Welcome to the page for the Power Car Project. As we complete this project, we look forward to sharing history and updates!

History

April 27, 2024 Inaugural run of the Power Car!

The Power Car is a former Amtrak 1165 Baggage Car that was built in 1953 by the Budd Company for the Santa Fe Railroad. It serves as the home for our 425-kilowatt Cummins diesel generator.

ASTA’s entire fleet of passenger equipment, representative of the last great era of passenger-car construction from the late 30s to early 50s are climate controlled. All that air-conditioning and heating, not to mention lighting and other needs, require a substantial amount of onboard electrical power.

Originally, each of our cars had its own diesel generator, but in 2011 the train was equipped with “head-end power,” in which a single generator provides 480-volt current to several cars through connecting cables. At present, a generator under the lounge car “Maurice Beckham” provides power for that car and five others. Several remaining cars still carry their own generators.

While the arrangement has generally worked well, the Beckham’s power output of 150 kilowatts keeps the generator working at 95% of its capacity all the time the train is on the road, compared to the usual recommended load of 80% of capacity.

The Power Car will replace this head-end power system, and will provide all the power needed to run our weekend excursions!

Restoration Videos

Restoration Updates

December 2024

This month, we have a unique opportunity to address the debris floating on the surface of the power car’s fuel tank. The 400-gallon tanks typically provide about 40 hours of runtime, and one weekend of the North Pole Flyer consumes roughly 35 hours. To make the most of this timing, we ran the tank down until it just began picking up air, allowing us to tackle the debris effectively. Using spare parts, we built a surface-skimming fuel polisher to clean out the tank. We’ll let it run overnight, aiming to remove as much trash as possible and ensure smoother operation moving forward.

November 2024

Mark and Bennie inspected the Power Car fuel system today and discovered the fuel pickup hose mostly obstructed. Cleaned of debris, but will require December maintenance! Bennie also reports the new injector pumps is working and we are ready to go for the North Pole Flyer!

Bennie and team got the new fuel injector pumps installed!

Bennie also noted that the power supply for the Marker Lights has an intermittent issue, so we moved the wires to the DC lights power supply for now.

The Power Car radiator skirt, and the B end gate and door were installed this month. We can now lock all but the A end door from the inside. The A end door has an outside combination lock.

August 2024

Mark and Chip fabricated and installed vital door supports on the Power Car radiator plenum!

July 2024

Another milestone passed! The power has been operating for over 100 hours since it has been added to the consist.

Additionally, internal work was done to ensure all 4 side doors are now able to be secured!

May 2024

Now that our volunteers have mastered the inner mechanical workings of the Power Car (ATCX 1244), it’s time to focus on the exterior aesthetics. Some of the exterior grab irons and stirrup steps are rusty and in need of a fresh coat of silver paint for weather protection. This will also enhance their visibility for our train crew’s safety. Check out the before and after pictures below.