Amtrak City of New Orleans Early 1990s

Title says it all. Video includes footage my dad recorded of Amtrak's City of New Orleans. I estimate the recordings we're made During the Summer/Fall of 1990 through the Spring of 1991. All footage was recorded of train #59, the southbound to New Orleans, in Memphis Tennessee. During this recording F40's still roamed the rails and the train still carried a heritage lounge and crew dorm car in the consist.
Highlights:
1st Morning
00:00 Overpass view of #59 at East Levi Rd/Lakeview Rd. Great horn & a soft horn salute. Lead by F40 & GP40-TC on the IC Grenada District. Estimate late Summer / early Fall 1990.

2nd Morning:
01:11 #59 seen at 74 E. Nettleton Ave. as it approaches Central Station.
02:04 Same train seen further south on the IC Grenada District at 434 E. Brooks Rd. led by engines (I think) 252 & 205. Notice the very short (soft) horn salute the engineer gives right as the engine passes the camera. Estimate Fall 1990.

3rd Morning:
02:56 #59 seen at Amey Rd & Whitehaven Ln on the IC Grenada District. Led by engines 301 & (211?). Estimate Winter 1990 or 1991.

4th Morning:
04:39 #59 with engine 203 and (204?) stop just south of Raines Rd to troubleshoot a mechanical issue. We catch a runby at 729 E. Shelby Dr. Train had 3 deadhead cars at the end; A lounge and two coaches. Estimate Spring 1991.

5th Morning:
05:34 #59 at 3 Vance Ave led by engines 307 & 281. The pyramid was built at this time so estimate is Spring 1991. The track that #59 is seen on is now used by the Memphis Trolley. At the time of the recording, there were 2 mainline tracks that approached Central Station. Later the line was restructured.
07:07 Same train seen south on the Grenada District at 490 Winchester Rd.

6th Morning:
08:00 Amey Rd & Whitehaven Ln. Lead engines 259 & 228.
***NOTE*** Nothing is wrong with #259's K5LA airhorn. Back then, the F40's were equipped with manual air-valves which allowed an engineer to manually regulate air-flow (also known as quilling). In this case I believe the engineer applied the least amount of airflow into the horn as a courtesy to my mom and sister who came with my dad and I.

All footage recorded by Arthur Davis and rights belong to © Jared Davis of Whistlepost Productions.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Amtrak
• City
• of
• New
• Orleans
• Train
• 59
• Memphis
• Tennessee
• Illinois
• Central
• Grenada
• District
• 1990
• 1991
• F40
• Friday
• F40PH
• 301
• 307
• 228
• 203
• GP40-TC
• Heritage
• Car
• Vista
• Dome
• Lounge
• Strobe
• K5LA
• Quill
• Horn
• Salute
• Classic
• Phase
• III
• Vintage

[rando4038]

always had a bag dorm on the rear prior to the arrival of the superliner cars

[WhistlepostWP]

@rando4038 thats not a true statement. Around 1992/93 they cut the bag dorm also before the superliner transition. Look at the my video Amtrak's Brand New Genesis Locomotives and Classic Amtrak City of New Orleans 1993.

[kanjo007]

2:04 - the paint was wearing off on the side your father shot from on the first unit, but the second was 201; 2:56 - it is indeed 211; 4:36 - it is indeed 204. Great footage!

[WhistlepostWP]

@kanjo007 Good eyes...thanks

[Webber362]

we have number 307 at the nctm and is awaiting to b restored

[ACLTony]

@randyb327 - Randy, the F40s had poor fuel mileage due to the constant running of the engine in notch-8 to power the HEP system. Inpsite of their teething problems the GE P40 and 42 series are very fuel efficient, emit less pollution, and are easier on the rails. (although I don't like their "commercial airliner wannabe" appearance either). A friend of mine who was an SCL engineer and ran the Silver Meteor and Silver Star trains had his hearing permanently damaged by the F40s high rpms.

[TommyBNSF]

Phase II Baggage in 1991!

[badboymrpappy]

CLASSIC....  ABSOLUTELY CLASSIC

[randyb327]

its a shame they didnt keep the F40s in service would have been alot cheaper to refurbish them instead of wasting money on the P40 and P42s by GE those are junk and the carbody is just ugly in my opinion

[Planeguy13]

Great video! I love the F40s!

[Trainlover4ever2006]

I will miss the F40s.

[Xnewyork2]

wonderful K5LA at the beginning. so smooth and mellow.