What was this Amtrak move?

[Pilawt]

Unusual sighting northbound out of Portland Union Station this evening:

A GE hood unit (couldn't see whose or what it was in the darkness) followed by four P42s, one Horizon coach, seventeen Amfleet coaches and seven Superliners. All of the passengers cars were dark and appeared unoccupied.

Any idea what this was all about?

 

[ANDREWAMTRAK]

Amtrak Test train bound for Stampede pass for ETMS testing, BNSF 4727 in the lead due to multiple P42 failures enroute yesterday. 24 cars in all.

 

[The Renton Rocket]

BNSf sent a trainman from tacoma via van to Auburn to meet the train and i hear the train will go to lester layover then go to Easton sometime monday and then return to lester then back to easton back to lester and then come off the Stampede sub not shure what day that will be

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Haven't heard any radio traffic over Stampede yet involving the Amtrak special but I haven't been listening all the time. Anyone got an update? Did they make Lester last night?

 

[ANDREWAMTRAK]

Train is 38 hours late, Passed through Puyallup at 11:30 this morning, Is just now headed up the pass.

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Update on Amtrak Special

Train is 38 hours late, Passed through Puyallup at 11:30 this morning, Is just now headed up the pass.

Interesting! I've been listening to NBD since 11:45am and didn't hear a track warrant given out. Maybe they got it printed out earlier, since there's nothing else moving up there.

And a good source told me they are now up to SEVEN locomotives, only five functioning. Apparently some problems also with one of the BNSF locos added to the consist. But they finally arrived at Easton at 2:45pm, releasing TW431-18 and 19 (as the 4675E, so some engine change since Portland), from Stampede Wye to Kanasket (a word the conductor can't pronounce correctly), and Kanasket and Easton respectively. NBD asks if they were going to clear onto the house track, but gets back that they're tying the train down on the main line. Well, so finally half of what must have certainly been the trip from Hell for the Amtrak and special personnel on board comes to a close! For now.

 

[daniel3197]

Just FYI the special Amtrak train number given to this
train for the northbound deadhead move from
Los Angeles, CA to the Portland --Seattle area was
Amtrak Train 974.
You can use the number Amtrak 974 to do web searches on
Google etc to find more online photos and videos about this train.

Amtrak and Union Pacific were using Amtrak 974 over the radio
here in California for the northbound deadhead move.
I hope this helps folks find more info about this special move.
---- Daniel

 

[daniel3197]

Here is a TOP--NOTCH video I found on Youtube of this train with
SEVEN (7) units leading 24 cars thru Pullyallup, WA on the BNSF Seattle Sub.
I think this is the **longest** train Amtrak has run in
a very long time, if not the entire corporate history of Amtrak:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyf-KpIyxHY

--Daniel

 

[GE Power]

Here is a TOP--NOTCH video I found on Youtube of this train with
SEVEN (7) units leading 24 cars thru Pullyallup, WA on the BNSF Seattle Sub.
I think this is the **longest** train Amtrak has run in
a very long time, if not the entire corporate history of Amtrak:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyf-KpIyxHY

--Daniel

This great video is by CNW8717. Great job, Brock.

I noticed an eastbound lined through Kanaskat on ATCS in the late morning. I wondered if it might be this move, but I unfortunately had commitments I couldn't get out of. Would have loved to have seen that coming off the bridge at Palmer Jct.

John Van Amburg
Auburn

 

[Tuscor]

This great video is by CNW8717. Great job, Brock.

I noticed an eastbound lined through Kanaskat on ATCS in the late morning. I wondered if it might be this move, but I unfortunately had commitments I couldn't get out of. Would have loved to have seen that coming off the bridge at Palmer Jct.

John Van Amburg
Auburn

That and his other video of the 5 BNSF EMD's at Puyallup was great. Looked like Crew 2 with the auroracks on the headend.

I didn't even know when the special was leaving Auburn so I missed it too. I agree, Palmer Jct would have been great!

Brian Ambrose

 

[Pete Sakes]

Will those (whatever you call them) taller cars fit through the Stampede tunnel??

 

[The Renton Rocket]

Will those (whatever you call them) taller cars fit through the Stampede tunnel??

I would think so since the NP ran standard dome cars via the Stampede on the NCL and Mainstreeter

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Fitting through Stampede Tunnel

I would think so since the NP ran standard dome cars via the Stampede on the NCL and Mainstreeter

They've been there, done that before.

 

[Beverlyhelper]

Amtrak Special at Easton

From Brian Lee on the ground at Easton (he only had a cell phone, so go easy on the photog criticism! :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZKUjnbRV4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amvVv_M3Pac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJu3GgeWWLM

 

[MP 6.7]

Does anyone know of the test schedule for the next couple days?

 

[Beverlyhelper]

May I suggest we consolidate this thread over onto the Stampede Pass Diary thread so we just have one to keep track of? Just a thought...

 

[ANDREWAMTRAK]

Was supposed to be the 18th, 21st and the 26th-28th but probably has changed due to delays.

 

[Amtkrd4man]

Next week will be probably the 26th thru the 29th now

 

[daniel3197]

Heads UP ALL south of Portland on the former SP Brooklyn Subdivision !!
AMTRAK 75 Special Train just
Departed Portland OR Amtrak at 3:38PM SOUTHBOUND
enroute Eugene -- KFalls and California.
I believe this train has the Amtrak number 977.
This is that 24 Car LONG special train that was
testing PTC on Stampede pass.
The Amtrak 75 just called out :
"GOOD RUNNER" (good running air test at 3:39 PM sat 4-30-11)

That info was from monitoring the
Vancouver WA (Portland) railroadradio dot net feed
---- Daniel