'Tis Only a Matter of Time...

[Daylight4449]

Passenger trains on 18 inch are fine with Athearn cars, especially their streamlined.

[Guilford Guy]

Athearn cars have Talgo mounted couplers, and did you ever notice that horrific gap that occurs between the 2 cars at a curve? Last time I checked you don't have to jump 10ft to get a breakfast or lunch...

[Santa Fe buff]

I have two Athearn cars, both Amtrak. One is a Louge Visa-Dome, the other is a simple U.S. mail car. But oddly, they're pretty close. On my 18" radii track, the inside conners are close together. Also, the coupler on these aren't like Talgos, but I might be wrong, perhaps I got some different couplers. But these are Athearn Ready-To-Roll cars. But due to the terrible coupling power of these cars, I'm buy some spring-loaded Kadees. They are so bad, they decouple on a perfectly measured and fit straight, even with aligned couplers... I can't wait until I get some Kadees. The box on the Louge Visa-Dome is so terrible, the coupler actually kept just popping off, therefore leaving the car, (Usually the last car), stalled out, unless on a hill! But I don't have any- yet. I went through 3 couplers because of that box, 1 got lost, 2 got crushed. By the way, I think they want to add exercise with everyday activities, it's a new Athearn Fit-Car- Except if you fall, I'm sure you'll be missing lunch/breakfast.

[Conrail Quality]

The freighters wait while Amtrak roll by.

That's not prototypical, unfortunately. It's always the opposite in real life.

Timothy

[Santa Fe buff]

Oh well, seems like that out here. I aways see trains waiting in yards, mainlines, and other things, and move after the Amtrak rushes by...

[RAM]

Some railroads are better then others when it come to Amtrak.  I know the S.P. was real bad about making you wait until they got their trains by. 

[Santa Fe buff]

I'm glad Canadian National is more polite then! 

[Guilford Guy]

You should see Guilford! Surprisingly the Downeaster has one of the best On Time Percentages.

[Santa Fe buff]

Really? Wow, cool, glad Guilford has such a good reputation!

[SteamGene]

Talgo is the mounting - on the truck - not the coupler. 
Gene

[pdlethbridge]

GG, but the downeaster is no way near as fast as the Flying Yankee was

[Santa Fe buff]

Not many trains were faster then the Flying Yankee.

[Guilford Guy]

I know, but atleast it isn't delayed. I wonder if Amtrak could lease the F-Y on weekend runs in the summer! That would boost day tripper ridership! Maybe not, but it would be "Mad Chill Yo."

[Santa Fe buff]

Perhaps sometime in the future, it's currently undergoing a serious refurbishment.

http://www.flyingyankee.com/

[Paul M.]

Okay, on the subject of Amtrak being on time, here the Texas Eagle is on time fairly often. BNSF seems to be better at it than UP, but they're getting better...