Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, Then and Now

Amtrak No's 43-44 have been a reliable subject for the Station Agent's cameras over the years, daily passing through his former home town, and with massive change looming, he thought this as good a time as any to do a retrospective of its all-coach days. We hope you enjoy it.

The cancellation of the New York -Kansas City National Limited in late 1979 raised an outcry among passneger rail advocates, particularly in Pennsylvania, where the National had provided Amtrak's only daytime service on the historic ex-Pennsy route via Harrisburg (the NY-Chicago Broadway Limited sneaked through mostly at night). In response, the state's representatives in Washington raised funding under 403(b) legislation for an additional New York-Pittsburgh service operating as No's 43 and 44, and more or less on the National's old timetable. Accurately but unimaginatively named the Pennsylvanian, the new train began service on April 27, 1980.

Passengers were sparse in the early days, and many dismissed the train as another boondoggle, like the ill-fated Shenandoah further south. Despite this carping and a, shall we say, rather leisurely schedule, the train eventually found its market, and by the mid-eighties Amtrak was rewarded with one of its few success stories from the era. Since that time, the Pennsylvanian has run daily, consistently and without much fanfare, with a single F40 diesel (recently replaced by homely P42 'Genesis' units), 4-6 Amfleet coaches, and, on most runs, a 'Heritage' baggage car. All is about to change, however; as Amtrak recently announced that, as of November 7, the Pennsylvanian would become a Philadelphia-Chicago run. The differences are more than timetable-deep; for one thing, the train will start handling through express traffic, and thus will soon have the dog's-breakfast appearance of its cousin the Three Rivers. A name change is also promised, to better reflect its expanded route.

	A few weeks after startup, F40 271 has a minimal train and the four-track ex-Pennsy main to itself as it breezes eastbound through Conemaugh yard in Johnstown, PA. May 1980. ATK_271.JPG; 102Kb
	More cars, but not much else has changed by May 1986, when we caught the 272 getting under way from Johnstown. ATK_272.JPG, 108Kb
	The Pennsylvanian broke the long-standing tradition of power changes in Harrisburg, running behind diesels all the way over the electrified portion to and from New York. Here, the eastbound run glides into Middletown, PA on a sweltering afternoon in August 1987. ATK_217.JPG; 90Kb
	No's 43-44 have not been known for an excess of variety, but occasionally one could see something unusual, such as this ex-GO Transit GP40TC on the eastbound run, again in Johnstown, PA. 06 Nov. 1993. ATK_196.JPG; 76Kb
	F40's still rule in summer '96, but not for much longer, as the westbound Pennsylvanian rolls through South Fork, PA. 01 June 1996. ATK_270.JPG; 80Kb
	'Genesis' unit 104, in 'Northeast Direct' livery has #43 in charge as it exits the Gallitzin Tunnel, at the crest of the Alleghenies, in June 1998. ATK_104.JPG; 99Kb
	Well, no one will ever call a Genesis-Amfleet combination pretty, but just wait until they add all those express boxcars and a Roadrailer or two. . . our last view of the pre-expansion Pennsylvanian, departing Gallitzin. June 1998. ATK_PA98.JPG; 70Kb