Does anyone know the status of the Caltrans Comet IB cars?

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Subject line says it all... I know they mentioned two prototypes estimated to be completed in late December 2012/early January 2013. Does anyone know the status of the 14 Comet IB cars set to be sent over to Amtrak California for San Joaquin service as well as the retrofitted Horizon Dinette's and NPCU's? Been a while since I've heard anything about them, but then again they aren't exactly putting out press releases front and center about using used rail cars from the late 60's!

The purpose of the cars is to allow some of the bi-level California cars to be re-allocated to the other Amtrak California Routes until the new car deliveries start coming in around 2015-2016.
 
From Amtrak on Facebook:
Our great employees at Beech Grove are proud to show you the first completed car in the Comet Car Project. They turned this used New Jersey Transit cab car into a completely refurbished coach car for Caltrans in California. Like this if you love an American company that reduces and reuses!


398852_10151463357309014_1547486152_n.jpg
 
The first of the rebuilt NPCU's arrived in Oakland earlier this month. If you search the forums there is a picture posted.

Caltrans is going for an interesting look on these trains. The NPCU is in a retro Caltrain livery. The dark blue stripe on this Comet IB is similar to the current livery but those color stripes are almost an homage to their former lives with New Jersey Transit.
 
Remember that these cars, although called Comet 1B, have nothing to do with the Comet Cars or the Horizon Cars. They were originally created by depowering Arrow II EMUs. That's why in NJ they were colloquially known as Comarrows.
 
Has there been any interior shots of these cars posted to the net yet? I'd love to see if they look at all decent or if they still have that overworked and undercleaned look about them. I read somewhere else on this forum that the interiors had been redone similar to other California cars, but would be interested to see how they did it.
 
Hmm. I still haven't figured out what, exactly, California's plans are.

IIRC (and I may not), currently:

- California uses "California car" bilevels on the San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor

- California uses "Surfliner" and "California Car" bilevels *and* Amfleets *and* borrowed rebuilt Superliner bilevels on the Pacific Surfliner

I believe California wanted to get a fleet of all Surfliners/California Cars on the Pacific Surfliner.

Now, these rebuilt "Comet IB" cars, along with NPCUs and Horizon cafes, will be going on the San Joaquins.

So what exactly is the equipment cascade? Do the San Joaquin bilevels go to the Pacific Surfliner to replace the Amfleets? Then where do the Amfleets go? How about the Superliner cars? Does anyone know?
 
Hmm. I still haven't figured out what, exactly, California's plans are.
IIRC (and I may not), currently:

- California uses "California car" bilevels on the San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor

- California uses "Surfliner" and "California Car" bilevels *and* Amfleets *and* borrowed rebuilt Superliner bilevels on the Pacific Surfliner

I believe California wanted to get a fleet of all Surfliners/California Cars on the Pacific Surfliner.

Now, these rebuilt "Comet IB" cars, along with NPCUs and Horizon cafes, will be going on the San Joaquins.

So what exactly is the equipment cascade? Do the San Joaquin bilevels go to the Pacific Surfliner to replace the Amfleets? Then where do the Amfleets go? How about the Superliner cars? Does anyone know?
I believe, but not certain, that one plan is to provide for one to two more round-trip frequencies on the SJ route. In turn, reduce the double-decker California Car consists on the SJ by one car each, then reallocate those now "freed" cars onto both the San Joaquin and the Capitol Corridor so that more of the overall CalCar fleet could be taken from service for overhauling. Think about it, the oldest of the CalCars are now approaching 20 years of age (SHOCKING!) and need to be rebuilt.

As for the Pacific Surfliner fleet? Your guess is as good as mine since, in essence, that is an orphaned fleet separate from the SJ and the CC fleet.
 
Total of twelve cars and 3 baggage/control cars from modified locomotives will be assigned to the Oakland maint. Facility. The rumor around the crew bases is that these cars will replace two existing San Joaquin sets and the displaced 8xxx series California cars will be distributed among the capital corridor. The 6xxx series cars in ca paint will go to LA as that is where the parts for the Surfliner (6xxx) series cars are.

Again this is just a rumor, can't say it as fact until something actually happens. I would imagine that superliner cars in case and surfliner colors will remain in case corridor service until the lease between Amtrak and California expires.
 
