Anyone Traveling California Zephyr in new Winter Consist

[Tennessee Traveler]

I don't remember if an exact date was given but the baggage and crew transition car are to be returned by early March.

 

[VentureForth]

Are they going to spend extra time on the out-of-service units for service to prepare them for the Spring, or are the maintenance facilities backed up regardless of what's out and running?

This is a great opportunity to deep clean an do minor refurbishing if they have the man power.

 

[SteveSFL]

I'm on 6(26) right now and this is the consist:

P42 (129)

P42 (191)

Baggage car

Sightseer Lounge

Coach

Coach/baggage

Dining car

Sleeper

Sleeper

Also, they've installed some sort of shield over the door on the front of the sightseer lounge. I guess that keeps the fumes from coming in. I didn't smell any fumes at all but it does limit the view somewhat. See photo.

 

[PaulM]

Any report on the SW Chief consist? Same as the Zephyr?

I asked this question of the ticket agent in Oceanside, CA on 1/23; and he said sleepers on the rear. I forgot to ask about the SSL and he didn't volunteer.

 

[NativeSon5859]

On 3(25) now...

P42

P42

Horizon Coach (dead head?)

Baggage Car

Trans Dorm

Sleeper

Sleeper

Diner

Lounge

Coach

Coach Baggage

 

[PaulM]

Let me see. So far we have:

Photographed CZ 7(13): normal 8 car winter consist
Proclaimed for CZ on 1/15: coaches, SSL, Diner, sleepers
Rider report CZ #6 1/15: sleepers, diner, SSL, coaches
Eye witness CZ 6(15) 1/15: SSL, ?.
YouTube video CZ 6(15) posted 1/17: SSL, coaches, diner, sleepers (several posts agree with this one)
Rider report CZ 6(26) 1/16: bag, SSL, coaches, diner, sleepers
Station agent re SWC 1/22: sleepers on rear
rider SWC 3(25) 1/26: normal winter consist with dead head horizon coach

Does Amtrak use a pair of dice to determine what consist to send out?

 

[Agent]

A bit of an update: #6(07) came through Ottumwa today with the sightseer lounge back in the middle of the train. Looks to be a permanent change back,since I saw a report of it middle of a couple other Zephyrs as well.

 

[Agent]

#6(09) came by today with a trans dorm. Looks like thing are back to normal, and about half a month sooner than it was supposed to.




EDIT: Perhaps I spoke too soon. #6(10) didn't have a trans dorm today and with a shield over the coach door.

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Thanks, Agent, My next CZ trip is late May. I really look forward to checking out your almost daily YouTube postings. Do you live close to where you take these videos? I am planning a road trip from Nashville to Champaign and Galesburg, IL last week of April just to rail fan.

 

[KmH]

#6(09) came by today with a trans dorm. Looks like thing are back to normal, and about half a month sooner than it was supposed to.

Is that Agency City crossing in the video Hazel St., with you set up next to the tracks behind the baseball field?

I'm making plans to shoot some video of the CZ after we switch to DST from the overpass north of Chillicothe (Chillicothe Rd.)

I'm still learning how to recognize the various cars. So was the consist?:

P42 (202)

P42 (146)

Heritage baggage car

Transition Sleeper

Baggage/Coach

Coach

SSL

Dining car

Sleeper

Sleeper

 

[Agent]

Thanks, Agent, My next CZ trip is late May. I really look forward to checking out your almost daily YouTube postings. Do you live close to where you take these videos? I am planning a road trip from Nashville to Champaign and Galesburg, IL last week of April just to rail fan.

You're welcome. I live close enough.

Is that Agency City crossing in the video Hazel St.,

Yes.

I'm making plans to shoot some video of the CZ after we switch to DST from the overpass north of Chillicothe (Chillicothe Rd.)

This one?

I'm still learning how to recognize the various cars. So was the consist?:

P42 (202)

P42 (146)

Heritage baggage car

Transition Sleeper

Baggage/Coach

Coach

SSL

Dining car

Sleeper

Sleeper

Yes.

 

[KmH]

I'm making plans to shoot some video of the CZ after we switch to DST from the overpass north of Chillicothe (Chillicothe Rd.)

This one?

I figured you would know exactly where I was referring to.

I've not been there before. It's about a 1.5 hour drive from where I live.

I may make a day of it and catch the 6 in the morning, and the 5 in the evening.

