Amtrak Ballast Train with P32-8's

[Ypsi]

On Thursday August 27th Amtrak ran a ballast train East and tied it down Willow Run yard with Amtrak 518, 6 ballast cars, and Amtrak 519. The train was tied down over the weekend until Monday night on August 31st when it went to work between milepost 23 and 27 on the two main of the Michigan Line. We were able to film a couple passes of the rare GE workhorses late on Monday night (as a birthday present to me from Amtrak ). On Tuesday the first the train headed west with the phase IV #519 leading the way, in a rare Michigan line video with a P32-8 leading the way on a perfect afternoon.

The first time we shot the P32-8's on a fine Saturday morning with nice light.

Amtrak P32-8 518 Willow Run Yard by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

Amtrak 519 Phase IV P32-8 by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

a couple more of the 518:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69532477@ ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69532477@ ... ed-public/

After shooting them siting in the morning, we came back to shoot 359 passing the ballast train in the afternoon



ConrailMan5 had the stills for this one

https://www.flickr.com/photos/71142029@ ... ateposted/

On the evening of August 31st we heard Amtrak A55 getting permission onto the main to do work between milepost 23 and 27. We headed out to get some glimpses of the P32-8's and the train working back and forth a couple times on the old Michigan Central.



It was pretty fun to watch the Train go back and forth, my favorite shot being the 519 leading at Denton Road. The Classic mechanical bells and K5LA made that one a memorable scene for me. After taking some shots of them tying down at CP Ypsi we turned in for the evening.

The next day while at work I heard a K5LA coming west after 350 had cleared up. I knew right away it was probably the ballast train. I got my camera ready and took a shot of the Phase IV 519 leading the way in another memorable shot for me.



Amtrak P32-8 518 by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

Overall it was a neat couple days watching the old GE's take another turn on the Michigan line. I always enjoy watching the P32-8's especially any in phase IV.

Thanks for watching and reading!

[hoborich]

I enjoyed your videos. Getting better all the time.

[Ypsi]

I enjoyed your videos. Getting better all the time.

Thanks hoborich that's what I like to hear!

[SousaKerry]

Only Amtrash would double end a 6 car work train with 3200 hp engines and both running... And they wonder why they can't make money.

[Ypsi]

Only Amtrash would double end a 6 car work train with 3200 hp engines and both running... And they wonder why they can't make money.

Don't really think a work train "makes money" in fact the entire time that train is operating with a crew it is "losing money". If you can name one railroad that technically makes money when running a ballast train, I would reward some brownie points to you because I would believe you would have a hard time. The point of this train was most likely (based on what it did while it was here) to run enough tonnage over a section of track to remove a speed restriction. It could do it faster in one night rather that having Amtrak revenue trains run over the rail at restricted speed and lose time, which makes passengers unhappy (remember the satisfaction scale goes from -10 to 0). As for your use of 3200 units both running, it appeared that the 519 was acting more as a cab car on the final video, and most certainly was a cab car on the work night as the engineer was in 518 operating the train while the conductor/ break man both rode in 519 and provided rear end protection on the shoves. Also those units are both in yard service for the most part or will pinch hit on the road when needed. They have been in yard and MOW service and don't have ITCS so you are really taking any locos out of the passenger fleet anyway.

Bottom line work trains don't have much to do with your inability to make money, and you would be hard pressed to run a work train like this that does "make money". Passenger trains sure, but like I said work trains shouldn't be your example of "that's why Amtrak sucks". Lots of good people work for the railroad and do a darn good job of running the railroad and trains (not that you specifically called out employees just making a general statement and why I defend Amtrak).

[hoborich]

Rail passenger service will always have to be subsidized in this country. Raising fares to increase profitability will only decrease ridership. I see nothing wrong with actually spending taxpayer money on a service to the American people, considering the billions the government pisses away on bombs, missiles, wars, Israel, and funding and arming various "rebel groups" around the world!

[Norm]

If they'd left the P-32's in the Pepsi Can paint scheme they'd look like P-32's.

[JStryker722]

Technically FEC pays for 60mph CTC mainline track hauling aggregate rock that doubles as railroad ballast lol jk

Not to mention a summer/fall a year ago or two,Amtrak paid NS money for work trains to cram an extra season's worth of work on the Michigan Line.NS made alittle bit of money on that I bet!

[ConrailMan5]

Technically FEC pays for 60mph CTC mainline track hauling aggregate rock that doubles as railroad ballast lol jk

Not to mention a summer/fall a year ago or two,Amtrak paid NS money for work trains to cram an extra season's worth of work on the Michigan Line.NS made alittle bit of money on that I bet!

It's easier (and cheaper) to contract that out rather than keep a gang around. I don't think Amtrak has a tie and surface gang for work outside of the NEC.

[SousaKerry]

I did not mean the ballast train was loosing money, I meant Amtrak as a whole.