Amtrak Sunset Limited 2001-2002 Back to Florida
Big Bend Railroading Main page. Back to Amtrak
Florida Services Live Oak Fl; April 2001. Before the time springed forward the first weekend of April, I investigated
the possibility of intercepting the Westbound train East of Tallahassee.
The new schedule, implemented since last Summer, had the WB in Madison
at 19:00 and in Tallahassee at 20:45. During the winter times this was
not helping, but it was a lot better than the schedule of the late nineties
that put the train at around 2:00 in Tallahassee. This spring, the new
schedule meant that the run was in daylight over almost half of the Subdivision.
The first Tuesday after the change of time, I left for Live Oak right after
work and found the engine Amtrak 143 in the new paintscheme leading the
train. Even the AMbox car had the new logo on it. Unfortunately, the sun
disappears behind some late afternoon haze at the wrong moment.
Live Oak (NE), Fl; April 2001. A couple of weeks later, a cold front comes through the area and cleans
the skies up. So once again, after work I run to Live Oak. I catch it slowing
down for the slow order going under the I-10 bridge.
Live Oak, Fl; May 2001. The westbound on this Saturday evening is right on time, and actually
will get to Tallahassee, close to 1/2 early thanks to the lifting of a
few speed restrictions. For 4 years in a row, this portion of track has
gone through a complete uplift. I used to be able to keep up with trains
from US 90 without trying. Now, I make sure I roll up my window, so I don't
get to breathe the dust.
Drifton, Fl; April 2002. A very late P002 just met Q609. However, always very happy to see the
train as the atmosphere in Washington heats up. The Sunset Limited is on
the list of trains to be cut by the end of the fiscal year.
