Surprise! Gliding toward Harrisburg in the morning light west of the curves at Gap, Pa., was this unusual Amtrak extra.

To the untrained eye, this might seem like little more than a short keystone consist.

In fact, it was ACS-64 633 leading the track and catenary geometry test train. A special treat was Amfleet car 85999, dressed in the as-built 1970s-era paint. This curiosity of a half century ago was the former exhibit train cafe car. In the middle is a former Metroliner car 10005, followed by the Corridor Clipper car 10002 at the back.

Years ago, Conrail routinely assigned B23-7 1933 to its track geometry train. I wonder if Amtrak’s assignment of its 633 is a tribute to Conrail’s train, or if that was just a raw coincidence.

Conrail will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary in just a few more months.

Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!