As the last sun of a March day illuminates the Northeast Corridor at Trenton, New Jersey, Amtrak train 82, the Silver Star, slows for its station stop. This train represents the end of an era, with the last-ever steam heated Amtrak consist. Delayed by a strike at the Westinghouse Air Brake factory, the end of a large Amfleet order has arrived, allowing the retirement of the last legacy cars. Another “l(fā)ast” on today’s train is the last full-service dining car with a cooked-to-order menu, completing the initiation of the despised “Amfood” microwaved airline-style dinners. Although Amtrak’s last GG1’s had been retired the previous year, in a fitting move, Amtrak eschewed the usual E60’s in favor of a pair of borrowed NJ DOT GG1’s, including retro-painted PRR 4877, to usher out an era.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
