RTL Turboliner in the countryside, 1970s.
Color film slide showing an RTL Turboliner passing through the countryside; image probably dates to the late 1970s.
- Film Slide Details
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- Date Archived:
- June 7, 2016
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
The RTL Turboliner trainsets were based on the earlier RTG Turboliners, which were in turn developed from the French ANF gas-turbine T 2000 RTG "Turbotrain" trainsets. Capable of reaching speeds up to 125 mph, the RTGs were first introduced on the Chicago-St. Louis route in late 1973 and soon spread to other Midwestern routes.
Built by Rohr Industries, the RTL Turboliners were delivered to Amtrak in 1976-77 for use in upstate New York on the Empire Service (New York-Albany-Buffalo) and Adirondack (New York-Montreal). They were modified from the RTG units to include American couplers and standard 480 volt head end power. To access Grand Central Terminal in New York City, the RTLs were also equipped for third rail electric operation. Amtrak built a separate maintenance facility in Rensselaer, N.Y. to service the Turboliners.
Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection (Marketing Library).