No additional frequencies are to be added. One set (seven Comet cars plus a diner and NPCU, noting that Comet cars have lower seating capacity than a bi-level) will be used on the 711/718 turn. The four cars normally on that set then get broken up and redistributed to the other trains. This would happen near May. The same would happen for the next set which would be in operation around Thanksgiving.
 
No additional frequencies are to be added. One set (seven Comet cars plus a diner and NPCU, noting that Comet cars have lower seating capacity than a bi-level) will be used on the 711/718 turn. The four cars normally on that set then get broken up and redistributed to the other trains. This would happen near May. The same would happen for the next set which would be in operation around Thanksgiving.
Correct, as far as I know, and with the huge caveat that the plan is very much subject to change.

Of course Beech Grove is behind schedule, as they always are, so don't be supprised if the first set finally starts service in June or later.
 
Hmm. I still haven't figured out what, exactly, California's plans are.
IIRC (and I may not), currently:

- California uses "California car" bilevels on the San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor

- California uses "Surfliner" and "California Car" bilevels *and* Amfleets *and* borrowed rebuilt Superliner bilevels on the Pacific Surfliner
For those keeping track at home, the current status is:

Capitol Corridor / San Joaquins: 66 Caltrans California Cars (8xxx), 12 Caltrans Surfliner Cars (6x6x), misc Superliners

Pacific Surfliners: 38 (Orig 39) Amtrak Surfliner Cars (6x0x / 6x1x), 10 Caltrans Surfliner Cars (6x5x), misc Superliners, misc Amfleets and Horizons

The Superliners, Amfleets, Horizons (minus the Comet set diners) and maybe the Comets (and Horizon diners) will go away once the new Bi-Levels show up, but not before that (barring those required by lease agreements).
 
No additional frequencies are to be added. One set (seven Comet cars plus a diner and NPCU, noting that Comet cars have lower seating capacity than a bi-level) will be used on the 711/718 turn. The four cars normally on that set then get broken up and redistributed to the other trains. This would happen near May. The same would happen for the next set which would be in operation around Thanksgiving.
Correct, as far as I know, and with the huge caveat that the plan is very much subject to change.

Of course Beech Grove is behind schedule, as they always are, so don't be supprised if the first set finally starts service in June or later.
One correction, sorry.

There's only 14 Comet cars, operating two sets of 7 would mean no spares for Bad Ordered (B/O) cars, and no cars to rotate through Planed / Preventative Maintenance (PM). There will be 4-5 Comets per set, the only time you'll see 6 or 7 is for surges like the Thanksgiving holliday rush.
 
For the low ridership 711/718 pair four cars should be sufficient for most days.
 
From what I heard it should have left today on 5(1) for an arrival into the Oakland Yard on April 3rd. Should be a coach car renumbered to 5008 located just in front of the baggage car and behind the locomotives.
 
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Well #5 was delayed over an hour and half before it got to me, so darkness had fallen when it finally got here. I did my best, but I'm not that experienced with night shooting.

 
I'm planning on making a trip to SAC tomorrow to try and catch a picture as it pulls into the station. We'll see if I can manage it.
 
Current estimate into SAC is 10:16pm... Just over 8 hours late. Too bad it will be dark... I'm taking the CC home from work into the station that arrives around 10:15pm so if the lighting and angle are good Ill try to get a picture.

As a side note the NPCU unit is on trains 712/717 today on a test run attached to the cab car. It lead heading south/east on train 712 and will be trailing this afternoon/evening on train 717 if anyone is out and about :)
 
Hmm. I still haven't figured out what, exactly, California's plans are.
IIRC (and I may not), currently:

- California uses "California car" bilevels on the San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor

- California uses "Surfliner" and "California Car" bilevels *and* Amfleets *and* borrowed rebuilt Superliner bilevels on the Pacific Surfliner

I believe California wanted to get a fleet of all Surfliners/California Cars on the Pacific Surfliner.

Now, these rebuilt "Comet IB" cars, along with NPCUs and Horizon cafes, will be going on the San Joaquins.

So what exactly is the equipment cascade? Do the San Joaquin bilevels go to the Pacific Surfliner to replace the Amfleets? Then where do the Amfleets go? How about the Superliner cars? Does anyone know?
I'm fairly certain that the California Cars are not in use on the Surfliner service. These cars, the first batch that arrived, have the cafe on the upper level, and every Surfliner car set in SoCal has the same cafe arrangement.
 
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