| Amtrak GP40’s 650, 656, 657 and 658 were parked at New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal engine zone awaiting delivery to the Illinois Central. These were four of 15 GP40’s (650-664) Amtrak leased for two years from Helm Financial Services in May 1991. Amtrak assigned 12 of these locos (650-661) to the NOUPT diesel shop for use on the CRESCENT, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS and CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR, while the other three (662-664) were used on AUTO-TRAIN and based at Sanford, Florida. When their lease expired, Amtrak did not exercise its option to purchase the units, and most of the these were prepared for their return to Helm at NOUPT. These locos were then delivered to the IC for movement to VMV at Paducah, Kentucky. |