Head-end power conversion at Beech Grove, 1980.
Black and white photograph showing cars undergoing conversion to head-end power at the Amtrak Beech Grove maintenance facility; image dates to 1980.
- Photograph Details
-
- Date Archived:
- July 31, 2013
- Geography:
- Midwest
- Decade:
- 1980s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Date Created:
- August 1980
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
On April 1, 1975, Amtrak purchased the Beech Grove, Ind., shops from the Penn Central Transportation Company. The need for a major repair facility that could accommodate all types of existing equipment—and the Amfleet and Superliner cars on order—was acute, and Amtrak immediately embarked on a five year, $22 million improvement plan to modernize the facility.
In the late 1970s, Amtrak began a program to convert older cars purchased from the predecessor railroads from steam-power to electric head-end power (HEP). According to the 1980 Amtrak Annual Report, a converted 12-car set saved the company approximately $250,000 a year in fuel, maintenance and yard support costs. Amtrak completed the head-end power conversion program in 1982.
The image above appeared in the August 1980 issue of Amtrak NEWS.
Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.
