| The High Iron Rail Excursions "Southern Explorer" is blasting its way south along the UP Chester Sub, south of Dupo, on its way to its final destination--Paducah, KY very early in the morning. The train is being led by AMTK 184 and AMTK 19. AMTK 184 is one of the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Series locomotives, bearing the Phase IV paint scheme. The passenger cars are: ex-Union Pacific "Pacific Union," ex-Frisco "Cimarron River," ex-New York Central "Swift Stream," and ex-Frisco "Caritas." The colorful consist here reminds me of the so-called "rainbow era" that I remember from the early 1970's when Amtrak was in its infancy. |