Amtraks NPCU's

Описание: Amtrak was once the home to hundreds of F40PH's, but as Amtrak entered the 90's and early 2000's the F40PH's were slowly retired. Thankfully for fans of the classic EMD some of the F40PH's were turned into Non-Powered Control Units or NPCU's for short. These cab cars were also called cabbages, a combination of the words "cab" and "baggage" since they had baggage compartments installed on many units. Some of the NPCU's retained their classic red, white, and blue stripes, while others were painted in a modified phase 5 scheme. A handful of the units were equipped ITCS to operate on the Amtrak Michigan Line in a push pull configuration with a P42 providing the power. The units received a "90" in front of their original F40PH numbers to distinguish them, and put them in a number series similar to the coaches on Amtrak. The pool of ITCS equipped units included 90200, which was also the first F40PH built, 90215, 90218, 90219 wearing phase 3 paint, 90222 wearing phase 3 paint, and 90225. Other NPCU's have been spotted on the Michigan Line, but generally the ITCS NPCU's were used.

In this video we take a throw back to 2009-2012, at some of the final runs of NPCU's on the Michigan Line, ending a nearly 30 year run of some type of F40PH (powered or non) regularly providing service on the Michigan Line. These units with their classic lines, and in some instances paint, soldiered on until the high speed portion of the Michigan Line was fully cleared for 110mph running, which the NPCU's are not cleared for. Now a pair of P42's make the run, allowing for a faster time to reach the top speeds. The NPCU is gone for now, but I am thankful to have been able to gather lots of videos, and put the best of the best I took in this throwback video.

For this project I looked for my best NPCU videos, specifically ones where I used a tripod or that were just too cool to not share. I edited them into a wide screen crop, put them all together, and made one completion throw back video. The videos were all originally shot in 640p, so the quality is not where I am at now, but overall this did not turn out too bad.

In the first scene on Fathers day of 2009, Amtrak 90200, also the first F40PH, leads a lengthy 8 car 353 west at 10mph. The train has to run slow thanks to bad signals but I don't mind, a nice way to start this throw back.

In the second scene Amtrak 353 is racing west with Amtrak 90215 leads another 353 west wearing phase 5 paint.

A P42 is leading the way and smoking it up as Amtrak 90215 trails on Amtrak 352.

In a nearly identical scene Amtrak 90200 trails on 352

On a spring day a phase 3 Amtrak 90222 is on point on 353 as they highball and depart Ann Arbor, classic paint and F40PH car body.

Later that summer Amtrak 90222 is seen leading train 352 east with a phase 5 P42 pushing on the rear.

On a cold evening Amtrak 90219 is leading 354 east also wearing phase 3 paint.

In a light snow Amtrak 353 heads east on the next day, this time with 90219 on the rear.

Again in a snowy scene, Amtrak 90215 is on point of a 353 heading west around noon time. The crew gave a little extra horn even on this run.

The final train in this video was also probably the coolest for an NPCU to be seen leading. Amtrak 350 clears with 90200 leading and Amtraks last dome car in consist.

So wraps up a throwback to a classic former locomotive that is done on most Amtrak routes, and numbers will soon dwindle.

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