Amfleet maiden voyage card, 1975.

The first of the new single-level Amfleet cars went into revenue service on August 7, 1975, on the Statesman (Washington-Boston). Four days earlier, Amtrak invited employees and their families on a test run between Washington and Philadelphia to gauge reactions to the car interiors and the ride quality. This ticket not only guaranteed a spot on the train, but could also be kept as a memento of this special trip. Manufactured by the Budd Company, the Amfleet cars were based on the design of the popular Metroliners and were intended to replace older equipment purchased from the predecessor railroads. Covered in ridged stainless steel, the cars could achieve a top speed of 125 mph. The Amfleet cars came in five configurations: short- and long-distance coaches and cafe, dinette and club cars. Early advertisements touted the cars’ “dual temperature control system…plush carpeting…and wider, more comfortable reclining seats to relax in.” Of the original 492 Amfleet cars, approximately 440 were still in service as of early 2012. Under the Capstone Program, many were refurbished in the late 1990s and early 2000s at the Bear Shops. From the Ann Owens Collection.