Is the School Boy Special running this year?

[AmtrakFan]

Group,

Is the School boy special running again this year? I am asking because they steal our Midwestern Horizon's then makes the Midwest turn into Amtrak Distasterville for the weeks it runs lack of cars, people standing etc.

 

[Trogdor]

I don't know if they steal the "midwest's" Horizons. There are Horizons all over the place right now, particularly on the west coast (where they run extras for Thanksgiving on the Cascades and Surfliner routes). So, the situation wouldn't be all that worse than it is right now for the midwest.

 

[Miami Joe]

Haven't heard anything about the "School Boy" yet! :unsure:

I love the OT the SB provides, but they send the cars that need the alot of work or can't diagnose the defect!

MJ B)

 

[battalion51]

The cars usually start to come down to Miami for staging around Chrsitmas time. That'll be when we know for sure.

 

[AmtrakFan]

Haven't heard anything about the "School Boy" yet! :unsure:
I love the OT the SB provides, but they send the cars that need the alot of work or can't diagnose the defect!

MJ B)

Yes while we keep the good cars which there aren't many in the Horizon Fleet which are my least favorite car. Mr. Madison that is always true but considering all the woes from last winter that's why I typed that then again there wasn't as big of a west coast pool then.

 

[Amgrunt]

Haven't heard anything about the "School Boy" yet! :unsure:
I love the OT the SB provides, but they send the cars that need the alot of work or can't diagnose the defect!

MJ B)

Glad you like the OT. I'll remember that when I'm releasingthe train to you after coming in off of your trip!

 

[Conrail]

It is running

 

[Conrail]

sorry I was wrong

 

[Guest]

Word on the street has it like this. Supposedly on the days when the train runs 8 Horizon cars will be added to the back of what would be that day's 98 or 97, whichever the case may be. The train that runs will represent 98 or 97 schedule wise for the most part, but that's it. It looks like the train will be cancelled for normal passengers on those days.

 

[battalion51]

Can anyone confirm this? It sounds kind of out there based on what's happened in years past, but who knows with company. It does make sense on a couple of levels, they wouldn't have to bring on any extra T&E as they have in years past, since it requires 6 extra Conductors and 5 Engineers, not to mention deadhead time for just a one way trip. There will also be no extra OBS that would have to be called out, since I guess the sets would make their normal run on the counterpart trip. Be interesting to see if this holds water.

 

[AmtrakFan]

Wouldn't it be easier to combine the 2 to make 1 train?

 

[battalion51]

I guess that's what's being suggested. I'll be interested to see if it happens.

 

[trainboy325]

I highly doubt it. The School Board Special has been sponsored by the PTA of Palm Beach County schools for years and long before Amtrak even came into existance. It has always been a charter train and do to the unique runthrough nature of the train from WPB to WAS.

As for saving on OBS employees, it still takes a dedicated staff for the charter run because the girls and boys are separted in the Horizon Coaches, the chaperones get a sleeping car and the lounge is used as a buffet for the entire party. The train runs for 6 round trips. OBS worked it last year and my cousin got to take the trip last year. She loved the trip and the tour of Washington too, so got to learn about the School Board Special from both perspectives.

As for T&E, that is about the only thing you get to "save" by combining the trains, but again, I don't see the train's sponsors going for this combo deal anyway. <_<

 

[battalion51]

It looks like the train will be cancelled for normal passengers on those days.

Well it won't make to much of a difference if it's just the Safety Patrols on there, now will it? They'll be using an expanded Meteor consist, Meteor OBS, Meteor T&E, and a loose Meteor schedule if the Guest is correct. So it's still technically a charter, just with a heavy Meteor influence.