Empire Service train 284, led by AMTK 703 (P32AC-DM)

-

 Yesterday, the kids and I had to run a few errands, which took us in the direction of Pottery Road, in Warners, NY. So, we decided to time our outing with catching Empire Service train 284. 

Empire Service Train 284

About fifteen minutes, after we arrived at the Pottery Road crossing on the CSX Rochester Subdivision, I saw the headlight of train P284-24 (as it was known by CSX). Led by AMTK 703, the train was heading eastbound on Track 1, today. 

AMTK 703, leading Empire Service train 284, passes the mile 284 marker
Passing the 298 mile marker

While trains can use either track, typically, the eastbound trains use Track 2. However, with the New York State Fair underway, Empire Service trains are making an extra stop in the Syracuse area at the New York State Fairgrounds, and the fairgrounds stop is on the north side of the tracks. Track 1 of the Rochester Subdivision is the northern track.

AMTK 703

AMTK 703 is a General Electric P32AC-DM, and, according to rrpicturesarchive.net, it was built in June of 1995. The locomotive is painted in Amtrak's Phase III paint scheme, and features an Empire Service emblem on the sides of the locomotive. 

The "DM" in the P32AC-DM model name stands for dual mode. These locomotives can be powered by either diesel power or third-rail eclectic power. They use the third-rail power when operating in the tunnels of NYC.

AMTK 703, leading Empire Service train 284, leans into the curve at Pottery Rd.
Train 284 leans into the curve at Pottery Rd.

AMTK 703's Escape Hatch

The locomotive has a safety feature in the form of an escape hatch on the front of the locomotive. I had never seen this before on Genesis model locomotives, and it wasn't until I was actually processing the images that it stood out to me. I knew the hatch opened for some reason, but I initially thought it was to put something into the locomotive.

Close up view of AMTK 703's nose, which features an escape hatch
Close up view, showing the escape hatch

After doing some some internet research (stop rolling your eyes), what I found was that it was an escape hatch. However, Amtrak's locomotives operating on the Empire Service corridor did not originally have them, which explains the rough-around-the-edges look of the escape hatch on AMTK 703. 

The reason for not having the escape hatches, originally, was because Empire Service trains, typically, operate into and out of New York City's (NYC) Penn Central Station. The tunnels at Penn Central Station are large enough for crew members to evacuate out the side of the locomotive, in the event of a fire. But, occasionally, these trains arrive and depart from Grand Central Station. Usually, when there is a renovation project under way on the Penn Central Station tunnels. Parts of the tunnel at Grand Central Station (GCS) are so narrow that a crew member can't escape out the sides of the locomotives. The GCS tunnel is operated by Metro-North Railroad, and all of that railroads Genesis series locomotives were built with escape hatches on the front of the locomotives.

Empire Service Trains

Empire Service trains run between Niagara Falls, NY., and NYC's Penn Central Station. Currently there are three trains each way between the two cities. Normally, two of the six trains runs as Amtrak's Maple Leaf trains, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic the trains are terminating at Niagara Falls, NY., instead of traveling to and from Toronto, ON., via Niagara Falls, ON., and Hamilton, ON. Therefore, the Maple Leaf trains have temporarily been reclassified as Empire Service trains.

Photographs taken on August 24, 2021, at Warners, NY.

Comments

Post a Comment

All comments are now reviewed before publishing on this blog. Comments may not appear on the blog for a day or two.

All images/photographs are copyrighted © by Tom Gatermann. All rights reserved. Contact me. Subscribe.

Popular Posts

A tour of Union Pacific's De Soto carshop

-
Image
 Back in June of 2008, Union Pacific's (UP) Desoto carshop had an open house, so my dad and I headed down to DeSoto, Missouri, to take a tour of the facility. De Soto carshop The settlement of the De Soto area dates back to 1803, and the town of De Soto was later incorporated in 1869. The town's website says that the St. Louis & Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad (StLIM&S) came to the De Soto area in 1859 and built a depot for the town. However, Union Pacific's (UP) website states the railroad came to De Soto in 1857. Perhaps the two-year difference is due to when the railroad was first being built at De Soto and when it was completed. The first carshop was built by the StLIM&S Railway in 1865.  Later the StLIM&S was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad , which continued to expand and use the carshop. A tool chest at the UP carshop in Desoto, MO.  Today, the carshop and De Soto Subdivision, which the carshop sits along, are part of UP, which merged wit
Read more

