Budd Metroliner
Encyclopedia
The Budd Metroliner car was an electric multiple unit
("EMU") train designed for first-class, high-speed service on the Pennsylvania Railroad's
route between New York City
and Washington, DC.
Built between 1968 and 1969, they operated in eponymous service on the Penn Central beginning in early 1969 (after the Pennsylvania's merger with the New York Central) and continuing under Amtrak
after the latter's 1971 creation. These cars would be an important factor into the creation of the Amfleet
cars, also manufactured by Budd.
, Budd Company
, General Electric
and Westinghouse to develop an electric multiple unit
high speed passenger train with initial service target for 1967.
The ancestor of the Metroliner multiple unit railcar was the Budd Pioneer III which had been developed for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1958 as a planned new concept in long distance passenger service in the east. The cars used new propulsion technologies and lightweight construction in an effort to improve performance compared with the older generation of electric MU technology. After an order of 56 improved Pioneer III cars referred to as Silverliners were ordered for commuter services in the Philadelphia area, the United States Department of Transportation placed a follow up order for 4 experimental Silverliners, specially modified for high speed operation on the PRR's Northeast Corridor. Equipped with several modifications, including a semi-streamlined slab end on the front of the lead car, the experimental train ran a series of test runs, ultimately reaching a speed of 156 miles per hour (251.1 km/h) in 1966.
The Metroliner program was originally a partnership between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the US DoT and the first two test vehicles were delivered for testing in 1968 with PRR livery. The Penn Central merger later that year resulted in the remainder of the cars being delivered with the PC logo, although the PRR specified gray paint with red pinstripes was retained around the windows. In 1968 the prototype pair of Metroliners achieved a top speed of 164 miles per hour (263.9 km/h) on a series of test runs around Princeton Junction, NJ, but teething troubles with the ambitious technology prevented the start of actual service until 1969. Furthermore, due to the condition of the track and signal system the Federal Railroad Administration
only permitted to travel at speeds between 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h) and 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h) on the main line between Washington and New York. Still, this was much faster than anything then running in North America and provided a level of speed, comfort and amenities that could compete with the airline shuttles.
Around 1980 Amtrak embarked upon another capital program to both upgrade the worn out track, which now limited trains to 90 miles per hour (144.8 km/h), and purchase new locomotives and rolling stock to finally achieve the performance goals that the Metroliner MU cars had never been able to achieve. The nearly 500 Amfleet
I cars which had arrived between 1975 and 1978, which had the same outward appearance of the Metroliners and a design speed of 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h), were to be pulled behind a fleet of 52 new AEM-7 locomotives, which would also be able to travel at 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h). As this new equipment was delivered the Metroliner MU cars began to be withdrawn from the service that bore their name as the MUs were not only less reliable, but also increasingly worn out and unable to achieve the speeds the upgraded track would allow.
In the mid-1980s a number of the Metroliner MU cars were re-branded as Capitoliners to work Amtrak's Harrisburg Line between Philadelphia and the state capitol of Harrisburg, however there were no actual modifications to the equipment for this purpose. By this point reliability had become such a problem that trains of Metroliners were towed by diesel locomotives.
service. They initially saw service on regional trains out of Los Angeles and Chicago, specifically on the San Diegan
and Amtrak's Michigan Services
. From there they eventually found their way onto Amtrak's Springfield Shuttle and for a time the Vermonter
. In 2007 6 former Metroliners were removed from storage and rebuilt for Amtrak's upgraded Keystone Service
which involved push-pull all electric operation.
in its original paint scheme and with an original interior. As of 2009 a sizable number of former Metroliner cars remain in storage on Amtrak property at the Bear, Delaware
shops. One unit at Bear (9709, ex-809) retains its original Phase II appearance with an unmodified front end.
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
("EMU") train designed for first-class, high-speed service on the Pennsylvania Railroad's
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
route between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington, DC.
Built between 1968 and 1969, they operated in eponymous service on the Penn Central beginning in early 1969 (after the Pennsylvania's merger with the New York Central) and continuing under Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
after the latter's 1971 creation. These cars would be an important factor into the creation of the Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
cars, also manufactured by Budd.
History
The High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 started a U.S. Government effort to develop a high speed train for Northeast Corridor service. The U.S. Department of Transportation worked with the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and Westinghouse to develop an electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
high speed passenger train with initial service target for 1967.
The ancestor of the Metroliner multiple unit railcar was the Budd Pioneer III which had been developed for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1958 as a planned new concept in long distance passenger service in the east. The cars used new propulsion technologies and lightweight construction in an effort to improve performance compared with the older generation of electric MU technology. After an order of 56 improved Pioneer III cars referred to as Silverliners were ordered for commuter services in the Philadelphia area, the United States Department of Transportation placed a follow up order for 4 experimental Silverliners, specially modified for high speed operation on the PRR's Northeast Corridor. Equipped with several modifications, including a semi-streamlined slab end on the front of the lead car, the experimental train ran a series of test runs, ultimately reaching a speed of 156 miles per hour (251.1 km/h) in 1966.
