1978 Amtrak Broadway Limited on Horseshoe Curve 

Thanks for watching and sharing your memories of the Broadway. My memory too had the train encountering Horseshoe Curve mid-AM so that must have been the usual timing. I was also in coach and we walked the entire train including the sleepers - what a fascinating assortment of equipment. Back then it felt like being a passenger train still made a difference in how purposefully they were run. I connected with the Broadway in Chicago from the Southwest Limited all the way from California and on a faster schedule than today we made it with ease. Definitely, one of my all time favorite Amtrak heritage consists and trips - glad to know same for you.

@@krutherfurd You mention the Southwest Limited connection. On my trip, I connected from Memphis, TN on the overnight Panama Limited, on the then still double tracked Illinois Central to Chicago. I was at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on 12/76, and the Panama departed shortly after midnight, I believe. This was also a fast heritage equipment train; I only had a coach seat but still slept, freshly prepared breakfest in the dining car the next morning, and arrival Chicago after 9am, (earlier then scheduled), meeting family in Chicago at the Sears tower, and then heading over to Union Station for the Broadway, a late afternoon departure I believe on the 21st. The schedules were faster in early Amtrak days, and even faster throughout the 1950's--I have an old timetable collection. The photos I took of the front of the train going around Horseshoe Curve, I think are after a snowfall. Thanks again for your post.

Thank you so much for your comments, really appreciate it. This may have been the longest Amtrak train I have ever ridden including some very long Coast Starlights on the west coast which went to 18 cars. It's hard to count the cars from the video. I walked the entire consist and it was a long way with a fascinating assortment of equipment. I lament the passing of the trains you mention and others. "Ride'm now" is good advice if you don't want to be disappointed in the future.

Not sure why such a visceral reaction. I assume it is because of the mismatched locomotives and their weathered appearance and perhaps the exterior condition of the entire consist. I can assure you that my intention was not to make anyone "gasp" or sick to their stomach in presenting this video. I am familiar with the original Broadway Limited operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad that essentially ceased to operate by the end of 1967. Had I been able to experience it, I would have loved to enjoy this all first class train in its heyday. My video is simply a short glimpse of a peak summer season trip in 1978 of the train Amtrak operated under the name "Broadway Limited." Neither Amtrak who operated it, or we passengers that rode it had any illusion that the train in the video was the finest train (inside or out) ever to operate by that name. In reality, it didn't matter - this train was what it was, nothing more and nothing less. What was important, was that this train was run purposefully and on-time by the host railroad (Conrail at this time). Which too often these days is not the case. The interior of the train was clean and comfortable, and as was common at the time on all long distance trains, had a full dining car open to all. By 1978 the hand-me-down heritage locomotives and cars had been stretched to their limit - new equipment and HEP rebuilds were coming - but on this day with the exception of a lone F40, heritage equipment, scars and all, were in charge. This train did its job well - and no one got sick to their stomach.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF THOSE LAZY RAIL WORKERS WHO DISDAINED ANY HARD WORK! WHY ON EARTH, WOULD ANY RAIL WORKERS LOOK THEMSELVES IN THE MIRROR AFTER LONG HARD DAY AND SAY IT WAS A GOOD DAY, WHEN THEIR EQUIPMENT LOOKED LIKE THAT? YOU TELL ME! THE E-8'S&9'S COULD ROLL! BUT THE WORKERS CARED LESS! EARL OF EL BARRIO NYC NY. SIGNING OFF. 5/2/19. 5:06 PM

It is indeed an F40, No. 260. (SDP40F's were in the 500-600 number series.) At 2:07 in the video at Harrisburg, PA which shows the diesels coming of the train you can get a good look at No. 260 and its tell tale B-B two-axle trucks. This video was filmed in 1978 by which time Amtrak was well on the way with replacement of the SDP40F that had been implicated in several derailments and were being returned to EMD to be made into F40s. Amtrak's first order of F40's (30 units) was in 1975 and entered service in April 1976 intended for shorter routes. However, In light of the SPD40F derailment issue and the need for more locomotives with HEP, the demand for more F40's grew rapidly as it became Amtrak's choice diesel locomotive. In spring of 1977, 40 SPP40F's were returned for conversion into F40's. Therefore, by the summer of 1978 there were a reasonable number of F40's on the Amtrak roster. New orders and more rebuilds followed.