You point out that lots of modern Amtrak equipment is available these dyas thanks to Kato and Atlas. But it wasn't always lke this. Back around 1980, when I first got started in N-Scale it wasn't so easy. In fact it was doenright difficult to even simulate Amtrak service. Bu it could be doned if you didn't mind using a Minitrix locomotive that didn't look like anytheing Amtrak ever had. I bought one and it still operates when I decide to use it as its motor ison its last legs.

Passengercars were easier as Trix made a set of 3 cars that Amtrak did operate as part of its heritage fleet. these included a coach, a boat tail observation car and an dome onservation car. They looked nice behind the Trix engine I wrote about above.

One could also find full length observation cars made by Bachman and they wre nice too. I bought three of these and together with the Trix cars I had a 7 car pasenger train which was puled by the Trix locomotive in Amtrak markings. Still something was missing. IN the 1970s Amtrak operated a few GG-1s and ther was nomodle of it in Amtrak markings. But if one wanted a Metroliner one had to get the Bachman versions isnce it was the only game in town. I wold like to tell yo that it ran great, but that would be lie. When it ran it was noisy and didn't behave anythings like one wanted. BUt that was a matr problem which coldn't easily be solved unlee one was able to get a better notor and make it fit into the power car. It still sitsin my drawer and it hasn't been run since 1986 and it isn't worth repairing.

So tha is pretty much what I have in terms of Amtrak equipment. However back in 2008, I did buy a pair of F40PHs made by Kato. They've been converted to DCC using Digitrax decoders and they run very nicelywhen pulling my original 7 Amtrak passenger cars. I also have an Amtrak car made by Arnold which had to be remachied so that it would sit closer to the tracks and fit my other passenger cars. Please note that zI had vonverted all of my original Amtrak stuff Kadee/Microtrains couplers before I left model rairoading in 1987, so they wre ready to run in 2008 when I came back to the hobby after goig into semi-retirement.

So, if you are modeling Amtrak these days, you can consider yourselves lucky because it easy today. Thoseof us who tried it even a few years ago had trouble doing it.

Irv