The Metroliner program was originally a partnership between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the US DoT and the first two test vehicles were delivered for testing in 1968 with PRR livery. The Penn Central merger later that year resulted in the remainder of the cars being delivered with the PC logo, although the PRR specified gray paint with red pinstripes was retained around the windows. In 1968 the prototype pair of Metroliners achieved a top speed of 164 miles per hour (263.9 km/h) on a series of test runs around Princeton Junction, NJ, but teething troubles with the ambitious technology prevented the start of actual service until 1969. Furthermore, due to the condition of the track and signal system the Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
only permitted to travel at speeds between 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h) and 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h) on the main line between Washington and New York. Still, this was much faster than anything then running in North America and provided a level of speed, comfort and amenities that could compete with the airline shuttles.
The Amtrak Years
In 1971 the Metroliner cars were transferred from the bankrupt Penn Central to the newly formed National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), which continued to operate them in daily high speed service. Unfortunately the cars continued to suffer from poor reliability. In 1979 and 1980 Amtrak sent a number of Metroliner cars through a modification program that relocated some of the electrical components from under the floor of the vehicle to a streamlined hump of the roof in order to alleviate problems with blowing snow getting into the workings. The cars were typically run in 6-car sets, although some 4-car trains and 8-car trains were occasionally run. Some of the cars were repainted in Amtrak's Phase I paint scheme with red, white and blue ends and a small Amtrak logo. Later in 1980 some of the cars received the Phase II scheme with a red and blue front end with a large Amtrak logo emblazoned across the full width. Many of the Metroliners that received this paint scheme did so in conjunction with the roof hump modification.Around 1980 Amtrak embarked upon another capital program to both upgrade the worn out track, which now limited trains to 90 miles per hour (144.8 km/h), and purchase new locomotives and rolling stock to finally achieve the performance goals that the Metroliner MU cars had never been able to achieve. The nearly 500 Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
I cars which had arrived between 1975 and 1978, which had the same outward appearance of the Metroliners and a design speed of 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h), were to be pulled behind a fleet of 52 new AEM-7 locomotives, which would also be able to travel at 125 miles per hour (201.2 km/h). As this new equipment was delivered the Metroliner MU cars began to be withdrawn from the service that bore their name as the MUs were not only less reliable, but also increasingly worn out and unable to achieve the speeds the upgraded track would allow.
In the mid-1980s a number of the Metroliner MU cars were re-branded as Capitoliners to work Amtrak's Harrisburg Line between Philadelphia and the state capitol of Harrisburg, however there were no actual modifications to the equipment for this purpose. By this point reliability had become such a problem that trains of Metroliners were towed by diesel locomotives.
Conversion to Control Cars
In the late 1980s Amtrak found itself with a supply of surplus MU cars with problematic propulsion systems, but with an otherwise sound body and frame. While most Metroliners went into storage at Amtrak's Wilmington and Bear, Delaware shop complexes, a few hastily had their MU components removed and were converted into cab control cars for push-pull trainPush-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
service. They initially saw service on regional trains out of Los Angeles and Chicago, specifically on the San Diegan
San Diegan
The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, and a "workhorse" of the railroad. Its 126-mile route ran from Los Angeles, California south to San Diego. It was assigned train Nos. 70–79 The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the...
and Amtrak's Michigan Services
Michigan Services
Michigan Services is an umbrella term used by Amtrak to describe passenger rail service by three routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with the Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and Detroit, and other stations along the three lines...
. From there they eventually found their way onto Amtrak's Springfield Shuttle and for a time the Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
. In 2007 6 former Metroliners were removed from storage and rebuilt for Amtrak's upgraded Keystone Service
Keystone Service
Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is...
which involved push-pull all electric operation.
Preservation
One Metroliner snack bar car (860) has been preserved at the Railroad Museum of PennsylvaniaRailroad Museum of Pennsylvania
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a railroad museum in Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.The museum is located on the east side of Strasburg along Pennsylvania Route 741...
in its original paint scheme and with an original interior. As of 2009 a sizable number of former Metroliner cars remain in storage on Amtrak property at the Bear, Delaware
Bear, Delaware
Bear is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 17,593 at the 2000 census.Originally a small crossroads in a rural area south of Wilmington, the area supported small farms growing mainly corn and cattle...
shops. One unit at Bear (9709, ex-809) retains its original Phase II appearance with an unmodified front end.