Pennsylvania Railroad Metroliner 1967 Postcard

From www.railphotoexpress.biz; Coming at 160 MPH Built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The Metroliner program was originally a partnership between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the US DoT The first two test vehicles were delivered for testing in 1968 with PRR livery. The Penn Central merger later that year resulted in the remainder of the cars being delivered with the PC logo, although the PRR specified gray paint with red pinstripes was retained around the windows. In 1968 the prototype pair of Metroliners achieved a top speed of 164 miles per hour on a series of test runs around Princeton Junction, NJ,but teething troubles with the ambitious technology prevented the start of actual Passenger service until 1969. Furthermore, due to the condition of the track and signal system the Federal Railroad Administration only permitted to travel at speeds between 100 miles per hour and 125 miles per hour on the main line between Washington and New York. Still, this was much faster than any Passenger train then running in North America and provided a level of speed, comfort and amenities that could compete with the airline shuttles. The Budd Metroliner car was a married pair electric multiple unit ("EMU") passenger train designed for first-class, high-speed service on the Pennsylvania Railroad's route between New York City and Washington, DC. Built between 1968 and 1969, they operated in service on the Penn Central beginning in early 1969 and continuing under Amtrak after the latter's 1971 creation. Originally operated with self-powered electric multiple unit cars, which were later replaced with locomotive-hauled trainsets due to their vastly decreasing reliability. Metroliner service was discontinued on 27 October 2006.