Horizon (railcar)
| Horizon | |
|---|---|
 Amtrak Horizon car #54524 passing through Webster Groves, Missouri in 2007. |
|
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Transportation |
| Constructed | 1988-1989 |
| Number built |
104:
|
| Operator | Amtrak |
| Specifications | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Horizon is a single-level rail car used by Amtrak, primarily on short-haul corridor routes. Bombardier Transportation built 104 of the cars in 1988–1989 based on the Comet II commuter coach design.[1][2]
Contents |
History [edit]
Bombardier Transportation manufactured 104 Horizon-type cars for Amtrak: 86 coaches and 18 cafe cars.[3]:132-133 The first Horizon cars entered service in April, 1989.[4] In 1994 Amtrak considered ordering a further 23 cars to replace the gas-turbine Turboliner trainsets on the Empire Corridor but continuing budget woes prevented this.[5]:40-7
Design [edit]
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (March 2013) |
One of the main differences between the Horizon and Comet car types is that the Horizon cars have outboard bearing railroad trucks, while the Comet cars have inboard bearing trucks. In contrast to the various Comet configurations, all Horizon cars have manual side doors at each end of the car and automatic end doors.
Horizon cars are similar in use and furnishing to Amtrak's Amfleet cars. The cars' interior layout varies somewhat from the Amfleet cars, because the Horizon has a rectangular side shape, while the Amfleet has rounded side shape. Both coach and food service car configurations exist.
Usage [edit]
Amtrak's Horizon passenger cars primarily are used on trains in Amtrak's Chicago division, serving the Midwest of the United States.
References [edit]
- ^ Trainweb.org Amtrak roster page
- ^ Horizon car numbers
- ^ Solomon, Brian (2004). Amtrak. MBI. ISBN 0-7603-1765-8.
- ^ Stephenson, Dick (July 1989). "Amtrak/Passenger". Pacific RailNews (308): 13–14.
- ^ U. S. Industrial Outlook, 1994. DIANE Publishing. 1994.
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Horizon passenger cars |
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