T O M S E Volume 2 U Number 3 R C C Y O P The westbound Lake in May 1977. Many cars Shore Limited cruises slated for conversion were through the s-curve at Budd fluted-side cars. Hammond/Whiting, Indiana in 1994. On this During rebuilding,, the day, Heritage Fleet coach- cars were gutted and es, 10-6 sleepers, diners stripped. New HEP sys- and and a Slumbercoach tems were added and car mix it up with Amfleet II ends were rebuilt with cars. Photo by Tom Kidd electrical receptacles and marker lights. To allow easier access to the car Once the dust had settled underbody for quick from the takeover and sub- repairs, car skirting was sequent teething problems, removed. Finally, cars designers began develop- received what is now ing a fleet of new cars; called the Phase II striping their creations were to be scheme. called Amfleet and Superliners. As a nod to the past, the new cars fea- tured fluted, stainless steel sides similar to older Budd Amtrak’sSM Ties to the Era of Streamliners and Limiteds Budd Fluted-Side Passenger Cars Were THE Look of the Future The Zephyr was the epito- me of the streamlined pas- senger train. With its smooth, polished stainless them with cars from other Stripped, Gutted, cars. Orders were placed Amtrak Coach 4854, an steel cab feathering back builders. Notable users of Refurbished and for the new equipment; but ex-Santa Fe car wearing into shiny, fluted-side pas- Budd fluted-side passenger Released Amtrak management knew Amtrak’s Phase I paint senger cars, the debut of cars include the On May 1, 1971, Amtrak’s it couldn’t cover all runs scheme as on the Walthers the Chicago, Burlington & Burlington, Santa Fe, Rock first day, the nation’s with the new cars. models, still had its Quincy’s Zephyr of 1934 skirting when it was Island, Atlantic Coast Line, remaining trains looked In 1976, Amtrak rebuilt a was a landmark achieve- Seaboard, Canadian much as they had for photoed in Milwaukee in small batch of ex-UP Budd late 1975. Skirting covers ment which would influ- Pacific, New York Central years, there were just 10-6 Sleepers with a new the underbody appliances, ence industrial design for fewer. Within a few and Pennsylvania. giving the car a more years to come. months, cars from various electrical system compati- The fluted styling caught streamlined look. Photo predecessors began show- ble with Amfleet and Following World War II, on and other builders from the collection of Jim ing up on trains far and Superliner cars. New cars the Budd Company copied it by adding match- Hebner cranked out thousands of wide, and many trains took used power supplied from ing sides to their own cars. on a rainbow appearance. the locomotives (Head-End lightweight, fluted-side But, because of their all- passenger cars, based on Because of their varied Power or HEP). With no In This Issue steel construction, Budd consists, these early trains more freeze-prone steam the styling of the Zephyr, cars were renowned for for railroads across the were very interesting for lines, the modified cars Amtrak’s Ties to the Era of their resistance to corrosion railfans and modelers, pulled through the rough Streamliners and Limiteds .1 continent. Many railroads and hence, their longevity; especially once Amtrak winter of 1976/77 with fly- Power Plants Generate ordered entire matched many roads ran these cars train consists, others ran began repainting some of ing colors, paving the way Traffic on Any Layout . .4 right to the end of passen- its cars in its new striped for the Heritage Fleet New Background Building Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is an authorized ger service and then, scheme (today referred to Amtrak supplier. Amtrak(SM) is a regis- rebuild program beginning Can Be Built Three Ways . .8 tered service mark of the National Railroad passed them on to Amtrak. as the Phase I scheme). Passenger Corporation. 1 In an effort to standard- ize its fleet, AmtrakSM chose not to rebuild many unusual cars, such as observa- Walthers Budd 46-Seat Coach 932-6303 tion lounges and solari- no skirting and feature through the ends and Dutch sity lighting is also avail- cars are planned in the ums. Still, a variety of HEP underbody details. door windows. On these able as part number 933- future. coaches, diners, sleepers, They look great mixed cars, you can even add a 1049, $10.98. baggage cars, lounges, ex- with Walthers Amfleet, figure standing in the The lineup of Walthers Budd The Walthers Budd Coach is Santa Fe Hi-Levels, and Superliner I and Horizon vestibule for extra realism. passenger cars also includes based on Santa Fe 2816-2860 even a few domes, saw Fleet cars. Other features include 1700 