 

[John]

Train 5(21) out of Chicago today for some reason had 2 Lounge cars. Any idea why?

It was

Locomotive

Locomotive

Baggage

Lounge

Coach

Coach

Lounge

Diner

Sleeper

Sleeper

Is this something new or are they deadheading an extra Lounge?

 

[Agent]

Is this something new or are they deadheading an extra Lounge?

Well, it is new. I suppose it could be deadheading. I also see that this train is running about three and a half hours late right now. Wonder if that that's related to this.

 

[KmH]

Apparently the #5 was late leaving CHI yesterday. I'm not privy as to why.

I checked about 2:30 pm, 30 minutes after it's scheduled departure, and Track A Train was showing the #5 as 2 hours late then.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would think if a SSL was being deadheaded to the Starlight it would have gone on either the Chief or Builder to get it to one of the end points.

 

[inthegauge]

Trains are back to normal beginning #5 2/25 out of CHI and #6 2/28 out of OAK, with crew cars and two coaches until April, when the CZ will get a third coach.

Consist:

2 motors

Bag car

Dorm

2 coaches

Lounge

Diner

2 sleepers

 

[Ryan]

Yay! Glad to see the predictions of the end of the world to be a little premature.

 

[jnismith]

Sounds absolutely perfect. I will be in the Sleeper next to the diner and close to the lounge and the "rail fan" window. Can't wait

 

[KmH]

Let me see if I have this right.

The normal consist on the CZ is

P42 DC

P42 DC

Heritage Baggage

0540 - 0640 Superliner Transition sleeper berth

0510 - 0610 Superliner Coach

0511 - 0611 Superliner Coach

0512 - 0612 Superliner Coach

Superliner Sightseer Lounge

Superliner Diner

0531 - 0631 Superliner Sleeper

0532 - 0632 Superliner Sleeper

during summer high season 0530 - 0630 Superliner Sleeper

The 'railfan window' is at the tail end of the last Amtrak car in the consist.

If any - private cars then are hooked on, and private cars may obscure part of the 'railfan window'.

I wonder?

Do they always couple the XX31 sleeper to the Diner with Roomettes 9 & 10 leading, or do the Bedrooms sometimes lead the car.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

You can still see pretty well out the Railfan Window if there are Privates and if one happens to be a Dome, you can wave at the folks in it

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Everytime I have traveled on the 631 car the bedrooms end has been entrance to dining car. As has been stated many many times the directional alignment of sleeping cars is not a standard direction. In fact the directional alignment of the sleeping cars are 50/50 each direction. Yet saying this, I've never rode a sleeper with the roomettes leading into the dining car. I've always had to pass the bedrooms to get to the dining car from my roomette.

 

[chakk]

Let me see if I have this right.

I wonder?

Do they always couple the XX31 sleeper to the Diner with Roomettes 9 & 10 leading, or do the Bedrooms sometimes lead the car.

I have seen and ridden in the xx31 sleeper both ways -- with roommettes leading or bedrooms leading. In other words, it's a crap shot of what you will get.

 

[illinoisandy]

This information is a few days old but still thought would pass along recent # 5 and # 3 consists.

Rode # 5 on Monday (2/23) NPV to GBB and the consist was:

2 P42 locomotives

Heritage baggage car

2 coaches (1 was a baggage/coach)

SSL

Dining car

2 sleepers

The most interesting item was the front facing “rail fan window” had a plywood with Plexiglas window “contraption” in front of the door. I did not smell any diesel odors or feel any drafts while taking a look ahead.

Then watched # 3 come through and the Consist was:

2 P42 locomotives

Heritage baggage car

2 Sleepers ( no transition sleeper)

Dinning car

SSL

2 coaches (1 was a baggage/coach)

 

[PaulM]

Trains are back to normal beginning #5 2/25 out of CHI and #6 2/28 out of OAK, with crew cars and two coaches until April, when the CZ will get a third coach.

Consist:

2 motors

Bag car

Dorm

2 coaches

Lounge

Diner

2 sleepers

I'm just trying to keep score.

This must be the new normal. In early January, before the reduction, the sleepers were on the front. Also, since you don't mention a coach-baggage, I assume the baggage car is being used. The 1/30 and 2/5 eastbound SWC was back to the norm consist except one of the coaches was a coach-baggage that was being used for baggage and the baggage car was deadheading.