Amtrak trains on the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision

-
Image
The CSX Syracuse Terminal Subdivision   The Syracuse Terminal Subdivision was formed from the western end of the CSX Mohawk Subdivision in January 2011. The Syracuse Terminal Subdivision starts at Control Point (CP) 263 (milepost QC 263.8) in Oneida, New York. It then goes west to CP296 (MP QC 296.8) at Airport Road, to the west of Solvay, New York. The Mohawk Subdivision now ends at the westbound absolute signals (WAS) of CP263, since CP263 is part of the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. On the western end, the STS meets the CSX Rochester Subdivision and ends at the westbound absolute signals. CP296 is part of the Rochester Subdivision. Both the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision and the Rochester Subdivision are controlled by CSX's NF dispatcher in Jacksonville, Florida. Auto 280/CP280 On October 2, 2021, I caught AMTK 711 leading train P063 at Auto 280/CP280 (MP QC 280.5), along the three-track segment of the subdivision. Auto 280/CP280 sits along Saintsville Road in Kirkville, New Yo
Read more

Boeing 737 fuselages on a BNSF train in the West Bottoms of KC.

-
Image
 On Memorial Day Weekend in 2007, I was in Kansas City, Missouri, visiting friends. While visiting, one of my friends and I ventured out to the West Bottoms of Kansas City for a photography outing. There we happened upon a northbound BNSF train hauling newly built Boeing 737 fuselages. The Boeing 737 fuselages The fuselages on this train are B737 Next Generation (NG) models. The B737 NG was first produced in 1996.  Boeing's 737 fuselages are built at Spirit AeroSystems' (SA) plant in Wichita, Kansas. According to SA's website, the company was founded when Boeing sold its Wichita plant to SA in 2005. SA then continued building fuselages at the plant for Boeing. After the fuselages are built by SA they take a train ride to Boeing's assembly plant at Renton, Washington. Looking south toward the 12th Street viaduc t, as the Boeing train rolls north through the West Bottoms. Route of the fuselages BNSF uses specially modified flatcars, like the ones seen in the photographs h
Read more

The "Green Bridge" over CP282 and the east side of DeWitt Yard

-
Image
The "Green Bridge" is a nickname for a pedestrian bridge in Minoa, New York. The bridge crosses over the eastern edge of CSX's DeWitt Yard and Syracuse Terminal Subdivision between North Main Street and South Main Street. There is no road crossing connecting the two streets, so the bridge allows pedestrians to cross safely over the tracks. It also gives railfans access to safely watch and photograph train movements on the eastern end of DeWitt Yard.  The "Green Bridge" at CP282 Looking at the north access ramp, as an ex-Wisconsin Central boxcar on train Q626-06 begins to roll under the Green Bridge. The Green Bridge earned its nickname because it is painted green. Though these days, the green color is faded, and reddish-brown rust seems to be more prominent. The bridge crosses directly over the top of control point (CP) 282 of CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. The bridge is a popular railfan hangout, even though the bridge can make photography difficult.
Read more

Waiting at CP-320 for CSXT 1973 "Chessie System" at Savannah, NY.

-
Image
 CSX's latest heritage unit , CSXT 1973, commemorating the Chessie System, made an appearance in Central New York (CNY) on July 4th. The locomotive was leading intermodal train I157-03. With the family in tow (and for some reason my wife deciding to come along with us) we headed to Savannah, New York, to see it.  I003-04 rolls west under the cantilever signal bridge on the western edge of CP-320.   Shortly after arriving at Control Point (CP) 320 of CSX's Rochester Subdivision in Savannah, NY., the first train to make an appearance was I003-04. I003 was making it's daily trek from South Kearny, NJ, to Bedford Park, IL. Bedford Park is a suburb of Chicago, IL. X363-03 rolls under the EAS cantilever signal bridge at CP-320.   Amtrak's Empire Service train P281 was next, but I skipped photographing it. Then came X363-03, led by CSXT 3410 and CSXT 5350. X363 is an extra (X) M363 . X363 was running M363's normal route from CSX's Selkirk Yard in Selkirk, NY., to Avon
Read more