On my way to the National Plug-in Day Event in Normal Illinois this year I came across this passenger rail car attached to Amtrak Texas Eagle. My first thought was this was some rich persons restored car. Private rail car owners can pay fees to run their cars on Amtrak routes.
As train left station I told a person I was talking to that they should pay attention to a rich persons car. Only much later did I find out how completely wrong I was. Yes – first clue should have been words on the rail car. Honestly I just thought it was an old fashioned restored car.
Turns out it’s a track testing rail car used by Federal Railroad Administration. Inside is a bunch of technology that is collecting data on condition of tracks. Process is supposed to automate much of the data collection and in theory provide more accurate results.
I don’t recall ever seeing anything like this before. So I just made an assumption of what it was from previously seeing private cars in use. Of course I was wrong and definitely learned something new.
Rail Car DOTX 221 is part of Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP).
Book your next rail vacation or business trip
Amtrak Passenger Rail Stations Museums Trolleys High Speed Rail Commuter Trains
My articles / videos related to Midwest High Speed Rail Association
Book your hotel plane ticket car rental vacation cruise business trip
A good way to get killed by Amtrak Texas Eagle
Wheelchair out runs Amtrak Lincoln Service Springfield Illinois
Amtrak Hoosier State passenger or rail trespasser Dyer Indiana
Illinois State University students playing chicken with Union Pacific train
Railroad Crossing STOP Look Listen
Amtrak employees must think this is safe Lincoln Service 305
Charter Wire Manufacturing private business passenger rail cars Milwaukee Wisconsin
Norfolk Southern #5 Maryland private rail car attached to Amtrak Capitol Limited 29
Ride in Your Privately-Owned Train Cars to See North America on Amtrak
Private Railroad Passenger Cars for Charter Luxurious Rail Travel
Private Rail Cars Amtrak Rail Discussion
Private railroad car – Wikipedia
Pictures of DOTX 221 Owner USDOT/Federal Railroad Administration
RARE!! AEM-7 No. 905 Pulls FRA DOTX No. 221 & DOTX No. 220
Amtrak Chicago Maintenance Facility with FRA Cars DOTX 220 & 221
Q001 w/ DOTX 221, two CSX ACes lead Q400
Texas Eagle with DOTX 221 car on rear Little Rock
The World’s Best Photos of dotx
AMTK 518 pulls up next to the wash racks at the Locomotive Facility in Chicago with two Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety cars (DOTX 220 & DOTX 221)
DOTX # 220 FRA – RailroadForums
Unique Equipment Sightings Thread (incl. Private Vehicles)
FRA DOTX 221 Amtrak-Police-Little Rock September 27, 2013
History of Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP)
High Speed Research Car T-16 Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administration – Wikipedia
FRA Federal Railroad Administration
Private rail car owners enjoy ‘yachts on tracks’
Privately Owned Train Cars A Better Way to see America