Phase IV Heritage 184 – Norfolk Southern #BackBelt

A Heritage engine pulled the Crescent out of New Orleans (NOL) this morning (3-August). It’s been a while since one of the Heritage units led the long-haul route. The video is a bit short. I didn’t plan on recording the train this morning, but then I saw 184.

Amtrak moves a lot of equipment through New Orleans. So, with the schedule chaos since the appearance of the novel coronavirus, trains run non-standard. In early April, the Crescent’s consist was down to:

• Two P42 Genesis engines
• Two coaches
• Cafe car
• One sleeper
• Baggage/Dorm

The Crescent (Northbound #20) now runs three coaches and two sleepers. The diner car is gone for the foreseeable future, possibly permanently. The railroad set up remote ordering for food, via a phone app. Riders order from their seat/roomette/bedroom. When food is ready, the app notifies the rider. They return to their seat to eat.

The train still hauls the occasional deadhead car (extra bag-dorms lately), and occasionally a third engine.

Heritage Units

In 2011, Amtrak painted several P42DC engines in earlier liveries. These “Heritage” units still bear those colors. I can’t remember when AMTK 184 pulled the Crescent. Usually, the special-livery engines we see out of NOL are 130 (Phase II), and the 42, in the “Veterans” livery.