There’s three different models of Silverliners operating currently in revenue service. Each one of these units during the time were sold to different companies (PRR/RDG/PC/Conrail) back in the day when they were ordered. Their specifications vary per company due to their standards during that period of time, and also these units were manufacture by three different companies as well.
Photo Courtesy of Brandon S. (Philadelphia Transit Vehicles Manager)
Silverliner II – Built in 1963, by the Budd Company for PRR/Reading companies. These units shared the same characteristics as the Silverliner, however, several changes to note: These units weigh at 101,400 pounds compared to the 89,300 pounds on their previous model. Other changes is that addition of the GE phase angle control system. With higher horsepower motors of 624HP compared to 400HP motors on the Silverliners. Today, there are about 52 of these units left in revenue service, however, there’s only one unit that still has the “Pennsylvania” text engraved on the sides which is unit #269.
Photo Courtesy of Hermes Yoiti Hinuy,
from Sao Paulo SP
Silverliner aka Pioneer III – These units were built in 1958 by the BUDD Company for the Pennsylvania Railroad company (PRR). Unlike the other coaches at the time such as the blueliners. These coaches featured an aluminum shell. These units were also experimental, and were incompatible with their later counterparts (Silverliners II, III, IV), which sported MU couplers verses the knuckle couplers. Due these limitations, these units weren’t as lucrative as the rest of the Silverliner fleet. These units were retired roughly the same time as the blueliner fleet. In 1990, Amtrak mandated that all trains operating on the Northeast Corridor should have a Automatic Train Control Systems (ATC) forcely retiring these coaches.