Here is an Amtrak F40 leading the San Joaquin out of Bakersfield, CA. The unit is in fresh Amtrak West paint, which was pretty unique. I had seen several F59's in these colors, but this was the first F40 I had seen. Anyone have any further details?
I wonder why Amtrak would bother re-painting an F-40? They are phasing out F-40's in the East and Central as fast as they get the P-42's from GE ..... and with Amtrak "begging" Congress for money, why waste it? But I think the new paint scheme is MUCH prettier than the old one! Hank [ 13 April 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
I'm not real sure about this. But I imagine these engines have just gone thru rebuilding and came from Beechgrove with the new paint. I've had the 415 in consist since it's overhaul and the new paint dosn't help it being a wore out peice of junk. I would think that Amtrak is only repainting old units when they have come from major repair and need it. But having worked for Amtrak all these years it wouldn't surprise me to see them waste money again.
I have gotten some further information about the unit. The paint is a scheme used for the Surfliner trains used on the San Diego corridor. I have heard it referred to as "Amtrak West" colors in the past, but I don't know if that is completely accurate. You may notice its similarity to the scheme used for the Northwest Talgo trainsets, only blue instead of green. This is a little unusual on the San Joaquins, as they usually get "Amtrak California" power that matches the cars. As for whether the unit has been rebuilt, I couldn't say. However, I would assume that rebuilding F40's would be cheaper than buying new F59's (there are F59's running around California in the same colors as 399).
That new paint job looks sweet I also notice some BNSF power in the background ,are those units sitting at the passenger station ? Cool photo Kevin . [ 16 April 2001: Message edited by: DaveCN5623 ]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DaveCN5623: I also notice some BNSF power in the background ,are those units sitting at the passenger station ? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, those BNSF units are sitting on the outside platform tracks of the Bakersfield Amtrak station. I believe they were used to rescue a couple of Bay Area bound Amtrak trains a couple of days earlier. Since the Oakland Amtrak station is on the UP, they worked them back to Bakersfield and returned them to BNSF there (AMTK runs on BNSF from BAK to Martinez, UP from Martinez to Oakland). It is hard to tell in this photo, but the station is beautiful. It's Grand Opening was the July 4th weekend last year.
While in Chi Town, the train I was ridin' on had a plain gray F40 leadin' the way. I guess it was ready for a new paint job.
As for the Amtrak F40PH's and the repainting into Amtrak West colors, and the replies about some of them being junk, I recently took a trip from Albany, Oregon to Spokane, Washington on Amtrak, Talgo from Albany to Portland and then the Empire Builder to Spokane, this was in January 2001 and the morning before, they had had a washout just west of Pasco, so they bused us to Pasco to pick up the train there, they had an old F40 on the head end that was really a "junker." Made one stop in the middle of the night out in "nowhere" land to reconnect the air hoses and fix something on the F40 and go on, why they continually waste money on things is beyond me, these Republicans now in power want to destroy Amtrak, but of course that's how I feel about Republicans!!!
Guys, I have seen this locomotive in person. It was not painted back east or any where in the US for that matter. It was stripped and sand blasted here and painted down in Mexico (the Surfliners run right down to San Diego, just miles from the border to Mex). I do not think this engine had any rebuilding at all. One last thing as that us rail fans down here in Southern Cali reafer to this scheme as the Surfliner paint scheme. When Amtrak west was mentioned above, I thought this thread was about the vally trains in the silver, blue and gray scheme. Its all the republicans faults? Give me a freakin break!
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Craig Martyn: One last thing as that us rail fans down here in Southern Cali reafer to this scheme as the Surfliner paint scheme. When Amtrak west was mentioned above, I thought this thread was about the vally trains in the silver, blue and gray scheme.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Just to confuse the subject even more, the Silver, Blue and Gray locomotives are actually lettered "Amtrak California" and the cars are called "California Cars". They are used primarily on the Bakersfield-Oakland San Joaquins and the Sacramento-Oakland Capitols and their purchase was directly funded by the Calif. Dept. of Transportation (CalTrans). I'm not sure if California directly funds the Surfliners, but it is possible. It was my understanding that the Valley trains are run under the banner of "Amtrak California", while the Surfliners and the Talgo trains up in Washington are operated under "Amtrak West". In addition, Amtrak West had planned to operate a Talgo trainset similar to the one in Washington between LA and Las Vegas, but the environmental activists decided that Desert Tortoises were more important than train service across the desert (they fought UP's plans to add and extend sidings and improve track on the LA&SL to allow operation of the Talgos). As for politics, I don't know about other parts of the country but here in California, Republicans are not the enemy of Amtrak. NIMBY's and the Sierra Club are the enemies of all Railroad improvement (Just ask UP about the Santa Barbara sinkhole).
I thought the rebuilt F40s got a black roof, and then the regional paint. I agree- Purlpee scheme that is on the cars is Amtrak California/Amtrak West Silver/Blue= Surfliner Green/Brown=Cascades
