 with less cars!! cool cacth!

[singwith]

@chealy349 Thanks. Q418?

[chealy349]

@singwith CSX Q418

[TRAINMANCW]

excellent catch awesome

[singwith]

@TRAINMANCW Thanks!

[kyah117]

24 cars ! OMG !

[mhgs13]

Love that ex Santa Fe lounge car in the consist of the second train

[MrConraal]

That last Amtrak train set was a GREAT catch. Longest train i've seen them run!

[singwith]

@MrConraal Thanks!

[mrsabatini]

Nice! You caught P42DCs 73, 74, 75 on the same train!

[singwith]

@mrsabatini Thanks. I heard all P42s are dead and towed by BNSF unit into WA.

[AmtrakSilverStar]

@singwith You're welcome. I dont know anything about the BNSF unit.

[AmtrakSilverStar]

@singwith Okay, I have confirmation. Amtrak #974 broke down at Longview last night. The remaining two engines stopped working. Now all five engines are dead (BNSF 4727, AMTK 75/12/74/73). Should now have BNSF 8211 & 4500 on the point making for a total of 7 engines. Train moving north again passing thru Winlock, WA (30 miles north of Longview) now roughly 38 hours late.

[UP5140SD70M]

@AmtrakSilverStar typical ge's breaking down, 1 emd could do it fine

[k5lta]

i have P42DC 74 on MSTS <3

[singwith]

@k5lta lol cool.

[mapexmac]

I gotta admit - even though I'm not a huge fan of passenger service in general, that was pretty darned impressive! Great catch singwith.

[singwith]

@mapexmac Thanks!

[RailfanningRulez]

24 car/ 4 engine amtrak, best catch i have ever seen!

[singwith]

@RailfanningRulez Thanks!

[GenesisSanctuary]

Woah, that equipment movement was enormous!

[Railhead1956]

Nice video. I caught the Coast Starlight in Old Town Tacoma, WA on the 16th with that power. The second unit is # 507. Nice catch on the Amtrak special.

[singwith]

@Railhead1956 Thanks!

[koasterkidd]

what was a northeast regional car doing there?

[singwith]

@koasterkidd IDK. 

[sethamtrak]

nice job!

[singwith]

@sethamtrak Thanks!

[AmtrakSilverStar]

Consist for #974 is as follows: 73-74-12-75-58108-82560-43377-­48192-48151-82710-82720-82750-­82630-82579-82990-82519-48180-­82530-82510-82500-82570-39011-­32110-37015-37016-32072-32026-­32106

[singwith]

@AmtrakSilverStar Thanks man. I heard all four P42s are dead and towed by BNSF unit.

[Amiduffer]

Don't you hate being caught on camera with your hair all messed up after a long trip. 8)

[MrUp8444]

ALLLLLLL Man.. NO One Told me about this :-( GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[singwith]

@MrUp8444 u did not check my FB info.

[MrUp8444]

@singwith U Said NO Question's Please......That's All

[singwith]

@MrUp8444 but I told u that this train following #14.

[MrUp8444]

@singwith I Did'nt Know about 14....But that's O.k  At Least You Caught It..... :-)

[jmdhintz]

That last train looked like an equipment move to me. There was no baggage car, the first 4 of 5 cars were cafe cars, there would be no way to get from those amfleets to the superliners... Just my guess. Great catch, none the less!

[singwith]

@jmdhintz I think you are right. the sad part is, there are no other equipments left in the 8th street yard in L.A except junks.

[zach31194]

@jmdhintz there was a transition sleeper within the superliners, the first one to be exact, so they could move from the amfleets to the superliners.

[AmtrakSilverStar]

@jmdhintz Actually, there is a way to get from the Amfleets tp the Superliners. The first superliner is 39011, a transition sleeper, with a low diaphrapm at the Amfleet end and a high one next to the superliner end, permitting crew to get from Amfleets to Superliners.

[Amtrak507]

@jmdhintz actually this train is heading to the seattle area to do some testying with bnsf. i just saw it here in eugene, oregon a few hours ago, it was epic.

[lawpar79]

@jmdhintz the special was to help move empty cars to washington state.

[BobWeaver112]

@jmdhintz This was a train bound for Washington for positive train control testing on the BNSF.

[singwith]

@jmdhintz I heard all four P42s are dead and towed by BNSF unit.

[boeingnerd77]

what route is 974's?

[singwith]

@boeingnerd77 I believe this train headed to Seattle, WA.

[Amtrak116]

the movement is for some testing with bnsf over one of the passes...

[2006juneanne]

Fabulous trains. They must be travelling a long distance to have all these cars so do you know where the journey started and their destination as a matter of interest?

[singwith]

@2006juneanne I believe that was the deadheading move from L.A to up north. Thanks!