ATLANTA, Ill. — Severe weather and equipment shortages sometimes lead to atypical events on the nation’s rail passenger operator. A case in point was Monday’s northbound Amtrak Texas Eagle, train No. 22, shown in Atlanta, Ill., about 20 miles southwest of Bloomington, with P32-7BWH No. 518 leading heritage-painted P42DC No. 161. The 518 was part of Amtrak’s first new power order since its acquisition of F40PHs, which began in 1975. The 20-unit order in 1990-91 for the four-axle, 3,200-hp General Electrics was later followed by orders for GE’s P40 and P42 locomotives. Once mainline power, the P32-8BWH (also known as a Dash 8-32BWH) today mostly see action as yard switchers or work-train power. The same two locomotives had taken the Eagle south on Christmas Eve.
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