Michigan Commuter Train

[zakc]

Attached is a picture Amt 500 and 6 of the 19 refurbished Michigan commuter cars, these are ex-Metra cars made in 1956. The static testing took place on 11/12/12 in Pontiac MI and the mobilization was done on 11/13 between Pontiac and Jackson Michigan. Everything went well and the cars rode great. They were returned to Durand on 11/14; the state plans on running special trains until a full service is implemented.

[jmlaboda]

There's still life in those old Budd cars and with proper care they should serve well for a number of years yet to come. Being built for the Burlington they have seen several rebuildings while in service out of Chicago but it proves that despite their age the cars still can be of use.

Amtrak continues to suffer from equipment shortages but had they taken proper steps to rebuild at least some of the older heritage cars that they use to have in use such shortages would have been taken care of. I don't buy the idea that the cars were too far gone to be rebuilt because of the cars that VIA acquired and rebuilt for continued use... even Metra has reaquired a few of the older smooth sided CNW cars that they had previously sold off and I believe that a great deal more could have been done in the short term had they not been so quick to rebuild leg-rest coaches into baggage/express.mail cars while casting off other cars that would have more appropriately fit the bill.

Funny to know that some of the cars Amtrak cast off and sold to VIA have recently reentered AMTK service short term on the Montrealer to help out because of equipment shortages. The cars are in better shape right now than they have been in several decades... its a shame that they hadn't been given a chance back while they were still on the roster.