Pacific Parlor Car Fire 11/9/15

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Apparently started in Battery compartment. My question is will they pull all of the PCC's and inspect? or just take them off the rails for good?

Pic Credit: Brian Bothun

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Thank goodness there was no major damage to this Jewel and Amtrak didn't have to pull all of the PPCs out of service!☺

But with parts for these Ancient Warriors now scarce to no-existant and maintence an expensive proposition, these beauties won't be around much longer!

If you haven't yet ridden in one, catch it while you can!

And I'm curious about the Fire Chiefs comment about the Batteries providing Lighting and AC for the PPC! Aren't they there as back-up to the HEP??
 
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I have been able to enjoy these classics both as a PPC and as a pre-PPC Lounge; compared to the Superliners the Hi-Levels are built like a Brick you-know-what!
 
Bob Dylan said:
Thank goodness there was no major damage to this Jewel and Amtrak didn't have to pull all of the PPCs out of service!☺

But with parts for these Ancient Warriors now scarce to no-existant and maintence an expensive proposition, these beauties won't be around much longer!

If you haven't yet ridden in one, catch it while you can!

And I'm curious about the Fire Chiefs comment about the Batteries providing Lighting and AC for the PPC! Aren't they there as back-up to the HEP??
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They aren't qualified on the equipment. It is a reasonable guess.
 
Bob Dylan said:
Thank goodness there was no major damage to this Jewel and Amtrak didn't have to pull all of the PPCs out of service!☺

But with parts for these Ancient Warriors now scarce to no-existant and maintence an expensive proposition, these beauties won't be around much longer!

If you haven't yet ridden in one, catch it while you can!

And I'm curious about the Fire Chiefs comment about the Batteries providing Lighting and AC for the PPC! Aren't they there as back-up to the HEP??
Click to expand...
Among the many ways to convert a pre HEP are:

1. Gut out and replace anything electrical with a 480 3 phase/277/220/110 volt system (or whatever the reduced voltages are). Batteries are now standby only and power an AC inverter.

2. Keep the old 32 vdc electrical (quick, easy, initially cheap), just removing the old axle generators. Then just keep the batteries charged with a transformer/rectifier setup to run the lights and AC. And as the old 32volt stuff gets harder and harder to find you have a maintenance headache.

My guess is there is at least some or all of number two in the PPC... and the bat chief was right.
 
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight. Here are a few pictures:
2uCfFCn.jpg


ccC7o9c.jpg


S2Rtawg.jpg
 
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As an experienced Amtrak electrician that has worked on all of the former Santa Fe hilevel cars. I can tell you that the batteries are only used for emergency lighting, doors and intercom systems. They are 64 volt DC ni-cad. The same as the Superliner and are charged using the same battery charger that the Superliner I uses. They are in no way capable of powering any of the HVAC systems. The system must be operational for a train to be dispatched, the batteries are an essential item.
 
desertflyer said:
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight.
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That's interesting. The fire was on the northbound 14 yesterday. Shouldn't have directly affected today's 14. Maybe they are holding the PPCs back?

Edited - duh, it was the NB 14, not 11 - no such thing. My typo.
 
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Ni Cads? They're not know for burning at all. Probably a fault in the (ancient) wiring in the battery area either directly caused a fire or shorted the battery pack causing to overheat, igniting material in the area. I guess we ought to be glad they aren't using lithium's, they can burn. Once I inadvertently shorted a cheapo pack I'd bought to recharge cell phones - now that was a sight to behold. Mrs SP&S was not pleased! :eek:hboy: Fortunately she understands the batteries in our car are better protected.

At some time the parlours will be considered to cost more to maintain than they are worth. Ride the CS while you can and see Amtrak's last vestige of the golden age.
 
oldtimer said:
As an experienced Amtrak electrician that has worked on all of the former Santa Fe hilevel cars. I can tell you that the batteries are only used for emergency lighting, doors and intercom systems. They are 64 volt DC ni-cad. The same as the Superliner and are charged using the same battery charger that the Superliner I uses. They are in no way capable of powering any of the HVAC systems. The system must be operational for a train to be dispatched, the batteries are an essential item.
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Thanks... I was guessing as to how the conversions were done.

At least the batteries were not essential enough so the SSL had to be removed from the train.
 
SP&S said:
Ni Cads? They're not know for burning at all. Probably a fault in the (ancient) wiring in the battery area either directly caused a fire or shorted the battery pack causing to overheat, igniting material in the area. I guess we ought to be glad they aren't using lithium's, they can burn. Once I inadvertently shorted a cheapo pack I'd bought to recharge cell phones - now that was a sight to behold. Mrs SP&S was not pleased! :eek:hboy: Fortunately she understands the batteries in our car are better protected.

At some time the parlours will be considered to cost more to maintain than they are worth. Ride the CS while you can and see Amtrak's last vestige of the golden age.
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NiCads have possibly the lowest internal resistance of any practical rechargeable battery chemistry. They're still used for power tools.

So if they get shorted, they can generate lots and lots of current since their internal resistance doesn't operate much as a current limiter.

I remember when most of the worldwide Li-ion cell manufacturing went out of commission with one fire at a Sony factory in Japan. Still, the charging and discharging technology is much better now. It's really critical that they don't get overcharged or totally depleted. There's theoretically a little bit more capacity when your battery reaches "100%", but it's sensible to just leave it alone lest the battery gets overcharged and catches on fire.
 
desertflyer said:
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight. Here are a few pictures:
Click to expand...
What's the story behind that printed paper with wi-fi password? AmtrakConnect does not require a password, it needs a splash screen login where you accept conditions, so is someone from the crew providing additional "bootleg" wifi to the passengers? If yes, who is it? :ph34r:
 
Texan Eagle said:
desertflyer said:
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight. Here are a few pictures:
Click to expand...
What's the story behind that printed paper with wi-fi password? AmtrakConnect does not require a password, it needs a splash screen login where you accept conditions, so is someone from the crew providing additional "bootleg" wifi to the passengers? If yes, who is it? :ph34r:
Click to expand...
The starlight has had wifi for several years, albeit limited to the PPC only. I believe it is a basic hotspot using a cell signal simply plugged into an outlet in the car, not a built in system as on corridor equipment.
 
Texan Eagle said:
desertflyer said:
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight. Here are a few pictures:
Click to expand...
What's the story behind that printed paper with wi-fi password? AmtrakConnect does not require a password, it needs a splash screen login where you accept conditions, so is someone from the crew providing additional "bootleg" wifi to the passengers? If yes, who is it? :ph34r:
Click to expand...
The PPC is the only car with WiFi on the Coast Starlight. However, much of the way has no cell signal, so I'm thinking the data dies even if the WiFi signal is present.
 
In the SSL "PPC" they literally have a Verizon hotspot setup to use. Feedback has been that it barely is working, but I think that's just poor cell signal along the route. Honestly, I don't think the normal PPC wifi works very well either.
 
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desertflyer said:
I'm on 14 right now about to depart LA Union Station and we have a SSL in place of the Pacific Parlour Car today. A bit of a disappointment since this is my girlfriend's first trip on the Starlight. Here are a few pictures:
2uCfFCn.jpg


ccC7o9c.jpg


S2Rtawg.jpg
Click to expand...
I'd love a dedicated SSL on each LD train for sleeping car passengers only. One can only dream.
 
I just hope they survive til May when we make the big loop,,, one of my reasons for going to LA from Flagstaff was to show She Who Must Be Obeyed a PPC,,,,,,
 
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