[NSL Fan]

On a fine Autum Day near Bridgeport on the Mointain Electric railroad, An Amtrak AEM7 rounds a curve with a train of Superliners. <_< ;) SUPERLINERS! AEM7! Somethings up.



Something is indeed up, but to tell of the AEM7 and Superliners, We must trek nearly a half century back, to an obscure passenger operation by the Great Northern. During the fifties and early sixtys, The Great Northern ran a short passenger train from a connection with the Empire Builder to Bridgeport, where passengers could connect to trains heading to Stanton and the Ski resorts. The train was very simple-An F-unit, a baggage car, 2 coaches, and a lounge. It ran daily. Here are a few historical photographs of the train taken by an anynomous photographer. The first show the train inbound rolling over the grade crossing past the yards.



The second photo shows the train idling in the Bridgeport station.



This Train was discontinued after about 1965, when passenger numbers could not support the train's operation.

Now skip ahead to the 90's. Amtrak found that a train could be supported year round to access the MTE and additional Traffic could be accessed to the Empire Builder through this train.

We find the train inbound crossing over the double loop to descend apon Bridgeport



Then the train crosses over itself, slowing for the speed limit through the yard.



Now in the early 2000's there is another Amtrak train. Same train, different stock. Phase III is gone, as well as the F40PH. Here is the train in Bridgepot, ready to leave for a connection with the Empire Builder.



A few minutes later, the train leaves MTE passsenger rails and heads for the tunnel and out of town





Now fastforward a few more years. Amtrak began to see the gold mine that the resorts up near Stanton for what they're worth. Amtrak approached the MTE with a proposal of running a Superliner to Stanton from Bridgeport. The MTE agreed, with the pretense that MTE motive power was used. a test train was run with mixed results.



The mail car was there as the MTE requested in the agreement that they wanted to attach a mail car to the train. The trouble was that the old P motor couldn't get the train up to speed. Enter the AEM7. The officials found that the speedy AEM7 was perfect for the train.



The details aren't set yet, but some time in the future, the train would run from the Empire Builder connection with the Superliners, back into Bridgeport, exchange electric for diesel power, and continue to Stanton. Who knows, we'll just have to see. ;)

NSl Fan

[PNWTransitFreak]

Nice series! Cute storyline! Finally, someone else who likes modern traction :o