Interesting Car at Union Station
Apr 6, 2009, 5:13 pm
#1
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Interesting Car at Union Station
I was boarding the Aclea Express when I looked to my left and spotted a train car that was unlike any AMTRAK train car that I had ever seen.
It looked really old and was called the Marco Polo with NS 30 painted on either side of the car.
I have also seen another car which looks far more AMTRAKish, although it also looks like something the NSA might use with the cameras mounted on the roof.
Anybody have any ideas?
Dan
It looked really old and was called the Marco Polo with NS 30 painted on either side of the car.
I have also seen another car which looks far more AMTRAKish, although it also looks like something the NSA might use with the cameras mounted on the roof.
Anybody have any ideas?
Dan
Apr 6, 2009, 6:13 pm
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The one with cameras mounted on the roof could be a track geometry car, which is used to ensure the track remains within geometric tolerances for its class and is free of defects.
The one I saw up here in Alaska was a converted Amfleet car with the USDOT logo (the curved tri-star thingy) on the side. Had lots of strange instruments protruding from it.
Had to get shipped up here by barge...
The one I saw up here in Alaska was a converted Amfleet car with the USDOT logo (the curved tri-star thingy) on the side. Had lots of strange instruments protruding from it.
Had to get shipped up here by barge...
Apr 6, 2009, 6:58 pm
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The NS 30 car is an office car for Norfolk Southern. It is a heavyweight observation car built in January, 1927 by the Pullman Company. The car was used by Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was governor of New York and later during his presidency. Central of Georgia Railroad bought the car in 1944 and named it Savannah. Norfolk Southern acquired the car, named it back to Marco Polo and from what I gather Googling, usually has it parked in Washington, D.C. for lobbyist use.
http://www.jefflubchanskycpa.com/NSO...1-00DIGI13.jpg
The other car is likely the Beech Grove, car 10001. It operates across the country for inspections of the various railroads Amtrak operates over. I saw it on the Silver Star a few weeks ago going from DC to Miami. Several people were riding the car, mostly in suits. The pictures are still on the camera. I'll post a few once I upload them to the computer.
http://www.jefflubchanskycpa.com/NSO...1-00DIGI13.jpg
The other car is likely the Beech Grove, car 10001. It operates across the country for inspections of the various railroads Amtrak operates over. I saw it on the Silver Star a few weeks ago going from DC to Miami. Several people were riding the car, mostly in suits. The pictures are still on the camera. I'll post a few once I upload them to the computer.
Apr 7, 2009, 6:50 pm
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Apr 7, 2009, 8:07 pm
#6
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Yep, Washington, D.C. Union Station.
The train with the camera (Beech Grove) sounds exactly like what I saw at the station.
The Marco Polo sounds really nice (lobbyists tend to enjoy the finer things of life)
Dan
The train with the camera (Beech Grove) sounds exactly like what I saw at the station.
The Marco Polo sounds really nice (lobbyists tend to enjoy the finer things of life)
Dan
Apr 8, 2009, 2:20 am
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Here's Beech Grove. Is this what you saw?
http://flickr.com/photos/metrolibrar...ve/3011017508/
Here's the one I was thinking of:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/420
http://flickr.com/photos/metrolibrar...ve/3011017508/
Here's the one I was thinking of:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/420
Apr 8, 2009, 5:15 am
#8
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Here's Beech Grove. Is this what you saw?
http://flickr.com/photos/metrolibrar...ve/3011017508/
Here's the one I was thinking of:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/420
http://flickr.com/photos/metrolibrar...ve/3011017508/
Here's the one I was thinking of:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/420
Dan
Apr 9, 2009, 7:08 am
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Photos are still on the camera. 
I've never seen a picture of the inside. There is a seating area at the end for observation out the windows over the tracks. Probably has a galley for food service and tables for dining. It wouldn't surprise me if there were beds in the car as people riding it across country need a place to sleep at night.
I've never seen a picture of the inside. There is a seating area at the end for observation out the windows over the tracks. Probably has a galley for food service and tables for dining. It wouldn't surprise me if there were beds in the car as people riding it across country need a place to sleep at night.
