The 16:00 (4:00 pm) departure time for Amtrak train 313, the westbound Missouri River Runner, is approaching. In just under ten minutes, AMTK P42DC 66 will pull its four-car train away from the station here in St. Louis and head toward Kansas City, 283 miles (and 5 hours 40 minutes) to the west. Amtrak 66 is one of five locomotives painted in retro paint schemes (in this case, Amtrak’s Phase II paint scheme) to commemorate the carrier’s 40th anniversary in 2011. Sadly, on February 19, 2016, this locomotive would strike a semi-truck that drove around activated crossing gates, injuring two passengers and causing enough damage that this locomotive would be retired. The driver had previously been received three traffic citations including improper lane usage, stop arm violation and no proof of insurance. One would hope that he is no longer allowed to drive heavy vehicles!
