Amtrak No. 1 on No. 380 at Highlands

There is something special about number one. Numero Uno often is used to designate the winner of something, often a sports team that won a championship.

Not many railroads have locomotives with roster numbers in the single digits. Most Amtrak locomotive roster numbers are three digits but an exception was made for the P42DC fleet, which began with No. 1

There is nothing out of the ordinary about P42DC No. 1 other than its number. Nonetheless, I was excited to see it leading the Illinois Zephyr past Highlands on the BNSF raceway in Chicago a few years ago.

Just over a year later I would see No. 1 again, this time in Portland Oregon. It would lead the Portland section of the Empire Builder eastward and I would ride behind it all the way to Chicago.

Tags: Amtrak, Amtrak Horizon coaches, Amtrak P42DC locomotives, Amtrak P42DC No. 1, Amtrak trains, Amtrak's Illinois Zephyr, Highlands Illinois, Illinois Amtrak routes, Illinois Amtrak trains, Illinois Zephyr