Series Baggage cars, series 46-seat coaches; almost conversion. The program For detail hounds, the working diaphragms, add- based on cars Amtrak con- identical cars were used by a lasted into the 1980s with Walthers cars have an inte- on wire grab irons, die-cast verted from retired Heritage variety of roads. the acquisition of former metal GSC Commonwealth Fleet Budd coaches. For Auto Train Corporation, more information on the Southern Crescent and Rio Grande Zephyr equipment. These fleets included sig- nificant numbers of fluted- side Budd cars. As the program progressed, many long-distance eastern trains were converted to mixed Heritage Fleet/ Amfleet consists. West of Chicago, this transition era saw long distance trains run with a mix of Superliners, Walthers Budd Diner 933-6328 rebuilt ex-Santa Fe Hi- Levels, Amfleet and rior vestibule wall, giving truck sideframes, blackened 1700 Series Baggage Cars, Walthers Budd Coaches, Heritage Fleet cars. the car ends a realistic metal 36" wheelsets and check out Volume 2/Issue 1 $31.98 each. appearance, especially working knuckle couplers. of Insiders Report, available 932-6301 Amtrak Phase I Bring Early Amtrak 932-6302 Amtrak Phase II when used on the rear of a An easy-to-install lighting online at walthers.com. 932-6303 Amtrak Phase III Trains to Your Layout train where you can see in kit featuring constant-inten- More Walthers HO Budd 932-6304 Amtrak Phase IV One of the attractions 932-6305 ATSF about Amtrak’s first few 932-6306 PRR years was its colorful, var- 932-6307 CB&Q ied consists. For operating 932-6308 NYC 932-6309 CP and maintenance crews, 932-6310 Atlantic Coast Line the mismatched car types 932-6311 SOU were a nightmare; for 932-6312 Rock Island modelers, they were a 932-6313 SP boon. With new Walthers The Budd 10-6 Sleeper, Budd passenger cars, you with ten roomettes and six can model Amtrak’s “rain- double bedrooms, was one bow era” with a mix of of Amtrak’s earliest con- accurate, detailed cars. versions to HEP. New Walthers ready-to-run Eventually, 10-6 Sleepers Budd Coaches, 10-6 became the carrier’s cho- Sleepers, Diners and the sen standard for Heritage upcoming 24-8 Fleet rebuilding. In 2001, Slumbercoach are full- many of these cars still length models of 85' cars. serve on eastern trains Cars decorated in Amtrak’s mixed with Viewliner Phase I scheme and those Sleepers, Horizon Fleet in railroad colors come and Amfleet cars. The with car skirting, steam- Walthers car is based on heat underbody details and UP’s Pacific series cars. original style car ends, Walthers Budd 10-6 Sleeper, making them perfect addi- $31.98 each. 932-6341 Amtrak Phase I tions to early Amtrak con- 932-6342 Amtrak Phase II sists as well as to railroad- 932-6343 Amtrak Phase III owned streamliners. 932-6344 Amtrak Phase IV 932-6345 ATSF Heritage Fleet cars, deco- 932-6346 PRR rated in Amtrak Phase II, 932-6347 CB&Q III and IV colors, feature In 1972, Amtrak trains Pennsy track coupled latest Amtrak Phase IV 932-6348 NYC rebuilt car ends with HEP were a colorful mix of between cars from other paint scheme. Photos 932-6353 SP 932-6354 UP cable receptacles and railroad-painted cars. Ex- Amtrak predecessors. In from the collection of marker lights. Like the UP 10-6 Sleeper Pacific the 1990s, ex-UP 10-6 Jim Hebner. prototypes, these cars have Beauty pauses on ex- Pacific Beach wears the 2 To cut maintenance costs and allow fast access to underbody appliances, sev- eral railroads removed car skirting as evidenced by this BN ex-Burlington Route coach resting in Chicago in 1971. Photo by Mike Schafer Budd Lunch Counter/Dorm, ex-NP Budd Slumbercoach, ex-ATSF 10-6 Budd Sleeper The Arrowhead/North Star, Chicago-Duluth, 1978 National Limited, Washington D.C.-Kansas City, mid 1970s, pre-Heritage Fleet The Budd Diner is typical of Amtrak(SM)’s Heritage Fleet food service cars. The Walthers model is pat- terned after a New York Central grill-diner. Featuring a side door into the galley, these cars have a distinct appearance. Walthers Budd Diner, $31.98 each. 932-6321 Amtrak Phase I 932-6322 Amtrak Phase II Walthers Budd 10-6 Sleeper 932-6354 932-6323 Amtrak Phase III 932-6324 Amtrak Phase IV 932-6326 PRR 932-6327 CB&Q 932-6328 NYC 932-6329 CP 932-6330 Atlantic Coast Line 932-6333 SP A Few Early Amtrak Consists You Can Model Many of these prototype early Amtrak trains have long since made their last runs, or have seen major route and name changes. They feature a variety of equipment including Amfleet cars, available from Walthers, and smooth-sided cars, avail- Amtrak Heritage Fleet Budd Diners, such as this car at Sanford, Florida, still roam the rails on several eastern trains.