Train Facts: Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 tubular Keystone service

Описание: The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) "Keystone" was a specialized, experimental 7-car trainset built by the Budd Company in 1956, designed for high-speed, lightweight service and frequently hauled by GG1 electric locomotives. These cars featured a unique, lower-profile "tubular" design intended to improve efficiency, though they suffered from issues like crowded, narrow stairways and limited capacity.
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Service and Technical Details
Debut and Route: The set entered service on June 24, 1956, operating on the New York to Washington D.C. mainline under names like the Morning Keystone, Midday Keystone, Evening Keystone, and Midnight Keystone.
Design: The coaches (designated P85K) were 85 feet long but only 11' 9" tall, with a split-level design featuring a depressed center section between the trucks. The structure was designed to be 40% lighter than conventional equipment, aiming to increase travel speed by 15%.
Power and Equipment: While the cars were designed for modern, efficient service, they were often paired with older GG1 locomotives (e.g., #4885, #4890) and sometimes a standard, heavier baggage/power car.
End of Service: The Keystone cars were operated by the PRR and its successor, Penn Central, until 1968.
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Later Life
Following their service on the PRR, the cars had a varied afterlife:
They were stored in Altoona before being sold to the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) in 1976.
Some cars were later used in the "Michigan Star Clipper" dinner train from 1985 until 2009.
Several cars were sold to a Canadian mining operation in 2010, while others were scrapped in Iowa in 2003.