The Metroliner After Life. When the Pennsylvania Railroad ordered 61 Metroliner Electric MU cars from Budd in 1966, it likely could not have been imagined that 57 years later that they would still be running. The cars ran with limited success after initial delivery of cars in 1969, but a significant rebuild just a few year later improved reliability. The EMU concept fell out of favor as Amtrak opted to instead purchase AmFleet cars and AEM-7s. The Metroliners were retired, and some converted to non-powered cab cars by Amtrak still operate in Keystone and Springfield Line service. Within 12 hours on March 2-3, 2023, it was possible to see the two operable cars that are no longer in regular passenger service within just a few miles of each other. Amtrak 9800 (Metroliner/First Class Conference Car) operates in charter service or special moves while U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Railroad Administration DOTX 216 performs track inspections.

First Class. Just after midnight on March 3, 2023, AMTK 9800 (née-Penn Central 863, Budd, 1967) arrived in New York Penn Station in New York, NY on an Amtrak sports charter. This car was once a snack bar coach, and was converted to this configuration as a non-powered cab car, subsequently having its controls removed. The Capital Building/Washignton D.C. logos appear to be a recent addition.